Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1911-08-31
own, is Obliged to- take cogn1zance or
them. Two years ago the railroad
people found 1t advisable and profit

OWL, Is opllSeQ TO take cOgn1Zance or
them. Two years ago the railroad
people found 1t advisable and profit
able to-er-make a little arrangement!
with us which was to our mutual adj
vantage, and 1 called to see if it could
not be made again"
Blount sat back in his chair, and the
conciliatory smile disappeared. state
the facts. if you please, Mr.. Hatha-
way" he said CURLY.
well, it was like this. AS you know,
We have a great many sawmills scat
tered around in different places in the
state, and we employ a good many
men. While u employees are resi-
dents Of the state, they are not cit-
zens in the sense that they AXE any
active interest in state politics. They
may be here this year and up among
the Oregon redwoods next year and
somewhere else the year following.
That being the case. when they vote
at all they naturally ask US how we
would like to have them vote"
go on" said Blount.
well, as 1 say, such being the case,
we are able to control at least four
and probably five of the legislative
districts in this state. The control is
worth something to your people, and
In the last election that fact was rec
ognized. Since the Twin Buttes Lum-
Der company is practically the only
heavy lumber shipper in this region, it
was given a preferential rate ON its
products, not at all as a quid pro quo,
you understand, but merely in friend
ly recognition of our help In the last
election.
Really, it was not such a great
thing that was done for us, Mr..
Blount. If you are familiar with lum-
Der rates in this territory you will
know that the special tariff made for
us is all that enables us to live. With
out 1t we would go into bankruptcy
inside Of a year"
Blount had opened his penknife and
was absently sharpening a pencil.
This special rate you speak of, Mr..
Hathaway" he said, speaking slowly
Il imagine it is not confined to this
state"
"Well-er-no," was the hesitating
reply. ITO meet competition it has
been made to apply also on through
shipments"
"And it is covered by rebates, 1 sup
poser"
"N-not exactly" was the reluctant
admission. The Transcontinental
company is a heavy purchaser of lum-
Der, and the greater part of the differ
ence between the preferential and the
regular tariff rate is taken up in our
bills for stock sold to the railroad"
Let me be quite clear upon hat
point, Mr.. Hathaway. You mean hat
you are allowed to charge the railroad
company more than the market price
on the lumber it buys?'
The president Of the lumber trust
nodded. Eyes: that's practically the
way of it," he admitted. Then he
once more pressed the time worn ar
gnmenr: It's the only way we can
live n do business nowadays. Mr..
Blount. Like every other large cor
poration, we have a small army Of
little NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., orphans,
charitable institutions and trustees
accounts. 1 have brought a list Of
our stockholders. and I'd like to have
you ook it over"
Blount took the paper mechanically
and quite rs mechanically ran his eye
down the list of names. At the bot
tom of it. written in with a pen, was
the name of Patricia's father, with his
residence and occupation filed out in
fill