Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1911-09-08

any Information you may acquire
should be submitted to those Of us
who are present before any use Il
made Of it."
"oh that, Of course" ssid LiRey.
Chief, don't make any owe without
submitting them to me-"
There Is still another matter Of
interest to US all which must be set
tied" continued Haldane.
What's that?"
1.-THE old franchise of the New York
Street Car company that expires this
spring; the link that completes the
circle Of the Gotham Freight Traction
company"
We'll, it doesn't seem to me that's 3
very difficult proposition" said Liney.
We've got the board Of aldermen,
and the borough presidents as well.
All we've got to do is to draw up an
ordinance and shove 1t through. The
mayor here'll sign 1t, and that'l be
the end of it."
1T is by no means as easy as you
think, Liffey." said Haldane. If ]
know anything about Gormly he'll
make a fight on that issue. That Is
our weak point. If we had that fran.
chise safely passed and in our peck
cts, we could laugh at him. l don't
know whether 1t would not be better
to defer the passage of such an ordi-
nance until after the election"
Il think that while there Is much
In what you say, Haldane," said Van
Slyke, yet we'd better make sure Of
the ordinance before the election.
We would have that, anyway, even II
we failed, which, as Mr.. Liffey says,
is hardly possible"
Gentlemen" said Haldane, - am
by no means convinced of what you
say. l tell you that the main light
will be on the disposal of that very
franchise. l admit that we can pass
anything in spite of any connections,
but the question is do we want It,"
That's hardly the question:" said
Mcdonald. "Of course we want 1t;
but the question is, Is 1t the best
thing to do. l think there Is tremend'
ous force in your arguments, Mr.. Hal
dane. If we present ourselves with
that franchise, which is so immensely
valuable and vital indeed to the COM
pletion Of our properties, as well as to
the public, we shall certainly have
given to the opposition the strongest
ground for appeal to the people. II
we do not present ourselves with the
franchise, If we allow the election to
determine that unoficially as 1t were
and then when we have won the cleo
ton, we avail ourselves Of u oppor
tunities, we shall be In a much safer
and better position"
do you wish to submit this fran
chise to the vote of the people, Mr.
McRonald?" asked Rutherford.
"By no MEANS" answered the finan
cier.
well, what do you propose then?'
"This. Would it not be well, II
case this movement grows strong
enough to be worthy Of the attention
we are giving it, to declare as from
the party in power that while we have
the power to grant the franchise, ant
while we think 1t would be for thu
interests of the people that 1t shoult
be granted, yet we are willing to de
fer action until after the election ant
let the election determine"
THAT would be a wise course" salt
Haldane. II don't know but that 1t i
the wisest course; but we must fac'
the alternative"
What Is that?"
Defeat! If we made that PROPOSE
ton, and then were defeated,
would be impossible for us to secur'
the franchise. The stock of tn
Gotham Freight Traction company |
$3.50, 900, 900, and the bonds outstand
ing aggregate almost as much. !
we don't have this franchise, the,
won't be worth ten cents on the dolla
to u.s."
"How much actual money has bee
invested in the concern" asked tn
district attorney.
1.-TWO hundred and fifty million
from the people, and-very httl
else" answered Haldane.
"How much is 1t really worth !
~oueried IiffeV.
"It's worth, Of course, what wa
put into It,"
"And what will its earning capacit
be?"
IF we control it, 1t will pay a fai
dividend on all the stock that ha
been put out, most of which Is hel
by our friends and the friends of th
organization" answered Van Slyke.
The problem was a tremendous on
u They faced it silently a moment {
two. and at last Haldane restated It.
"You see, we can, II necessary, def
public opinion and jam through a
ordinance at the last minute even
we are likely to lose the election, a
t though by so doing we should give ID
enemy a tremendous advantage 6
. the close of the campaign. Or we ca
4 defer the granting Of the franchis
until after the election, in the hor
that the postponement will be OF
strongest card for winning. I tell yo'
Z gentlemen, that other interests