The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1911-05-20
CHAPTER XIV.


IN HE fiat freight rate was tire,
mendous sensation. 1t was
hailed as the great utopian
q realization. the one supreme
act which was to level all dis.
tinctions. which was to place all
business upon an equal footing. which
was to cure all the economic ills of the
country. And who was back of this
huge philanthropic move? Rollins
Sumner Rollins. the Napoleon OF the
railroad world. And who was back
of Sumner Rollins? Henry Breed Yet
another step. who was back of Breed?
Phillip Kelvin. There was the man.
Until Kelvin had come Breed had done
none of these radical things. Since
Kelvin had appeared upon tue scene
Breed had broken UP the Stock EN-
change. he had reduced the price Of
brcnd to cost. he had disintcgrntcd the
Unified Steel corporation. he had re.
moved the unjust discrimination OF the
railroads: ergo. Kelvin was really the
big force of all this reformation.
Kelvin! Great was Kelvin. Column
upOI NtIuiuH WIZ ~ uUOul
his past life, his phenomenal rise. his
tremendous executive ability. lie be-
came national figure overnight, as
1t were. Men talked about him mt
clubs in cafes. in street ears. in their
homes. wherever they were congregat-
cd. About the flat rate. however. GER
tain men merely winked. 1t was Il
| cy,ln nj. ~ r,.
public. 1t was II splendid wenpon
which would give Breed power of life
and death over any business upon
which he chose to exert it, but that
1t meant just what 1t stated on the
surface was past belief.
Sunve gentlemen representing vnri-
GUS lnrge interests trnilcd Rollins
from his New York Offices down to
Forest Lakes to meet in succession
quite rude shocks There was posi-
lively no satisfaction 70 be had from
Rollins.
The first Of these was John G. Hep
perdon. the head Of the petroleum
trust. one of the most perfect combines
III existence and one which had been
built almost entirely upon rebates and
freight concessions of various sorts
Mr.. lIeppcrdon was Il triHc impatient
over lie necessity Of having to make
such Il trip and was insistent upon
coming to II crisp working basis at
once. For that reason he did not go to
Mr.. Rollins ~ all. He very calmly
! walked over that gentlcman's fignra-
tive head to Mr.. breed
"Hello, Breed" said he. walking in
upon that gentleman MS he snt in his
! library porting over II set of photo
! graphs. one Of which happened to be
! Mr.. Hcpperlnn's "I.rf's get down to
blunt bedrock on This freight PROPOSE
ton. How much OF a rebate are we to
get, and what percentage OF it goes TO
you Individually"
Glad to see you. Iirpperdon." snid
Breed. ut has been long time since
| had the pleasure Of brush with
you. Where have you been keeping
yourself so long?"
"Just got back from Europe" said
! uepperdon. But how about this
freight business? have to get back
on the next train"
"Out OF my hands entirely" said
Breed. "Youll hive to see Mr.. Rol-
lins." and he rang for Kelvin, to whom
he gravely introduced Hepperdon.
"Mr Kelvin. take Mr.. Hepperdon up
and Introduce him to MIR. Rollins" said
he.
Kelvin smilingly did so and. having
introduced the two gentlemen. quietly
withdrew.
'"There is to be no rebate" declared
Rollins. "Why should there be re-
bnte? You have to ship over our roads,
and you may he thankful that we are
making only n fair percentage yielding
rate. AS a matter OF fact, the pre-
(; viOusly published rate has been low.
cred"
about 1t. You haven't set your rate
high enough for a good margin of
profit from the small shippers"
'The margin Of profit on all ship
ments is to lie exactly the same" re.
piled Rollins. Just disabuse your
mind. Mr.. Heppcrdon. of the idea that
there is to be II concession of any sort.
There is no use In discussing the mat
ter because this ia fiat and final"
do You mean that?" demanded
Hepperdon,
II mean 1t absolutely"
Hepperdon studied him in silence for
awhile. There was no doubt that Rol-
] lins meant precisely what he said.
VERY we'll" snapped HeDDerdon.