Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1911-02-17

ness mind was ready to pounce upon
my scheme and search it hopefully II
merCilessly.
"A secret absolutely secret combine
or a dozen Of the big corporations Of
my state--those that make the bulk
OF the political business-the com
bine to me under the management of
some man whom they trust and whose
Interests are business. not political"
He would have enormous power
said Roebuck.
knew that he would point first and
straight at that phase of my scheme.
no matter bow subtly l might dis.
guise 1t. So l had pushed 1t into his
face and had all but pointed at It my
self so that | might explain it away.
'Power?' said /. How do you make
that out? Any member of the com
bine that is dissatisfied can withdraw
at any time and go back to the old
way OF doing business Besides the
manager won't dare appear in 1t at all.
he'll have to hide himself from the
people and from the politicians be-
hind some popular fgurehead There's
another advantage that mustn't be
overlooked, Dunkirk and these other
demagogues who bleed you are inflam-
ing public sentiment more and more
against big corporations-tha their
way OF fighting you into yielding to
their demands. Under the new plan
their demogogery would cease. Don't
you think it's high time for the lead
ers of commerce and industry to com
bine intelligcntiy against demagogery?
Don't you think they have cringed be.
fore 1t and have financed and foster
ed it too long?"
This argument which l had re-
served for the last, had all the effect
! anticipated. He sat rubbing his
broad, bald forehead, twisting his
white Whiskers and muttering to him
self. Presently he asked: when
are you and Lottie Ramsay going to
be married."
an the fall" said |. IN about
three months"
well Wen talk It over again
after you are married and settled. If
you had the substantial interests to
give you the steadness and ballast.
| think you'd be the man for your
scheme. Yes, something-some such
thing as you su ggest-must be done
to stop the poisoning of public opin-
ion against the coslntry's best and
strongest men. The political depart
ment OF the business interests ought
to be thoroughly organized as the 9TH
err departments are. Come to me
again after you're married.
| saw that his mind was fixed, that
he would be unable to trust me until
| was of his class of the aristocracy
of corpulcnt corporate persons
went away, much downcast; but two
weeks afterWard he telegraphed for
me, and when | came he at once
brought up the subject of the com
bine.
GO ahead with it. he said Tve
been thinking it over and talking it
over. We slall need only nine others
besides myself and YOU You repre-
sent the Ramsay interest
He equipped mo with the neces.
sary letters of introduction and sent
me forth on "A tour of my own state
When it was ended, my combine
was formed And | was the com
bine-was master Of this political
blind pool | had taken the FIRST, The
hardest step, toward the realization
of my dream Of real political power
to become an Embossed boss rot the
agent and servant of plutonacy or
partizauship, but using both TO fur
Their my own purposes and plans
| had thus laid out for myself the
difficult feat Of controlling two fiery
steeds. Difficult, but not impossible,
if | should develop skill as a diver
for the skillful driver has a hand so
light that his horses fancy ti.y are
going their own road at their own
gait.
CONTINUED NEXT WEEK.