Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-08-02

cred"
That is exactly what I don't like
about it. You haven't set your rate
high enough for a good margin OF
profit from the small shippers
1.-The margin of profit on all ship
ments is to be exactly the same" re-
piled Rollins. Just disabuse your
mind, Mr. Hepperdon. Of the idea that
there is to be concession Of any sort.
There is no use in discussing the mat
ter because this is fat and f1naL'
do you mean thatT' demanded
Hepperdon.
81 mean it absolutely"
Hepperdon studied him IN silence for
awhile. There was no doubt that Rol-
Inns meant precisely what he said.
Every WELL" snapped Hepperdon
within two weeks there will be a
special bill introduced into the United
States house of representatives dis
solving your railroad combination"
Hepperdon was waddlfng out OF the
house Tuning without stopping to
make any further adieus to Breed
when Kelvin stopped him in, the hall.
Mr.. Breed would ike to see you for
a few minutes before you 60"
"Hepperdon, about how much politi-
cal influence do you actually control?''
asked Breed.
More than any one aggregation OF
business interests in the United
States,'' declared Hepperdon. II own
exclusively cabinet officer, five Unit
ed States senators. more than a dozen
United States representatives and half
n dozen governors and minor officials,
state legislators and the like running
up into the hundreds. Besides that,
have partnership interests in connec-
ton with other large commercial
forces in two or three times as many
more political leaders"
THAT taIlies very well with our es-
innate" said Breed. I'VE may want
to borrow this influence of yours q lit
tie later on. Hepperdon. In the mean
time suppose you just go ahead and
pay this fat rate of Rollins and say
nothing. Leave it to me-"
Sure" said Hepperdon. 81 knew
there must be a niger in the wood
pile some place. You're looking very
well indeed, Breed
The next day brought Raymer, raw
boned and wooden featured, but fairly
oily in his suavity, and the head of
the beef trust. and Valentine, little
and screechy and marked with count
less black freckles. and the head of
the wooden combine. In unison and
garnished with many rugged exple
tives, Mr.. Raymer and Mr.. Valentine
declared to Mr.. Rollins that they
would invoke special legislation which
would put his railway monopoly out
of the business. dissolve 1t and sepa-
rate it into healthy competition, scat
ter it into easily handled fragments
and incidentally remove Mr.. Rollins
from any and all spheres of activity
whatsoever forever and a day-and
then some! On their way out Kelvin
led them In to see Mr.. Breed. who,
with Kelvin's assistant tabulated
Mr.. Raymer's and Mr.. Valentines leg
islative control.
The ensuing two weeks were taken
up by a succession of such incidents
as these, and at the conclusion of that
time Representative Oswald introduc-
ed into the house a bill providing that
no railroad should own stock in
another one; that no man should vote
control, by proxy or ownership, in
more than one of two or more COM
peting roads and that no railroad off
cial should hold either Office or stock
in another line of rails which reached
between any two same shipping points.
This was the straw, or. rather, the
bale Of straw, which snapped Rollins
already highly strung nervous tension.
He came to Breed and Kelvin in much
distress. Really, it was not so much a
surprise to Kelvin and Breed as it
might have been. for it was they who
had instructed Hepperdon as TO the
psychological moment in which to
have Oswald introduce his bill.
81 expected nothing else" said Breed,
glancing at the marconigram and hand
ing 1T to Kelvin. You know, we told
you in the first place that IT might be
necessary to make certain conces-
sions."
"Neverr' declared Rollins We'll
fight them to the last ditch They have
introduced this bill, but they have not
yet passed it"
But they will the minute it comes
to vote" said Kelvin. Come up TO
my rooms and let me show you a dia-
gram, Mr.. Rollins"
In his office Phillip displayed a Gu
rious sheet of cardboard almost as
large as the top of his desk upon !
which the name OF every senator and !
every United States representative was
set down. A few were marked in red /
as men who were not for sale, but the |
rest. the vast majority, were divided /
into groups, one owned" by Hopper |
don, another by Raymer, another by |
Valentine, etc, and the names were |
in some places cross grouped showing /
that certain OF the senators and GER /
tain of the representatives served sew |
eral nonconfiicting interests. The dia !
gram told at a glance precisely how 1
every man would vote on this bill.
This thing is Incredible" declared |
Rollins such a state of affairs can !
not exist"
"Such q state of affairs does exist"
asserted Kelvin You may close your |
eyes and touch a pencil point in sue |
cessiOn upon any half dozen names /