The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-06-14
YES. They put that track down

Yes. They put that track down
without permit They took your,
word for It instead OF mine They got
to learn some. You pay for your track.
now. Then you take up your track and
put that street and them curbs and
cutters just like you found EN-. and
then you wait. You needn't do no in
quirin', but If ever you see permit
for spur track across Bryan Street to-
your lot. comm through the Council, !,
you know It's yours. II you don't ever,
see 1t, you can keep on thinkin Just
the same, what a blamed fool you've
been; and to rest your mind, you can
get busy putin that teamin' and ware
housin' business back where 1t was. I'll
turn you in couple of hundred tons
OF stuff in the next few months. Just to
show you there amt no hard feelin's."
Holman was beaten Now that he
had surrendered he felt frightened.
ruthlessness of the forces that had!
been set in motion against him. came
over him. 1t was we'll he quit when he
did Another six months like the past
three would have forced him into abb
solute bankruptcy, and have wiped out
his entire fortune, the accumulations
of lifetime of hard work. He looked
across at the face of the man who, in
quite business-like way. had set to
work to force him into submission over
small matter by the sure process of
business and social ruin. He was an
ignorant man, this Tank, with a dingy
office over cigar factory in dis
reputable quarter of the town. And
| yet, he had done all these things to
Mr.. Holman, with swift relentless
ness that made him dizzy, as he
thought of 1t. A strange feeling Of re-
amiable face, and the terribly long arm
Of vengeance, overcame him. A desire
to know him and hear him talk en-
tered his mind. Mr.. Holman sat down,
and tipped back his hat upon his head,
while he mopped his perspiring brow.
What l want to know" he asked,
humbly. is how you did It? am not
surprised that you could command the
assistance Of toughs and rowdies, or
that you could take away from me the
business of men who are connected
with the city government. or involved
in commercial transactions with it, but
this persecution to which have been
| subjected has not only done that. It
| has involved my business associates.
1t has prevented me from getting loans
at the leading financial institutions in
this city. 1t has precluded lifetime pa
! irons Of those banks from getting ac-
commodations there. because they did
business with me. 1t has even extended
into society. II has closed the doors of
homes against my own wife and daugh-
ters. whose social standing has never
been questioned fHolman was speak
! ing with great feeling1. and, finally. 1t
was leading to their social ostracism.
am free to say, Mr. Tank, that that
is what brings me to submission. But,
my God, man. it's terrible power you
WELD. You are more absolute in this
city than the Car of Russia in S.
1 Petersburg never dreamed tn. ex-
4 tent of 1T before Can you tell me upon
what 1t rests and how long 1t is to
last?"
Yep" said Tank, promptly. leaning
forward with a most engaging frank
ness Of manner can tell you"
1t was Characteristic of Daniel Tank
that he could not only be magnanimoua
to fallen foe, but, by long experience,
he had learned how to trust and make
an ally Of such man.
81 like the men l have licked. like
'em and trust EN-" was an axiom OF
his. and measured by this standard
Holman was entitled to a considerable
share of the boss's confidence, and he
poured it out quite unhesitatingly.
at rests on men like you," he be-
gan, bluntly.
Holman started.
Tank went on: Last campaign there
was a move to elect an independent
mayor and city council, one Endorsed
by the high-brows on the hills that yor
train with. You was member OF thei1
campaign committee, but all the while
you was lukewarm because we let yor
stand your trucks In the street
night. and because you was gettin
some advantages on the water from
from US You was gettin' special priv
leges, and you wanted to keep 'em
You sold yourself for the price OF
barn and little haulin' contract. TIL
chairman Of that campaign committe
was the head Of the biggest wholesal
business In this town, with factorie
and stores, hirin' about three thou
sand men. Theoretically. he's for goo
government, but his firm is corpora
ton. He had special privileges fror
the present city government-from me
in fact. Personally, maybe. he was Wit
the crowd he was supposed to be witt
but in business way his firm wa
! with us. It's that way right dow
, through. There amt hardly any bus
ness man in this town that don't SHIT
the door of his patriotism behind hill
w~Ns-n