The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1911-07-06


awhile. There was no doubt that Rol- |
lins meant precisely what he said.
VERY 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 waddling out of the
house fuming without stopping to
make any further adieus to Breed
when Kelvin stopped him In the hall.
mir. Breed would like to see you for
a few minutes before you GO"
"Hepperdon. about how much politi.
cal influence do you actually controlT'
/ 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 dozen
United States representatives and half
n dozen governors and minor officials,
state legislators and the like running
up into the hundreds. Besides that, l
have partnership interests in connec-
tion with other large commercial
forces in two or three times as many
more political leaders"
THAT tallies very well with our es.
innate" said Breed. I'VE may want
to borrow this influence Of yours lit.
tie later on. Hepperdon. In the mean.
time suppose you just go ahead and
pay this Hat rate OF Rollins and say
nothing. Leave II to me-"
Sure" said Hepperdon. 81 knew
there must be 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 woolen combine. In unison and
garnished with many rugged expe
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 II and sepa-
rate IL into healthy competition. scat
ter II 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 10 see Mr.. Breed. who.
with Kevin's assistance. tabulated
Mr. Raymers and Mr. Valentines leg.
islative control.
The ensuing two weeks were taken
up by q 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, IL was not so much a
surprise to Kelvin and Breed as II
might have been. for II was they who
had instructed HepperdOn as to the
psychological moment in which tC
have Oswald introduce his bill.
81 expected nothing else" said Breed
glancing at the marconigram and hand
ing It to Kelvin. you know. we told
you in the first place that It might be
necessary TO make certain conces
u sions.'
"Neverp' declared Rollins. "Wel
: fght them to the last ditch. They have
introduced this bill, but they have not
yet passed It,"
But they will the minute 1t comes
70 a vote" said Kelvin. Come up tc
J. my rooms and let me show you a dia
gram, Mr.. Rollins"
In his office Phillip displayed a Gu
u rious sheet of cardboard almost as
= large as the top of his desk upon
which the name of every senator anC
, every United States representative was
set down. A few we're marked in rec
as men who were not for sale, but the
d rest. the vast majority, were divided
. into groups, one owned" by Hopper
hOu' duothtl ny hdg hNis ahoth'i W
e Valentine, etc, and the names were
. in some places cross grouped showing
i that certain of the senators and Ger
o tain Of the representatives served sew
o eral nonconaicting interests. The dla
gram told at glance precisely how
d every man would vote on this bill
% This thing is Incredible" declared
h Rollins. Such a state of affairs cal
g not exist"
"Such state of affairs does exist,
q asserted Kelvin. "You may close you
IS eyes and touch a pencil point in sue
TX ressiOn upon any half dozen name
there not ringed with red. Wir
10 those gentlemen and ask them to tel
IL you by tomorrow how they intend t
IN vote on this bill" s-rsNrv-~,
n. I'm do it," said Rollins.
lp BY afternoon Rollins had answer
I'd 20 all his wires. Four declared will