The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1911-01-21
By CHARLES KLEIN,

of their road. Tie land was bought
cheap, and there had been some talk
of laying part of it out as a public
park. This promise had been made at
the time in good faith, but it was no
condition of the sale. II afterward,
owing to the rise in the value Of real
estate, the road found it impossible to
carry out the original idea, surely they
were masters of their own property!
The people of Auburndale thought DIFF
ferently and, goaded on by the local
newspapers, had begun action in the
courts to restrain the road from divert
ing the land from its alleged original
purpose They had succeeded in get
ting the injunction, but the road had
fought it tooth and nall and finally
carried it to the supreme court, where
Judge Rossmore after reservtng his
opinion had finally sustained the in
junction and decided against the rail,
road. That was the situation.
Several directors spoke, the argu-
ments Of each one being merely a re-
iteration of those already heard. Ry.
der did not listen to what was being
said. Why should he? Was he not
familiar with every possible phase Of
the game? Better than these men who
merely talked, be was planning how
the railroad and all his other interests
could get rid Of the troublesome judge
Rossmore
He who controlled legislatures and
dictated to supreme court judges had
found himself powerless when each
turn Of the legal machinery had
brought him face to face with Judge
Rossmore. Suit after suit had been
decided against him and the interests
he represented, and each time it was
Judge Rossmore who had handed down
the decision. So for years these two
men had fought silent but bitter duel
in which principle on the one side and
attempted corruption on the othe.
were the gage of battle. Judge Ross
more fought with the weapons which
his oath and the law directed him to
use, Ryder with the only weapons he
understood-bribery and trickery. And
each time it had been Rossmore who
had emerged triumphant. Despite ev-'
cry maneuver Ryder's experience coull
suggest, Notwithstanding every care,
that could be played to undermine his
credit and reputation, Judge Rossmcr,
stood higher in the country's coIii<
dence than when he was first appoint,
Cd
So when Ryder found he could MOI
corrupt this honest Judge with gold
he decided to destroy him with calunl.
ny. No scruples embarrassed Ryder
In arriving at this determine ton.
From his point Of view he was fully
justified. Business is business. He
hurts my interests; therefore remove
him." So he argued, and he consid-
cred 1t no more wrong to wreck th,
happiness Of this honorable man thai,
he would to have shot burglar in
self defense. So having thus tran
quilted his conscience he had gone 20
work in his usually thorough manner;
and his success had surpassed the
most sangulne expectations
This is what he had done.
Like many Of our public servant:
whose labors are compensated only il;
niggardly fashion by an tnconsiderate
country. Judge Rossmore was q m?,,
OF but moderate means. His incou.r
as justice Of the supreme court w:s
$4,000 year, but for a man in HI;
position, having a certain appearance
to keep up, it little more than kept the
wolf from the door. He lived quietly,
but comfortably, in New York with his
wife and his daughter Shirley, an at
ractive young woman who had grad
uated from Vassar and had shown a
marked taste for literature. The daugh-
ter's education had cost good deal of
money, and this, together with life in
surance and other incidentals Of keep
ing house In New York, had about tax
en- all he had. Yet he had managed to
save a little, and those years when he
could put by fifth of his salary the
judge considered himself lucky. Sc
cretly he was proud Of his COMPARE
tive poverty. At least the world could
never ask him where he got It,"
Ryder was well acquainted with
Judge Rossmore's private means The
two men had met at dinner, and, al
though Ryder had tried to cultivate
the acquaintance, he never received
much encouragement Ryder's son
Jefferson, too, had met Miss Shirley
Rossmore and been much attracted to
her, but the father having more am
bilious plans for his heir quickly dis
couraged all attentions In that direc-
ton. He himself, however, continued
to meet the Judge casually, and one
evening he conrived to breach the
subject Of profitable investments. The
judge admitted that by careful hoard
ing and much stinting he had managed
TO save a few thousand dollars which
he was anxious to invest In something
good.
Quick as the keen eyed vulture
swoops down on It's prey the willy
nnancier- seized the opportunity thus
presented. And he took 90 much trou-
bic in answering the Judges inexperi.
enced questions and generally made
himself go agreeable that the Judge
found himself resrettlng that he and