The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1911-09-23

! I suggest. eafd MI Haldane, 'that
any Information you may acquire
| should be submitted to those OF US
who are present before any use is
| made of it
oh that, OF course" said Liney
| Chief. don't make any moves without
submitting them to me-"
| There is still another matter OF
| interest tn US all which must be set
tied" continued Haldane.
| What's that?"
The old franchise OF the New York
Street Car company that expires this
| spring: the link that completes tho
| circle OF the Gotham Freight Traction
company"
Well, it doesn't seem to me that's .
very difficult proposition" said Liffey.
We've got the board of aldermen.
and the borough presidents as well.
All we've got to do Is to draw up an
ordinance and shove # through The
mayor hereIl sign II. and that1l be
| the end of it"
| 1T Is by no means as easy as you
| think. LifYey." said Haldane. If
| know anything about Gormly he'll
| make fight on that issue. That Is
our weak point. II we had that fran
chise safely passed and in our pock-
cts, We could laugh at him. I don't
know whether 1t would not be better
to defer the passage of such an ordi-
nance until after the election"
Il think that while there Is much
in what you say. Haldane.' said Van
Slyke. yet we'd better make sure OF
the ordinance before the election.
We would have that. anyway. even II
We failed. which. as Mr. Lif1ey says.
is hardly possible"
Gentlemen said Haldane, Il am
| BY no means convinced of what you
say. l tell you that the main fight
Will be on the disposal of that very
franchise. ! admit that We can pass
anything in spite of any ommotions.
but the question is do We want it."
That's hardly the question: said
Mcdonald. "Of course we want it:
but the question is. is 1t the best
thing to do. / think there Is tremend-
Gus force In your arguments, Mr.. Hal
! dane. II We present ourselves with
| that franchise. which Is SO immensely
valuable and vital indeed to the COM
| rletion OF our properties. as well as to
| the public. we shall certainly have
| given to the opposition the strongest
| ground for appeal to the people. II
We do not present ourselves with the
franchise. II we allow the election to
determine that unofficially as 1t were.
/ and then when we have won the cleo
/ ton, we avail ourselves of our oppor-
tunities, we shall be in a much safer
| and better position"
do you wish to submit this fran
! chise to the vote of the people. Mr..
McRonald?" asked Rutherford
by no means" answered the fnan.
| cier.
Well. what do you propose them"
This. Would it not be- well, in
case this movement grows strong
enough to be worthy of the attention
we are giving it, to declare as from
/ the party in power that while We have
| the power to grant the franchise, and
| while we think il would be for the
interests Of the people that 1t should
be granted, yet We are willing to de-
fer action until after the election and
let the election determine
THAT would be a wise course" said
Haldane. Il don't know but that it is
the wisest course: but we must face
the alternative"
What Is that?"
Defeat. II we made that PROPOSE.
ton, and then were defeated. II
would be impossible for us to secure
the franchise. The stock Of the
Gotham Freight Traction company 10
| nd hn fcta
ing aggregate almost as much II
we don't have this franchise, they
won't be worth ten cents on the dollar
to u.s.
How much actual money has been
invested in the concern?" asked the
district attorney.
Two hundred and fifty millions
from the people. and-very little
else" answered Haldane.
How much is it really WORTH"
Queried Liffey
ITS worth. of course. what was
put into it,
| And what will its earning capacity
be-"
III we control It. it will pay a fair
| dividend on all the stock that has
been put out. most of which Is held
| BY our friends and the friends of the
organization" answered Van Slyke
| The problem was a tremendous one.
They faced 1t silently a moment or
| two. and at last Haldane restated 1t.
You see. we can. II necessary. defy
public opinion and Jam through an
ordinance at the last minute even II
we are likely to lose the election. al
| though by so doing we should give the
enemy a tremendous advantage at
the close Of the campaign. Or we can
defer the granting of the franchise
until after the election, in the hope
that the postponement will be our
strongest card for winning. J tell you.
gentlemen, that other interests Of