Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1911-12-24

ACROSS THE LINE.

fST0OuN ~ ths sesAt ~ tho H@h sas
,arehsd into the libraryi None - his
.rtnsrs had yet arrived, but he knew
rom the hight In the window that his
athor was reading In the smoking
oom. waiting for him TO come homs
"a Asd oallsd his father UP shortly
tier dinner and asked him not to So
bed
The younger man entered very
,uietiy, because he ala not want his
.thsr to hear him. He desired above
yerything else at that NJ ment the
me to 10 over the whole ground onos
nors ana once more convince himself
hat there was no ROAD TO ssfsty--ia-
ide the law.
He went over the whole situation In
ie,an and Eroanod aloud when he reached
hs same rosuit that he had arrived at
brss seconds after the manager Of
no Emerson Bank had told him that
n. clearing house had refused thslr pa
isr Brisny, 1t was this;
They were able to pay $3.50 for every
ioliAr they owed--if thsy would bs given
me. In the vaults OF their twelve banks
hey had securities that ran high ints
no millions, and yet they might lose .
arre part OF those millions and be driven
o close out at q fearful loss for the lack
,f q little csshi
They had forty or atty millions OF dol.
lsrs In paper that was as good as cash
at any other time. Now, all Of II was
not nearly so useful As . couple Of mill
lions In goldi
With twelve banks a. solvent a. the
Bank Of England. they were about to be
,uined for the lack OF q little cashi
Law or no law. was there any injustice
tp that. Emerson asked himself.
Because a little clique Of men had Dc
cidsd that they and they only should en-
gase in the banking business on large
scale and had skilltully secured control
OF the medum-the actual ooin-should
ave honest men, solvent twice over be
driven to ruin and disgraceH
Should they be forced TO walk through
nfs with the burden OF the disasters Of
thousands of innocent men upon their
souls because q mercileN piutocracy
had willed Il so7 BY technical violation
Of the lava law that his enemies vio-
latsd every day of their lives-hs could
put his hands on S4.00o,00o in geldl
His own interests and the interests Of
thousands OF innocent and trusting men
had been placed in jespordy by de-
libeyate, criminal conspiracy.
Had he not the right to Hght them
with their own weaponsf
Who would be injured but these msn
who had plunged tho nation into fright
full panic for their own selfish endsr
II he could beat them. II he could keep
the doors Of his bank open, the stagger-
ing Industrial world might lean upon his
strength until It had recovered Its bal
ance and the suffering Of milllons-ths
inevitable suffering-would never be.
There are two higher laws than the
Feasiar banking acts" he said to HIM
self. zone 10 the duty Of protecting the
innocent and the other !s-the law OF
sslf-preservation" And he touched the
bell
Thomas. do you happen to know II
my father is still in the smoking
roomY" he asked. as the servant ap'
peared at the door
Yes, sir. hos waiting for you, sir
He said was TO send you up as soon
a. you came In"
"AIi right. Thomas Il there some
cracked Ice up thersr'
"Yes. sir"
very we'll. Some gentlemen will be
here later. Show them In here ana tell
me when they come"
Yes. SIR"
As he entered tho smoking-room, his
father sprsng up with an exclamation
Of alarm There were deep lines OF
worry In the thin. parchment-like skin
Of his face. He had been uneasy when
Wilbur did not come home for dinner
and the feverish eyes and grim. tense
set OF his boys mouth and Jaw did
not reassure him.
what on earth has happened. VIII
burr" he cried. This is a terrible
bear raid understand that the money
10 pouring out of every bank In the
city In torrents
That's about the size of IT. father
tho young man quietly replied. Tor
rents is the word"
And how--are we--wiii ws." began
Mr.. Emerson anxiously.
"oh. we're all right" answered tn,
son. calmly. without turning his head
from the buffet where he was busiiy
concoc ting a highball "All we need is
q little ready cash and then We can
laugh at the whole business"
"A little ready cashI" echoed his
father. why. surely, with all our re.
sources"-
Eyes. yesi knowi" interrupted VIII
bur, turning. Under ordinary ciroun.
stances there wouldn't be any trouble
about It at ALL But these are rather
more than ordinary circumstancea"
His father dropped heavily into .
chair.
sn,,s - hA