The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1911-03-13

ly through the streets from cost
ly imported automobiles, flashed
brilliantly from the bejeweled
fingers of wife and courtezan,
kept cleaning necks and Shout
ders warm in the face of SILVER
ing poverty, gurgled in goblets
of precious yintages, raced pant
ing under the wire. Above all,
he read the answer in the terrific
power of the modern feudal sys-
tem-concentrated wealth-whose
machinery was slowly crunching,
crunching, crunching his people
into helpless subsection. From a
race of men who were pro-
ducers had sprung a genera
ton of men whom the
world called "financiers" - who
gave no equivalent to humanity
for what they wrung out of hui
mainly. They reared magnifi-
cent memorial churches, did these
"financiers, endowed UNIVERSE
ties, erected Libraries, founded
scientific institutions : bearing
their own names in high, ornate
letters that posterity might read
and hold the donors in loving re-
membranes; they gave to charity
as did the Pharisee, conspicuous
ly, with fanfare of trumpets,
amid the plaudits of a hired cho-
rus, and exchanged among them
selves such greetings: my
brother in the great work of dis
Itributing surplus wealth, l clasp
your hand. We are doing the
work of God" But the surplus
which they distributed was wealth
that others had created and which
the possesors had not earned.
How had such things come to
pass? All! that question he could
answer, since he himself had once
been part of the system. He
knew, far better than did his
patient, blinded people, the enor-
nous sums of money needed to
fire the engines that run the ma
TONS political machinery, and
whence that corruption fund
came-from those whom our
prosperity" crowned. Had Bob
not known the answer from spe-
|cific instances, he could have
read it in the awful rapidity with
which the wealth created by this
nation and the power generated
by that wealth, were passing into
the control of that small group OF
modern financiers-the money
kings"
A nation. great people, was
being bOught-was being sold in
to slavery!
And this was wrong, in denial
OF the ideals of the Common
wealth, in disobedience of the
natural law which says, "Let a
mans reward be measured by his
value to humanity" He would
do nothing to disturb the just bal
ance of the state; to his execu-
tive brain organization and equil-
ibrium were prime essentials. But
there was-there must bel
some means by which the injus-
tice could be correct, the world's
happiness and the reward of eff
fort more equitably distributed
He could not then PROFOUND the
remedy. But one thing he knew
the remedy, when found, could
never be applied so long as the
machinery of government remain
ed in the power of those against
whom the remedy was to apply.
What was to be his part? That
question had been answered when
Haggin told him of his city's
Borrowing in his suffer. These
people-his people!-whom he
had used as a lever to lift him tc
power that he might the more ar.
PROFANITY worship his petty self.
god-had ignored the shameful
truth about him, had stood 10y.
ALLY, trustingly by him, had barred
their heads in sorrow when IL
seemed that he must die. He was
humbled to the dust. And then
even In his humility, he was raised
again by the inspiration that was
never to forsake him.
81 have been a failure" thought
this man whose brilliant success
a nation was considering wonder
ingly, "since / have missed the
real meaning of life. These are
my people. they need me. Let me
lserve!"
Unconsciously he spoke the last
words aloud.
Let me serve!" Kathleen re-
peated slowly.
1t was easy to lay ones heart
bare to Kathleen!
"Kathleen!" And his voice was
husky, as it had been when he
had spoken the same words of a
woman whom he had hurt. "Kath-
leen, I've many things to make
up to many people. And / want
to do it. l have misused myself
l see it all now-what I've re-
fused to see all my life. Kath.
leen, something has gone out OF
me-"
You mean" she said gently
that something has come into
your heart-the greatest of all
things"
He smiled at her. It seemed tc
Kathleen that his thin, ugly face
Ialight with his new inspiration
was the most beautiful in the
world.
and you will be happy, Bob
as you have never BEEN" There
was n catch In bar ttoioo