The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-09-22

pany's good name"
 "Oh, no; wouldn't put it quite that strong Not many of these little fel- lows ask or expect money. A free ride now and then on the railroad is about all they look for"
 ''But you can't give them that un- der the interstate commerce law" pro- tested the purist.
 ''Not outside of the state, of course. But inside of the state boundaries it's our own business.'
 'You mean it was our own busf- ness previous to the passage of the state rate law two years ago. cor rected B1ount.
 ''It is our own business to this good day-in effect. That part of the law has been complete dead letter from the day the governor signed 1t. Why, bless your innocent heart, Evan, the very men who argued the 1oudest and voted the most sp1tefully for it came to me for their return tickets home at the end of the session. Of course we kept the letter of the law. It says that no free passes shall be given. We didn't issue passes. We merely gave them tickets out of the case and charged them up to expense"
 "Faughe' said Blount. You make me sick. Gantry, it's that same child ish whipping of the devil around the stump by the corporation, an expe- dlent that wouldn't deceive the most ignorant voter that ever cast 8 ballot its that very thing that has stirred the whole nation up to this unreason- able fight against corporate capital. Don't you see it?''
 GaUtrv shrI7oGod his shoulders
 'I guess take the line of the least resistance-like the majority of them,'' was the colorIess reply. When it comes to practical politics''-
 Don't say practical politics. to me, Dick,'' rasped the reformer. We've got the strongest argument in the world in the fact that the present law is an unfair one, needing modification or repeal. We mustn't spoil that argu- ment by becoming 1awbreakers our selves and descending to the methods of the grafters and the machine poh ticians the country over. If you have been sending these pie eaters to me, don't do it any more. have no use for them, and they won't have any use for me after I open up on them"
 "I don't believe I'd do anything rash,' said Gantry.
 Dating from this little heart to heart talk with the traffic manager, Blount began to carry out the new policy ''the starvation policy" as it soon came to be known among the would be henchmen. The result was not alto gether reassuring.
 Many of the small grafters were on the payro1ls of the; railroad company, and Blount was soon definitely assured of what he had before only suspected that they were merely nominal en- p1oyees, given a payroll standing so that there might be an excuse for gfv- ing them free transportation and a re- tainer in the form of wages, if need ful.
 In many cases the notifications of the petty graft were exasperatingIy intricate. For example, one Thomas Gryson, who was on the payrolls as a machinist's helper in the repair shops, demanded free transportation across the state for eight members of his family" Questioned closely, he ad- mitted that the family was his only by a figure of speech; that the rela- tionship was entirely political.
 B1ount promptly refused to recom- mend the issuing of employees passes for the eight, and the result was an immediate call from Bentley, the di-
 
 vision master mechanic.
 About that fellow Gryson,'' Bentley began. Cant you manage some way to get him transportation for his Jones' boro crowd? He is going to make trouble for US if you don't.''
 Blount was justly indignant "Gry- son is on your payroll" he retorted. ''Why don't you recommend the passes on account of the motive power depart ment, if he is entitled to them?"
 'I can't" admitted the master me- chanic. "I am held down to the issu- ing of passes to employees travelling on company business only. We can stretch it little sometimes, of course, but we can't make it cover the whole earth.''
 Neither can I,'' Blount exploded. ''Let it be understood, once for all, MT. Bentley, that I am not the scapegoat for all the other departments. I have cut it off short. I an7~aot recommend ing passes for anybody
 But, suffering Scott, Mir. .B1ount, we've simply got to take care of Tom Gryson! He's the boss of his ward, and he has influence enough to turn even our own employees against usY'
 'Induence!' scoffed the young man from the east. Flow does he acquire his influence? It is merely another H. 1ustration of the vicious circle. You put into his hands the price of the club with which he proceeds to knock you down. Let me tell you what I'm tell ing everybody. If we want a square deal we've got to set the example by being square,
 The master mechanic went away, si4 fenced. but not convinced A week