The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1914-05-23

board. But you must remember. also.
that OF late l have picked up an occa-
sional dollars worth Of International.
l wanted to know how about certain
things."
We'll. how about them. them" de-
manded Standley fercely. where 10
we stand?"
You want me to incriminate my
self"
oh. fddlesticks about incrimina-
tion' Cut out that part of IL!
| "All right. l WILL" said the other
grimly. We'll. then. I've tried my
best to bribe your people. and I've got
little out of 1t. I've tried the fore
man, the night watchman. and every
body else. I've had a dozen OF your
workmen slugged for scabbing. and
four or five of them shot, one or two
at least. for a good. permanent fu-
neral. And | paid the funeral expenses!
You didn't know that? Well. that's
the truth of it"
We'll. what do you know about
that" gasped Standley. aghast.
Il know good deal about, my Chris
tian friend" said the slender man re-
lentlessly. Il can tell you what you
already know. that your motors are
dismantled to-day. l can tell you also
that there's very good chance that
the secret we've been after is in the
hands of one man. and he's holding 1t
up for some reason best known TO
himself We've got nothing on him!
can also tell you that if he won't
give up-though why he won't ] can't
tmagine-it's possible we can work
out receiver of our own elsewhere,
without him
We'll, what does he want?" This
from the old man.
That's the everlasting mystery and
puzzle of it. He doesn't want any
thing. so far as | can learn. There's
some factor in him that I can't get
my hands on, try the best that | can.
Not that ! don't expect to break you
wide open eventually. my friends
Now why do you want to do that?"
asked the older financier. why not
join In with us and break the bone
head?"
Fine! But how can we do that?
He's sitting pretty tight. The mans
played in fine luck. l admit l rather
admire him"
Bah, that's the way with all the
new ones; they all play in luck for a
| time. Each Napoleon has his boom.
but after time boom values shrink
they always do. This chap'll find his
level when we get ready to tell him"
! For instance?"
We'll, for instance, then, He's sit
ting there with a small margin of con-
| trol in the International. That gave
him his start and he's wise enough to
! hang on to that. But It didn't give
! him his money-he's only made divi-
dend money out of that: and who
cares for dividend money? He doesn't
! own control in the Guatemala OIL
Company, does he? He's made a lot
out of Arizona and Utah coppers. but
he doesn't own control in single COM
pany there. does he? He's in with the
made big killing in Rubber. but he
doesn't own any Rubber control of his
own. does he? Now. you follow him
out in every deal he's made-iron, cop.
per. steel. oil, rails. timber. irrigation.
utilities, industrials-and you'll find
he's simply banking on his inside in
formation and on his outside credit
Who gave him both of those things?-
Why, we did. didn't we? All right!
Suppose we withdraw our credit. What
happens"
| They went silent now, and grouped
little closer about the tabouret which
| ct hot N old 20
voice went on evenly, with no excite
ment Their conversation attracted
the attention OF none In the wide
lounging room. where large affairs
more than once had been discussed
even the making OF Senators to order
"Iil tell you what happens" the
old man resumed. HE quits using us
for a stalking horse. and he comes
down to his own system. He's spread
out. Banks are all polite. but-well
he has to put up collateral; and then
some more. II he doesn't want to put
up International. he's apt to find that
bunch of automobiles is poor prop
! erty when sold at twenty per cent.
their cost. He turns of two or three
buffers. but still that doesn't serve for
margins. The market doesn't suit his
hook any more.
He's discovering now the truth OF
something my old friend Emory Storrs
used to say-Emory always was in
debt. or wanted to be, and says he:
There's no trouble about prosperity
in this country; there's plenty OF
money-the only trouble is in the
confounded scarcity in collateral.
Well, he goes over to this young man.
| A Asak