Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-01-12

mercy than she would now show to
him She could be rs ruthless as he.
What was it Professor Watt had call
ed the quality? Elemental force-that
was it. Well. she possessed it too.
She felt it within her. stirring with
the same physical nascency as the VI
rilty Of parenthood. TO which il was
so closely allied.
Just off the governors stuffed leath'
er library was small room. with u
hard desk and six hard chairs. and
hard looking letter file. and n hard fire
proof safecet into the wall. and here.
while Lord Bunnchase led Molly Mar.
lev through the PAGES Of hard two
step, Governor Waiver and Senator Al
Ierton and Sledge and Frank Marley
gathered for few moments of com
Portable chat such as elderly gentle
men love to indulge in while frivo-
lous younger people dance the flying
hours away. All four being gentle
ment who. by the consent of the pub.
lie. bore the grave responsibility Of
the public welfare on their shoulders.
it was not strange that their chat
should turn to public affairs.
Il am glad TO be identified with the
enterprise" avowed State Senator Al
lertOn. who was suavc. clean faced
gentleman. with good forehead and
a quite negotiable tongue AT the
same time. as far as am privately
concerned, l can only regard It as
temporary investment
why temporary" demanded Frank
Marley. who was feeling particularly
capable this evening. His $ll5.0OO
worth of street railway stock had been
increased to S2J2.500. He was to have
$751; 800 cash out of the undivided sur
plus Of the old company. and his daugh-
ter. Molly. was the most popular girl
at the governors ball. The street rail
way company has always made money,
and the city needs additional trans
portation facilities. We have reached
the normal period of extension. and
do not see what is to prevent us from
limitless prosperity"
The franchises" Senator AllertOn re-
minded him. Your present permits
have less than five years to run
Il lave never had any trouble in hav-
ing them renewed" objected Marley,
priding himself on his management.
Times are changing" sighed Aller-
ton. There Is a growing disposition
on the part Of the public to charge pub
lie service corporations for the use of
public property"
The people are ungratefuI." mourn
ed Governor Waiver. who had enriched
himself through furnishing electric
light at his own price TO public
which had known nothing better than
gas. The moment they see a profit
on their lu1uries they want part of it.
An undivided surplus such as the street
car company has had is a constant
menace"
That was a sinking fund for extern
sions and improvements" Marley re-
minded him. The stockholders had
no right to ask for IL division of it,
They would if we had not put it out
Of harms road" insisted the governor.
THAT much has been saved to the
men who really earned it. but | should
not like to see Il similar profit exposed
To my mind. per cent dividend is
an even worse folly"
1T gives confidence in the stock"
argued Marley. The public would
never be so eager TO take up this new
issue if it had not been for that = per
cent dividend"
That's what it was for" interpo-
lated Sledge. looking out of the win
dow into the sunken garden and vain
~ hunting the hand hole in the gate.
1T has served its purpose" granted
Allerton, but taxpayers are becoming
greedy. When they see the stockhoId-
ers of public corporation making I
per cent they want some of it and try
to make the corpora tons pay part Of
their taxes. In every city of impor.
lance the voters are demanding pay
the street railway companies. in add
ton. bear half the cost of all street
improvements"
Its bad outlook" agreed Cover
nor Waiver Frankly, as soon as /
receive my new issue of stock | shall
have it quietly placed on sale"
Marley looked at him Indignantly.
Why. the street railway company is
entering on the greatest period of
prosperity in its career" he asserted.
"Therell be no trouble about fran
chiseS. The city is wild to have the
improvements and must have them"
Allerton looked at him wonderingly.
Waiver is right" he stated Il Shall
sell my own stock. and I'll venture to
say that Sledge has already made ST.
lent arrangements for dsposing of his.
DO you know that the franchises at
present granted in this state are rev.
ocable and that it is not possible TO
secure one which is positively safe for
longer than ten year periods? When
you come to the renewal of your fran
chises, Marley. you will be met with
a demand for pay and will have other
restrictions imposed on you Our pres
ent franchise law. in view Of the pub
lie tendency. is bad one for in
vestors"
Lets fix it, suggested Sledge.
I'm afraid IRIS tOo lata protoetad
Allerton.
Not FOR new gag" dissented
Sledge. "A new one can be put over
quick"
Il fancy that there should be protec-
ton somewhere" opined the governor