Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-18
CHAPTER XXI

TNHERE is "A sheep-like element in the
l. human mind 1t waits to see what
others do. and then it follows. Hundreds
of personal decisions hinged on what the
morning papers might reflect concerning
the popular acceptance or nonacceptance
of the startling innovation proposed by
the tool works.
To the anxious Archers the dawn came
slowly on that July morning. The sun
rose lazily. as If, like the dwelers in that
brick -colored splotch upon the landscape
called Philadelphia. he were too Wearied
with the mere exertion of awakening to
be expected to do days work beside.
Nevertheless, he went on about his busi
ness and by s o'clock had struggled
through some hours of haze and turned
a red and fiery eye upon the statue or
William Penn overtopping the city Hall.
Daylight, meantime had brought the
newspapers, and these, it appeared. by
the simple act of printing the happenings
of the day before. had supplied the neces-
sary power in the form of ideas for
sweeping those hundreds of doubters
over the line of decision. The story OF
the remarkable success of the first days
subscriptions, the pictures of the queue,
the description of Jerry Archer fraterniz-
ing with the subscribers while his father
and brother got writer's cramp signing
notes, the account of the lemonade and
a picture of Mrs. O'Riley as the first out
side subscriber. and an interview with
her in her little store: the account OF
the singing of America all these were
contributing forces TO the widespread
making up of minds
And there was something to laugh
about. too, in the morning news, The
fact that run on "A Buckingham saw
ings bank had been precipitated by with
drawals to take up loans the Bucking-
.g..1
have refused. provoked the laughter. IL
also occasoned jeers among those who
did not like Buckingham, which. by the
way. reminds us of something. and that
was that Jerry had promised Ruth he
would not mention her fathers name.
He had kept his word faithfully both in
his sign and his advertising. But the
papers We're under no such restrictions
in their news columns. Most of them
promptly put the cap on Mr.. Bucking-
ham. and everybody saw that 1t fitted.
In consequence, with the onus OF
responsibility clearly upon the man, the
incident of the run upon the Star OF Lib
erty made an extra amount OF talk in
business and financial circles. on the
bourse when IL opened in the offices of
trust and bonding companies and around
the long boards of directors meetings
the phenomena came up for discussion.
Not that there were many among these
who felt that the Archer popular loan
who doubted the wisdom of Buckingham
in bringing things to such a pass.
Puts the money interests in false
light" objected one bank president, with
a fine distaste upon his face. Makes
people dissatisfied and suspicious. Very
bad policy. Very bad ~
"The worst thing Is, IL teaches them
their own power" commented the gen.
eral manager of trust company.
Buckingham himself got early to his
Office on this eventful day, as IL with
premonition of something dangerous i'm
pending and made unpleasant by the
feeling that for once events had played
him false. He sensed that there had
been misjudgment somewhere, and he
roughed several OF his lieutenants sharp
ly with his tongue while getting the reins
of business into his hands for the morn
ing.
Out at the Archer Tool Works. how
ever, all was now serene and joyful
When Jerry reached the works at about
the time when the suns rays had got
the range of the statue of William Penn,
he found people waiting before the closed
door, and sprinkling of subscribers
continued through the morning till 10 80
o clock when, having had timeNto arrive
from the banks. they began to come in
crowds. BY ~ o'clock II had become
neessSsay 10 nw uey ,h ddiinr hneip eGevne
extra teIIers and the line was split in
three as II emerged from the head of
the stairs, while Henry 7. and Paul
were signing their names for dear life
BY this same hour of 1880. too. an
observant eye would have noticed at
intervals of minute or So one de-
positor after another emerging from the
side door of the Star Of Liberty and
marching straight down to che Archer
Tool Works. The run on the savings
had gone out of IL. The withdrawers
were now actuated by clear intelligent
purpose to get 6 per cent at Archers
instead of 1855 at the Star: and. in
cidentally. 10 take their money away
from Buckingham. so he could no longer