New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1919-05-02

water companies. and Brandon
through the valley Star. were pointing
out that the valleys salvation depend
ed on the immediate control of thu
river; that the railroad. only. haf
power to effect II. These conservative
were c%ounselinR caution. Only thai
morning. the Star had issued nm extra
a special edition preading for cO-Opera'
ton. IF the river breaks out again.
warned BrandOn's editorial. "withOu'
immediate force to restrain 1t. reCla'
nation for that valley Is a dream that
is done. And the only force equal to
that emergency is the railrOad. Why
deliberately antagOnize the railroad
The Desert Reclamation company. u
Is well known. Is bankrupt. For the
instant. the railroad has assumed the
responsibilities Of the smaller organl'
cation. Apply the same situation ia
individuals. Suppose a private citizen
Is In straits. and another comes for
ward to help him. Must every cred.
ltor assume that the Samaritan should
pay the crushed citizens bills? In the
present issue. self-lnterest should urge
consideration. Better a small loss
today that tomorrow may amply re-
fund. than total ruin in the future"
Hardin. from his morOse unshared
table. could see the anxious curiosity
setting toward the railroad group.
Over glasses. heads were close to-
gether. Near him. the talk ran high.
Scraps Of infnmmnble speeches blew
his way from Barton's party.
Ilardin's mouth wore Il set sneer.
water company talk" Black was
h%arangulng his comrades. "Stand out
against them. Don't let them bluff
you. Marshall will try to bluff you.
Stand together!" Barton's resonant
organ broke through the clatter.
marshall is not going to bluff u.s."
Grace and Black began to talk ut once.
llardIn's lip grew rougher. Where had
they all been If 1t had not been for
him? Why, he'd pulled them from
their little farms back East, where
they were toiling-where they'd be
tolling yet. They'd had the vision of
sudden wealth-they hadn't the grit
to work for it. to wait for 1t! How
many years had he been struggling?
lie was a young man when he'd gone
into this thing, and he was old now.
Coffee and cigars had been
reached of the midday dinner. Bah
cock was nervously consulting his
watch. shouldn't we arrange the
meeting?" he asked for the third time.
The social and casual air of the meet
ing had leased him. What had the po-
liticaI situation in Mexico to do with
the important session confronting
them? His fussy soul had no polite
salons; office rooms every one Of
them. MacLean looked to Tod Mar
shall to answer.
81 think it will arrange itself" His
voice was silken. ut is to he n dis
IL conference. You can't slate
1--WE could program" began Bah
cock, looking at his watch again.
81 don't think Wen have to-" Mar
shall smiled across the table. you'll
find this meeting will run itself. There
is not a man here who Is not burning
to speak. Look ut them now! Drop
n paper in that crowd, and see the
you'd get! You can open the
meeting, Mr.. Babcock, and l would
that you call on Mr.. De Ia
Vega first"
The eyes of the dining room fol-
Owed the party as they filed past the
own; Marshall represented that pow.
n. AS he walked out. bowling right
md left, his right hand occasionally
extended in his ~well-knOwn %oratorical,
gesture. His black tie was