The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-02-26


 ranchers.
 Fair play" yelled Black. You can't trick us. We were not born yesterday. We have rights The company brought us here. What did we give our money for? Desert land? What good is this land without water? We bought wa ter. Give us back the money we've put in-that's what we're asking for. We won't be scared out of our rights"
 There was a growing accompani- ment from the back rows, herding to- Eether.
 "Order," cried Babcock, thumping his gavel. 'Let Mir. Black have the floor"
 Black had not stopped. Wildly his hands cut the air. His speech, though high-pitched, had a prepared sound; it worked toward a climax. He gave individual instances of ruin. "Grace, { Willard Grace, his crop gone, his place cut in two. HOIlister and Wilson of the PalO Verde, the ranch a scream ing horror. Scores of others" He would not mention his own case; and then he itemized his misfortunes. Par rish, his place secured beyond all flu ture usefulness. What had they come into the valley for? Who had urged them? There were pledges of the D. R., water pledges. That was all those ruined men were pleading, the redemp- tion of those pledges. Individual ruin, what did 1t mean? A curtailing of lux uries, of personal indulgence. 'I tell you, it means food, bread, potatoes; milk for the babies; or starvation" Black had touched the deep note. This was the answer. This was what they wanted to say. You ask us to help you, us, we who are taxed already to our breaking point. You say your company won't go any further. What does that help mean to you? Poverty? A few thou sands. q million to the O. F., cor poration, what does a loss mean to them? Poverty7 ] tell you, no. A l smaller diviC nd, maybe, to whom? Yes, to whom2 To the men who live in Fifth avenue, whose wives are dragged about in limousines. With draw their suits7 Help Faraday, and ruin men like Parrish? Men of the valley, what is your answer to Fara- dayY' The crowd was on It's feet swayfng md pushing. The air was fetid with breaths. Wilson's crowd had forgotten Its lorgnc ,.es. "No," yelled the ranch CTS. eve say, no." boy made his way from the wings, yellow envelope Tn his hand.
 BabCock waved him on to Marshall. The audience was crying itself hoarse. BabCock lost control of the meeting in that minute of turning. Holuster, of the Palo Verde, was striving to be heard; Babcock's hammer sounded in vain. But MarshalIs eye had caught a spark from the yellow sheet. He sprnng forward, throwing the dispatch toward MacLean. His excitement caught the eye of the crowd. ''The river !" There was q sudden hush "The rlver's out againl" A groan swept through the house, there was a break toward the doors,
 Marshall's voice halted them. 'BTen of the valley" The audience, swayed again. listened. '4Jear me The rfv- CTS running away again down wonder. This is a message from Rickard. It's broken through the levee. It's started for the valley. Now, who's going to stop it? Can you? Where's your force, your equIpment7 Who can rush to that call but the company you are bounding? I gave you Faraday's mes- sage. His hands on the table. Not another cent from him unless you withdraw those suits. You say you have given me your answer, Black answer. Now the river plays q trick It calls your bluff. Shall we stop the river, men of the valley? We can. Will you withdraw your suits? You can. What is your answer now, Im- perial vaIIey"
 The scene broke into bed1am. Men jumped to their ch; ITS, to the velvet rim of the boxes, all talking, scream ing, gestlculating at once. The Yellow Dragon was never so fearfully visual iEed. Out of the chaos of mems voices came a woman's shriek, For Gods sake, save our homes." It pitched the panic note. Save the vaIleyI Stop the riveri"
 Marsha1l's Indian eyes were reading that mass of scared faces as though 1t were sheet of typed poper. Barton" he called through the din. "Where's Barton?"
 Two men lifted Barton's puny fig ure upon their shoulders. His vibrant voice rolled above the shouting. "The valley withdraws it's suits against the company"
 ''Then the company" yelled Mar shalPs oratory, ''the company with draws the river from the val1eyI" Pa1demonium was loose. There were cheers, and the sound of women sob ping. Barton was carried out on the shoulders of his henchmen. Black led crowd out, haranguing to the street
 On the street, Marshall fell back to MacLean- That was neat trick the river threw in our hands," His voice had dropped from oratory; the de claiming fire was gone from the black eyes. Its only break in the levaa.