Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-03-22
@ mrsoassxzeeax conety

H., wafer pledges. mat was all tnOSt
ruined men were pleading, the redemp
tion of those pledges. Individual ruin
what did it mean? A curtailing Of lux
uries, Of personal indulgence. II tel
you, 1t 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 wont
go any further. What does that helI
mean to you? Poverty? A few thou
sands, million to the 0. p, cor.
poratlon, what does loss mean tC
them2 Poverty? tell you, no. A
smaller dividend, maybe, TO whom
Yes, to whom? To the men who live
In Fifth avenue, whose wives are
dragged about in limousines. With
draw their SUITS Help Faraday, and
ruin men like Parrish? Men Of the
valley, what is your answer to Fara-
day2"
The crowd was on It's feet, swaylng
and pushing. The air was fctid with
breaths. Wilson'S crowd had forgotten
It's lorgnettes. "No," yelled the ranch
ers. "We say, no."
A boy made his way from the wings
yellow envelope In his hand.
Babc0ck waved him on to Marshall
The audience was crying itself hoarse
Babcock lost control of the meeting
In that minute Of turning. Hollister,
of the Palo Verde, was striving to be
heard; Babcocl's hammer sounded in
vain. But Marshall's eye had caught
a spark from the yellow sheet. He
sprang forward, throwing the dispatch
toward MacLean. His excitement
caught the eye of the crowd. "The
river" There was sudden hush.
1.-THE rivers out againl' A groan
swept through the house, there was a
break toward the doors.
Marshall's voice halted them. "Men
of the valley" The audience, swayed
again, listened. "Hear me. The riv-
er's running away again down yonder.
This Is message from Richard. It's
broken through the lcvee. It's started
, for the valley Now, who's going to
stop 1t? Can you? Where's your
force, your equipment? Who can rush
to that call but the company you are
bounding? 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, Blacks
answer. Now the river plays a trick.
II calls your bluff. Shall we stop the
river, men OF the valley? We can.
VIII you withdraw your suits? You
cnn. What is your answer now, I'm
perial valley?"
The scene broke into bedlam. Men
jumped to their chairs, to the velvet
rim Of the boxes, all talking, scream
Ing, gestlculating at once. The Yellow
Dragon was never so fearfully visual
/ lied. Out Of the chaos of mems voices
came a woman's shrek, For Gods
sake, save our homes" 1t pitched the
panic note. "Save the valleyl Stop
the rlverW
Marshall's Indian eyes were reading
that mass of scared faces as though II
were u sheet of typed paper. 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. 1.-THE
valley withdraws its suits against the
company"
"Then the company yelled Mar.
shall's oratory, ''the company with
| draws the river from the valley ~
Pandemonium was loose. There were
cheers, and the sound of women sob
blng. Barton was carried out on the
shoulders of his henchmen. Black led
q 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. cts only a break In the levee.
Richard says he can control IL; esti-
mates two weeks or so. 1t may cost
the o. p. few thousand dollars, but
II saved them half million. Now
wen have that game Of poker. Mac
Leanl"
In the balcony, Hardin was staring
at Brandon.
'If that wasn't the DEVILS own
luck |"