Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1921-09-23
CHAPTER XVII
The RenInnIna Of the End


ond nolicies in the Storage & Ware
house reorganization, the prompt an
nouncement of a general strike of the
emnloypes was enough to make every
newspaper in the state sit up and take
notice.
We had the Mountaineer at the
breakfast-table in the club grlll-room
IN the morning of the day when the
strike was advertised to go into effect,
There was a news story, with big
headlines in red Ink, and also an
! editorial Cantrell didn't say anything
against the railroad company His
comments were those of an observer
who wished TO be straightforward ana
fair 70 all concerned but his edi-
torial did not spare the silly local
stockholders whose swapping and sell
ing had made the coup possible
Cantrell. himself, mild-eyed and lock
ing as if he'd got out Of bed about
three hours too early drifted into the
grill-room and took a seat at our table
before we were through.
~ wanted to be decent about 1t,
Norcross," he said forestalling any
thing that the boss might be going to
say about the editorial in the Noun
taineer. I'm trying to believe that
the men higher up in your railroad
councils haven't fathered this Hatch
scheme of onsoldation-which is
more than some of the other pencil
pushers will do for you, Tn afraid.
Thanks to your publicity measures,
everybody believes that you still hold
the whip-hand over the combination
with your ground leases. I'm not ask
ing what you propose to do; am
merely taking it for granted that you
are going to stick to your policy, and
hoping that you will come and tell me
about 1t when you are ready to talk
81 shall do just that" the boss prom
ised; and | guess he would have been
glad to let the matter drop at this,
only Cantrel wouldn't.
81 lost three good hours sleep this
morning on the chance of catching you
| here at table" the editor went on.
/ "A little whisper leaked in over the
! wires last night, or, rather, early this
/ morning, that set me to thinking. You.
| haven't been having any trouble with
| your own employees lately, have you,
| Norcross"
| mot a bit in the world. WhyT
"There is some little excitement.
with the public taking hand In It,
There were Indignation meetings held
last night in n number of the towns
along your lines, and resolutions were
:. passed protesting against the action
of the new combination in cutting
wages. and asserting that public senti-
h ment would be with the c. S. 4 w.
ID employees If they are forced to carry
:. out their threat of striking at noon
r today. The whisper that l spoke OF
minated that the protest might ex'
re tend to the railroad employees
a There's nothing in 1t" said the boss
20 declsively. 81 suppose you mean in
ID the way of a sympathetic strike, and
at that is entirely improbable. | imagine
V. very few of the c. S. & W. employees
ty belong to any of the labor unions"
O. "a strike on the railroad would hi
I'D you pretty hard Just now, wouldn't
itT Cantrell asked,
iy Mr.. Norcross lodged the question
eu "We're not going to have strike
Or he averred and since we had fnlshe'
TO our breakfast, he made business ex
Ie' cuse and we slid out
ne When we reached the Office we foun'
ns Mr.. Van Britt on hand, reading tn
morning paper.
l.. "You don't get around as early a
MS you might was the little millionaire
comment when the boss walked in an
nd opened up his desk 1--WE been wal
ing ing nearly haf-hour for you to sho'
ew up. Seen the papersT'
Iell The boss nodded.
1od al don't mean the strike business
ght | mean the market quotations
the >"Ne: | didn't look at them
rd- "They are interesting +. ). !
tai Common went up another three pom
a yesterday 1t closed at 30 and IRA
the tion. You know what that mean
'od- Graham. 1t means that Uncle Brec
IL enridge and his crowd are alreat
10 ioyfuly discounting your coming RESI-
nation Somebody has given them
Xes wire tip that you are as good as uoN
Just and out and unless miracle OF son
itch sort can be pulled off, ! guess the
ten is straight one, Strong as ne
des. Chadwick can't carry you alone,
lent Drop it," snapped the boss irrltaDI
one And then: "Have you come 10
all me that you have reconsidered III
nent fool letter you wrote me last hlgh'
the mot in million years." returned
escaped captive airily. 81 am he
ihen this morning as paying patron
lang the Pioneer Short Line. want
the hire special train to go-WelL al
him where | please on your jerkwater II
Hard road. The EightFifteen will do' p"
aerk Buck Chandler TO run It,.
The "Pshaw take your own car ana !
New crew you please. We ale not seIli
nher' transportation to YOU
Van ayas Won arc Tn going to pay
was that trsia and what's more, W.
rams YOUR written receipt for the money
'oint- need it In my business. Iheh'
upon Chandler should happen to get gay
long, dump me into the ditch some"h'
your | can sue You for damages.
ITO BE Continued
that ---