Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-09-29
INSTALLMENT XIV.

organization of the Forlorn valley Nrl-
cation district.
he finished. ITS a call for a mass
meeting of the citizens, to be held next
Saturday afternoon in the plaza, for the
purpose of discussing the water stu
alton and the appointment OF COM
mittee to investigate the possibilities OF
leading surface irrigation into the VAL
ley. I'll plant the idea good and strong
In their minds at that mass meeting,
but in the meantime you get out
good rousing editorial that will give
them something to think about. Warn
'em that this Mountain Valley Power
Co. is about to grab the water for power
purposes. Tell 'em Nate Tichenor's
the Mountain Valley Power Co. Give
Tichenor hell in quiet way. II we
tackle Tichenor now the chances are
we can euchre his company out OF a
contract to sell water to Forlorn VAL
ley. Get the idea2 He told me his
company wouldn't consider selling us
water and why. If we threaten his
source Of water supply chances are he'll
change his mind and do business with
us. And that's what we're after.
Brainerd, remembering his recent ex-
perience with Tichenor, needed no urg-
in two hours he was back in Babson's
ofdce with copy of his editorial.
That's certainly q rousing editorial"
Babscn complimented him, but thered
be a lot more punch in 1t II you tied
into Nate Tichenor more vigorously"
why, Tichenor hasn't done anything
out of the way, has hep"
Hes swiped our water, hasn't he
or he's trying to swipe it?"
HES perfectly within his rights, Mr..
Babson. How did he know We wanted
the water?"
"The rights of the people are para
mount to these Of the individual, but
whether they are or not, 1t suits me to
have you tie into this fellow. Attack
him Impute things to him. Run
history Of his family and the Ker.
shaws-continued from week to week.
want to incite the community against
him. This is war we're about to en-
gage In, Joe, and in war you've got to
| make people hate or they won't fight
well. We'll have to fight for the Eden
| Valley water, but we can win, although
to do so We may have to buy both the
Circle K and the Bar H In order to ac-
quire their water rights. But II we
tackle the owners now-hold them up
to obloquy and ridicule and public hate,
| they Just can't live In this country,
| understand, and they'll be glad to sell
and get out"
Brainerd replied: mfr. Babson, it's a
| job don't like-for two reasons. One
| business, the other-ethical."
Bear in mind, Joe. that the con-
tinued prosperity. OF Forlorn Valley Is
q matter of profound interest to you
| and me-"
"I'm on the horns Of a dilemma, Mr..
| Babson. If ! attack Tichenor in the
manner you suggest he will start an
opposition newspaper in this town and
ruin me-"
4
advertising. I'd see to that, even II the
| local people were fools enough to sup.
port their natural enemy by giving him
advertising"
But he promised me he'd do it, Mr..
Babson."
"a mere bluff"
II think you've got that man wrong.
sized him up as one who will 60
through. I understand none Of his peo-
pie have ever made promise they
didn't keep. Bad as they were and bad
ss the Kershaws were, both clans had
the courage of wounded grizzly bears.
I'm afraid of him"
BabSon smiled patiently. The Hens
| leyS and the KerShawS never had their
courage tested outside Eden Valley, Joe.
Let Tfchenor come projecting around
call his bluff"
II tell you, Mr.. Babson, it's o job
do not want. Tichenor will fight back
| and the only way q man can fight the
only newspaper that's attacking him Is
to start an opposition newspaper and
mail his copies gratis to his enemies.
And I tell you further dislike the
| fight because it's dirty. III fight T1che-
nor all over the lot for the sake Of For
lorn Valley and its crying needs, but
| III fight him on the issue involved and
not on his family history
II See," BabSon murmured sadly,
you're an idealist, too
Il hope haven't lost all my ideal
Il see. Well, Joe, I hate to remind
i you Of 1t, but you owe this bank $4,000
! and the bank holds a chattel mortgage
on your plant. And you haven't got the
| building you're housed in paids for yet.
| I hold deed Of trust on that"
rs that threat. Mr.. Babson?"
| Suppose We call 1t gentle hint,
joe"
Then let's quit arguing. I'll not
wage a mean. dirty, personal war
| against Nathan Tichenor and that Ker-
| shaw girl. That's flnal-and / suggest
/ that If and when you get surface irri-
| CATION into Forlorn Valley you go out
to the main canal, jump in and drown
yourself"
Wei. that fixes your clock, Brai-
nerd" Babson commenced to rearrange
his pens and pencils on their rack and
to shuttle the unanswered correspond
ence on his desk. IN just take over