Newspapers / The Roanoke Beacon and … / Sept. 15, 1911, edition 1 / Page 3
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WITH SYN0P3IS. i - ' A foolish younjf tenderfoot becomes fascinated with the bold, artful wife of a drunken prospector In a western mining ,town. They prepare to elope In- a blind ing blizzard but are confronted by the maudlin husband. He is shot by the jwlfe, but the chivalrous boy pins a jaote to the body taking the . crlma iwpon himself. In their flight to the railroad station the woman's horse (falls exhausted; the youth puts her on hia own and follows hanging to the Btlrrup Btrap. Seeing he is an lmpedi nent. the woman thrusts her escort into ! snow -drift and rides on. Half-frozen e stumbles into the railroad station Just as the train- bears the woman away. ,Twenty-flve years later, this man. George Oormly. is a multi-millionaire in New York. He meets Eleanor Haldane, a beautiful and wealthy settlement worker, and co-operates with her la her work. Oormly becomes owner of a steamship line and finds himself frustrated in pier . and track extension plans by grafting al dermen, backed by the Gotham Traction 'company. An automobile accident brings She Haldanes to his country home. Oorm ly announces that he will be mayor of "New york and redeem the city from cor ruption. Mr. Haldane in a long dsired Interview with Gormly, makes an indirect proposition to compromise th fight which ;the latter has been waging In the news papers against the Gotham Traction com pany, and which Haldane la suspected of feeing the head. Gormly boldly announces his plan of campaign to Haldane. Gormly rides to Haldana's place, carrying word of the auto accident. The next morning lie refers to the ride of the night bofor as mild compared to one he experienced Id his boyhood days. The papers an nounce his candidacy for mayor. The po litical declaration of the merchant princa produced a tremendous sensation. The Tnlnority party, selng In him a possible Moses, make overtures looking to the In dorsement of his candidacy by the "outs." Oormly, however, rejects all proposed alliance. A meeting of the Sachem So ciety or the "Wag." Is held at the Hal dane Home. Many political dignitaries and henchmen are present and ways and means are advanced to dampen Gormly's mayoralty aspirations and sidetrack his candidacy. The younger Haldane is proposed as an opposition candidate.; the whole machinery of the city's detective force Is to to-used to dl up something damaging to Gormly. "Haldane, Jr., re fuses the nomination and announces that lie will support Gormly. The reigning party then decides to name a non-pavtl-Fan tloket for the purpose of dividing the Oormly forces, and at the same time rush through a Freight Traatlon company franchise, without which the Sachem So ciety would be helpless. CHAPTER X. Continued. "I offer $10,000,000 for this fran chise. If it be granted me, I shall guarantee to operate the road, in the interests of the people, and turn over all the" profits above six per cent, on my .investment, to the people them selves. Lest there should be any doubt of my ability to make good," continued the merchant, "I beg to say that I have in my band a forfeiture check for one-fourth of the amount in question, which is certified to by the City of Gotham National bank." "The gentleman is out of order," remarked the presiding officer as soon s he could recover his equipoise. "We are not auctioning off public franchises to the highest bidder. We are granting this one in the. interests of the public to the company which has already served the people so well and has assumed the burden of the great system of which this is the nec essary connecting link." "Sir!" cried Gormly, amid a chorus ef groans, hisses and cheers, "I pro test against " "Any other interruptions from the speaker," came quickly from the chair, "and any further expressions of ap proval or disapproval from the spec tators, will result in the clearing of the room by the sergeant at arms." "I call," said one of the aldermen, "for a vote on the resolution." "Those in favor of the granting of the franchise will say aye," immediate ly said the chairman. There was a furious chorus of "Shame! shame!" from a great num ber of spectators in which the feeble "ayes" were scarcely heard. "Those opposed," went on the voice of the chairman, trembling with ex citement, "will signify it by paying BO." A thundering shout of "Noes" rang through the hall, the few in opposi tion making up by their vociferation for their small numbers. "The ayes have It," said the chair man, hammering on the desk with his gavel! "Division! Division!" clamored the opposition. "Those in favor," continued the chairman, disgusted at being com- ' on record, but powerless to prevent it "will stand up." Amid shouts and cries and disorder never before equaled, the members of j ,the administration got to their feet. !The whip that had been cracked over their heads had been used to effect. JSome of them were mere ignorant tools; others were able to understand what they were doing. They all voted alike. A sco e of alert reporters from carefully prepared lists were checking ff the votes. - "The ayes have it; the ordinance is passed," cried the chairman trium phantly, after the noes had been called to their feet and counted. "1 move," said Alderman Hellman, "that we do now adjourn." The motion was carried with a rush, and instantly the spectators began a wild scramble from the hall. Among the first to leave was Gormly. The corridor and stairs were packed with people who had been unable to gain admittance to the chamber, but bad learned what was toward. When Gormly's well-known figure was seen in the doorway, a great shout of acclaim roue from the multitude. SOME INCIDENTAL delation 7b The Woman Cv&izs ibwrfSZND Brady C9rmcrr sea arttomrr: rro ohww Gormly had not intended to speak; but the opportunity was too good to be lost. As he descended the steps, the cheering changed into a demand for a speech from him. No hustings had been prepared, but by the curbstone stood a big, high-powered automobile. It was filled with people. Livingstone Haldane sat in the chauffeur's seat. The place beside him was vacant "Up here, Mr. Gormly!" he cried, pointing. Without observing who was in the tonneau, Gormly clambered up to the seat and stood on It. He was thus lifted sufficiently high above the crowd. - "Fellow citizens," he began as the cheering subsided and the multitude gave him opportunity to speak, ."you know that in order to complete the ring of oppression which holds the city in its iron grasp under the name of the Gotham Freight Traction com pany,, it was neoessary that the old franchise of the New York Strest Car company expiring today should be come the property of that company. Through the franchises they already enjoy, they have created an institution that will enable them to continue their predatory practises " "Talk English!" shouted a voice from the crowd., , "Than you, my, friend," answered Gormly. "Which will enable them to steal from you your money, your earn ings," your investments, your profits, your capital, whatever you have for the next one hundred years. They "Mr. Chairman, I Offer Ten Million Dollars for This Franchise." have sold bonds to pay for tho build ing of the road; not one cent of their own money has gone into it. They have issued stock to themselves to double or quadruple the value of the investment, and they are determined to make you pay interest, large inter est on that stock as well as on the bonds. But, in order, that they can carry out this nefarious and thieving proposition, vthey must secure this franchise which expired today, other wise their traction lines will be incom plete, will end in the air, there will be no connection between its ends; for the territory covered by this fran chise is so situated that If the lines are to be connected it must be through this territory. Consequently this franchise is the most valuable of the few remaining properties of the people. You own it; it belongs to you. It's your last chance to get your rights. If you hold it, they are at your mercy. "This franchise, the possession of which means so much to you, is about to be given away. The council has overwhelmingly passed an ordinance granting it, without restrictions, to the Gotham Freight Traction company for the space of one hundred years. Will you sanction that?" The square was now seething with excitement. Gormly's clear, powerful voice carried to the extremes of the crowd. His plain, practical presenta tion was simple enough for all to un derstand. He paused at this Juncture and surveyed the crowd. A voice suddenly cried a shrill negative, and instantly the word was caught up and a great thundering' chorus of "No, no! Never;" rolled through the park with ever " increasing volume and vehe mence. f . Gormly had looked back, he could have seen the windows of the city hall crowd with aldermen,' white faced and anxious, listening to that tre mendous and even furious negative. . "Let's get the aldermen out here!" cried a voice in a pause in the com motion, "and show 'em what tee think!" -, There was an Instant response to the suggestion. The people made a wild surge toward the entrance of the city hall. The multitude could easily have degenerated into a mob. But Gormly checked it His control was admirable. "No, gentlemen," he cried, "co, men and citizens of New York. We must do things lawfully. The grant has not been Bigned by the mayor. Be lieve me, they will not be insensible to this protest. Let it be repeated in every local organization; let every member of the board of aldermen be warned by his constituents not "to press this bill, to reconsider bis ac tion at once. "Gentlemen " he held up a piece of paper. One of the tall lights in the square illuminated his face and figure His every action was distinctly visible to the multitude "I have here in my band a check, certified by the City of Gotham National bank, for two and one-half millions of dollars. Before this ordinance was passed this eve ning, not ten minutes ago, I offered this sum of money as a forfeiture, binding me to pay ten millions for the franchise in question. I offered to subscribe to an agreement which would limit my own returns to six per cent upon my investment; and promised that the people should have every cent of profit over and above that legitimate amount The offer was refused; that check was declined, but it still holds good. I make the offer not merely to the cringing, sub servient, whipped-into-line aldermen, but to you, the people." "Wbarre you going to get out of it?" asked a voice. "I am going to be elected mayor of New York by you men," answered Gormly. "I am going to get the con sciousness that I have an opportunity to. give New York a clean, decent, law abiding administration, without graft I am going to put the people in the enjoyment of their rights. I made my money here. Every dollar of it you gave to me. I am giving it back to you. We worked together to make It; I by selling you good goods and telling the truth about it, and you by paying a fair price for it and com ing back if you were not satisfied. We will work together in the same way now. If you give me the oppor tunity to administer the affairs of the city, I pledge my business honor, at which no man can point a finger, that I will do it honestly and honorably to the satisfaction of honest and honor able men, or you can throw me over. "Now, remember," the speaker con tinued as wild cheers greeted this an nouncement, "that clamor and glamor don't win elections; that shouting and cheering are all very well in their way, but it is votes that count. You must Bee that your votes are de posited, and then you must see that they are fairly counted. I beg that you will disperse now, go home, and make it your business to see your al dermen about this franchise. Do it I quickly and do it hard." "We'Jl see them now!" yelled one voice after another in quick succes sion. "Let 'em come out here!" "We'd like to talk to 'em!" "Give us a chance at them!" "Where' the mayor?" The square was in a tumult again, which even Gormly. for the moment was belpleoa to control. Now Hon. Peter D. Warren was in the city hall. Ho had heard all that had been said, and witnessed all that had been don. Although ha was a briber and a corrupiioniat, be was not without courage. It Memed to him that the psychological moment for his advent had arrived. Therefore, bo nastily made his way through the aldermen, and boldly appeared rn the outside steps back of Gormly, ' He was recognized at once. The mayor stood quietly, a little pale, but appar ently undaunted. He waved his hands for silence. Gormly assisted him in quelling the tumult. The mayor Etepped to the extreme edge of the portico; but before he could begin hi3 speech, the same burly voiced man who had been such a useful adjunct to Gormly interrupted him. "We don't want to hear any speech from you tonight. Mr. Gormly," he roared, his great voice compelling at tention, and as he spoke he sprang up oh the steps of the automobile and faced the crowd, "we want you to ask the mayor of this city if he's going to sign the bill granting the franchise. But before you do that we want you to tell him what we citizens of New York think of the proposition." Through the crowd at this moment came charging a platoon of police, at the head of which was the chief him self. The men handling their sticks shouldered their way roughly through the people groaning, raging, swearing, about them. Connell laid his hand on the speaker and sought to drag him from the automobile. The man struck back violently: clubs flashed in the air. The multitude in another Instant would have been a mob. Gormly it was who came again to the rescue. "These," he promptly interposed, raising bis voice, "are peaceable citi zens discussing a great public ques tion. I appeal to you as mayor of this city to call off the police. Take your hand off that man's collar, Con nell," he shouted, "or by the living God I'll turn this mob upon you and there won't be a rag left of you and your bluecoats!" He stepped down to the body of the car as he spoke; and before the chief realized what he was about he seized him by the collar and threw him back ward. It was a magnificent exhibition of strength and nerve and courage. "Call them off," he shouted to the mayor, "or I won't be answerable for the consequences!" As soon as he stopped, the roar of the mob began. Some were there who thought they had never heard a sound so terrible and so menacing. The mayor, not without good sense, came to the rescue. "So long," he said in his powerful, finely modulated voice,""aa these peo ple do nothing, they shall not be inter fered with. March your officers up here to the steps of the city hall, chief!" he cried. There was nothing for Connell but obedience. Shaking his baton fierce ly at Gormly, he gave an order to his men, and, followed by the curses and groans of the multitude, they marched up the steps of the city hall and grouped themselves about the mayor. "I want to tell you," cried Gormly, mounting to the seat again and now thoroughly aroused, hi3 voice ringing like a trumpet, "that you have no need of police protection in the pres ence of the people of New York." "Let me speak!" said the mayor. "No!" thundered the crowd. "We don't want to hear you speak!" "Mr. Mayor," sad Gormly, "thete people want to express an opinion to you. Fellow citizens, those who are in favor of Indorsing the action of the council in granting the franchise to the Gotham Freight Traction com pany will say aye." Every henchman, every follower. every ally, every official present, cried, "JAye!" It made a bravo showing until the negative was put, when such a roar of disapproval arose that it was like the breath of the gods and fairly shook the ancient stones of the hall. (TO BE CONTINUED.) Uncle Sam and His Divorces. Almost every twelfth marriage In this country ends in a divorce. About two-thirds of the divorces are granted to the wife. Thirty-nine per cent of divorces are due to desertion. The marriage rate in southern states is larger than in the north. America (with the single exception of Japan) leads the world in the number of di vorces. The divorce rate is three times as large as it was in 1870. Of the di vorce cases that come up only 15 per cent, are contested, and 75 per cent, ol the divorce applications are granted. Uncle Sam not only has a high divorce rate, but has the highest marriage rate on earth, his only rivals in the latter line being Hungary, west Australia and Saxony. Ireland has the lowest marriage rate and Sweden the next lowest. Great Care of Children. great devotion to kiddies. They were : carried about wrapped in large soft j cloths, big sheets like cheeso cloth, 1 easily washed and dried. After wean- ; ing nothing except cow's milk was ! good enough until they could chew good and well. Infants lived in open i air and naked up to the fifth year; ; barefoot till ten. Very lively games, hoops, balls and dolls are found often , in graves. After the tenth year they were taught reading, writing and ; arithmetic, three to four hours a day in their schools, long7.000 years ago, and yet we moderns think we are the whole business. Harmonious Boasting. "Mrs. Homely keps her house in print." "Yes, and she takes care to publish it." -v. Confronted by Currency Legislation WASHINGTON. Recently there ha3 been a distinct revival here of In terest in banking and currency legisla tion. There are at least three reasons for this, which may be enumerated a3 follows: 1. The announcement that an organ ization to be known as the National Citizens' league is being formed to ad vocate some sort of federal reserve as sociation. 2. The organization In New York :ity of the National City company, with capital stock of 10,000,000, as an adjunct of the National City bank, and 'or the purpose of acquiring and hold ing stock in other banks. 3. The movement on the part of the insurgent Republicans in the senate, nd supported by some of the Demo :rats, to compel the national monetary :ommission to close its affairs and re port to congress not later than Jan uary 1, 1912. The activities mentioned would in dicate that banking and currency leg islation will become a live topic in the autumn, and probably will receive much attention at the next long ses sion of congress. It is net believed, however, there will be any legislation Plans for the Canal Fortifications GIBRALTAR may be robbed of the distinction of being the most im pregnable fortress m the world if the plans of the fortification board in the Panama canal zone are adopted. As i preliminary, looking toward this end, the war department has ordered the 16-inch gun now stored at Sandy Hook proving ground to the canal zone. Although the gun was constructed ten years ago, no more powerful weapon has been produced In the world. Its range is beyond 16 miles and its pro jectiles, aero-torpedoes, weigh 2,400 pounds, and could easily destroy a battleship before it reached a point aear enough to do damage to the canal locks or other portions of the water way. Later on more guns of this cal iber will be placed there. Super-dreadnaughts, according to the ;alculations of ordinance experts, can be sunk easily by the 16-inch gun at iistances of 16 miJes from the mouth of the canal. This is not the limit of the range of the great gun, but it is about as far as "hits" can be made. , The projectile of tho gun is virtually in aero-torpedo. It will weigh 2,400 jounds and will carry about 150 pounds Df high explosives. There is not the least doubt that even at an extreme Many Inquiries are (71l nnisH THESE L.ATETR 9 I I 3r rHE special session of congress came to an end with many inves tigations unfinished, leaving many of the committees that were conducting inquiries to report next winter. When the senate voted to conduct a second investigation into the election of Senator Lorimer, the expectation was that the inquiry could be finished in time for a report from the commit tee at the special session, but the best this committee hopes for i3 to be pre pared to make its report when con gress reassembles on the first Mon day In December. The senate special committee on the "third degree" also made headway slowly. A joint committee of the sen ate and house that has been Investi gating the question of employers' lia bility and workmen's compensation Pacific Coast Has i N investigation of alleged under A, valuation frauds involving several millions of dollars has been instituted by the customs authorities at the port of San Francisco, Cal. Disclosures which, it is said, will eclipse in mag nitude the recent customs frauds ex posed in New York, are promised by the federal officials. The investigation centers around some of the biggest importers of Oriental wares in the United States, and it is alleged that some government officials are in volved. The government actirity includes the principal seaports of the entire Pacific coast and extends to Japan, where secret service agents have been busy for the last few months amass ing evidence of the alleged frauds. Held at the custom house in San Fran cisco there are at present 500 cases of Oriental wares consigned to a sin gle firm. The goods, which consist principally of crockery, alleged to be vastly undervalued, are being held, pending the determination as to exact- soon. The prevailing view is that It will take congress several year3 to de cide what it wishes to do about ' the creation of a national reserve asso ciation. ' It is evident that the conservative Republicans in congress will have a plan of their own; that the Insurgent Republicans will have views ' which they will wish to embody in a bill, and that the Democrats also will de sire to present a measure. So It would seem that there is likely to be much discussion of various plans dur ing the next 12 months. Neither po litical party will, it is assumed, be ready to proceed with this subject oa the eve of a presidential campaign. Persons who have been here recent ly representing the bankers that are particularly interested in the forma tion of the citizens' league, say the league hopes to be able to establish branches in every city of consequence in the country by December 1. A par ticular effort is to be made to interest business men, merchants, manufactur ers, and others. The promoters of this organization seem to have an impres sion that if they can bring about the formation of branches of the league in the cities of the country, they will be able to wage a campaign in favor of legislation that will impress itself on senators and representatives la con gress. At any rate, large plans are being made. This league also Intends to work with the view of keeping the subject out of politics, as much as pos sible. range of 15 or 16 miles the -projectile will penetrate the heaviest armor plate on the largest battleship. After the projectile has passed through the armor plate the 150 pounds of high ex plosives which it contains will be dis charged. The detonation, would create a miniature earthquake and destroy a elty. , What Is sought by the war depart ment and the joint board Is to equip the. fortifications with such powerful guns that the enemy's fleet can be kept so far from the canal .that It cannot drop shells or projectiles Into the waterway. A large projectile fired over the fortifications dropped Into one of the locks or dams might close up the canal for a year or so. The forces on the canal must not only keep the enemy from reducing the fortifica tions but from doing damage to the waterway. Left Unfinished has taken a great deal of testimony, which I3 being printed for distribution among persons who are particularly interested in this subject. The Democrats of the house have laid out enough investigation work to keep many committees busy until mid summer next year. The Democratic leaders intimate that it is their inten tion to keep up the Investigation busi ness until the next session of con gress gets out of the way of the na tional convention of the political par ties. The inquiries into the affairs of the steel trust and the sugar trust have attracted wide attention, and have de veloped valuable information infor mation to which not only congress Is entitled, but which the people ought to possess. These two major investi gations have, it is said, only begun. Each of the Inquiries is to continue for months. The committees will get down to work again In thy fall, and if they continue to find "pay dirt they' will continue their researches far into the session that is to begin la December. a Customs Scandal ly what course shall be pursued- by the government A similar consignment billed to the same firm is being hell at Seattle. The government authorities first re ceived information of the alleged un dervaluation of wares Imported by the . firm involved from other importers. They complained that they were un able to compete with the firm in the sale of a certain class cf goods. They further complained that the firm was driving chinaware offered from Ger many from the market of this country. Acting on information received, the customs authorities were ordered to detain Ehipment3 en route from Japan and consigned to the firm in question,; Similar action wa taken at Seattle, j
The Roanoke Beacon and Washington County News (Plymouth, N.C.)
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Sept. 15, 1911, edition 1
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