the titan-第104部分

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Between　the　passage　on　June　5；　1897；　of　the　Mears　billso　christened　after　the　doughty　representative　who　had　received　a　small　fortune　for　introducing　itand　its　presentation　to　the　Chicago　City　Council　in　December　of　the　same　year；　what　broodings；　plottings；　politickings；　and　editorializings　on　the　part　of　all　and　sundry！　In　spite　of　the　intense　feeling　of　opposition　to　Cowperwood　there　was　at　the　same　time　in　local　public　life　one　stratum　of　commercial　and　phlegmatic　substance　that　could　not　view　him　in　an　altogether　unfavorable　light。　　They　were　in　business　themselves。　　His　lines　passed　their　doors　and　served　them。　　They　could　not　see　wherein　his　street…railway　service　differed　so　much　from　that　which　others　might　give。　　Here　was　the　type　of　materialist　who　in　Cowperwood's　defiance　saw　a　justification　of　his　own　material　point　of　view　and　was　not　afraid　to　say　so。　　But　as　against　these　there　were　the　preacherspoor　wind…blown　sticks　of　unreason　who　saw　only　what　the　current　palaver　seemed　to　indicate。　　Again　there　were　the　anarchists；　socialists；　single…taxers；　and　public…ownership　advocates。　　There　were　the　very　poor　who　saw　in　Cowperwood's　wealth　and　in　the　fabulous　stories　of　his　New　York　home　and　of　his　art…collection　a　heartless　exploitation　of　their　needs。　　At　this　time　the　feeling　was　spreading　broadcast　in　America　that　great　political　and　economic　changes　were　at　handthat　the　tyranny　of　iron　masters　at　the　top　was　to　give　way　to　a　richer；　freer；　happier　life　for　the　rank　and　file。　　A　national　eight…hour…day　law　was　being　advocated；　and　the　public　ownership　of　public　franchises。　　And　here　now　was　a　great　street…railway　corporation；　serving　a　population　of　a　million　and　a　half；　occupying　streets　which　the　people　themselves　created　by　their　presence；　taking　toll　from　all　these　humble　citizens　to　the　amount　of　sixteen　or　eighteen　millions　of　dollars　in　the　year　and　giving　in　return；　so　the　papers　said；　poor　service；　shabby　cars；　no　seats　at　rush…hours；　no　universal　transfers　（as　a　matter　of　fact；　there　were　in　operation　three　hundred　and　sixty…two　separate　transfer　points）　and　no　adequate　tax　on　the　immense　sums　earned。　The　workingman　who　read　this　by　gas　or　lamp　light　in　the　kitchen　or　parlor　of　his　shabby　flat　or　cottage；　and　who　read　also　in　other　sections　of　his　paper　of　the　free；　reckless；　glorious　lives　of　the　rich；　felt　himself　to　be　defrauded　of　a　portion　of　his　rightful　inheritance。　　It　was　all　a　question　of　compelling　Frank　A。　Cowperwood　to　do　his　duty　by　Chicago。　　He　must　not　again　be　allowed　to　bribe　the　aldermen；　he　must　not　be　allowed　to　have　a　fifty…year　franchise；　the　privilege　of　granting　which　he　had　already　bought　from　the　state　legislature　by　the　degradation　of　honest　men。　　He　must　be　made　to　succumb；　to　yield　to　the　forces　of　law　and　order。　　It　was　claimedand　with　a　justice　of　which　those　who　made　the　charge　were　by　no　means　fully　awarethat　the　Mears　bill　had　been　put　through　the　house　and　senate　by　the　use　of　cold　cash；　proffered　even　to　the　governor　himself。　　No　legal　proof　of　this　was　obtainable；　but　Cowperwood　was　assumed　to　be　a　briber　on　a　giant　scale。　　By　the　newspaper　cartoons　he　was　represented　as　a　pirate　commander　ordering　his　men　to　scuttle　another　vesselthe　ship　of　Public　Rights。　　He　was　pictured　as　a　thief；　a　black　mask　over　his　eyes；　and　as　a　seducer；　throttling　Chicago；　the　fair　maiden；　while　he　stole　her　purse。　　The　fame　of　this　battle　was　by　now　becoming　world…wide。　　In　Montreal；　in　Cape　Town；　in　Buenos　Ayres　and　Melbourne；　in　London　and　Paris；　men　were　reading　of　this　singular　struggle。　　At　last；　and　truly；　he　was　a　national　and　international　figure。　　His　original　dream；　however；　modified　by　circumstances；　had　literally　been　fulfilled。

Meanwhile　be　it　admitted　that　the　local　elements　in　finance　which　had　brought　about　this　terrific　onslaught　on　Cowperwood　were　not　a　little　disturbed　as　to　the　eventual　character　of　the　child　of　their　own　creation。　　Here　at　last　was　a　public　opinion　definitely　inimical　to　Cowperwood；　but　here　also　were　they　themselves；　tremendous　profit…holders；　with　a　desire　for　just　such　favors　as　Cowperwood　himself　had　exacted；　deliberately　setting　out　to　kill　the　goose　that　could　lay　the　golden　egg。　　Men　such　as　Haeckelheimer；　Gotloeb；　Fishel；　tremendous　capitalists　in　the　East　and　foremost　in　the　directorates　of　huge　transcontinental　lines；　international　banking…houses；　and　the　like；　were　amazed　that　the　newspapers　and　the　anti…Cowperwood　element　should　have　gone　so　far　in　Chicago。　Had　they　no　respect　for　capital？　Did　they　not　know　that　long…time　franchises　were　practically　the　basis　of　all　modern　capitalistic　prosperity？　Such　theories　as　were　now　being　advocated　here　would　spread　to　other　cities　unless　checked。　　America　might　readily　become　anti…capitalisticsocialistic。　　Public　ownership　might　appear　as　a　workable　theoryand　then　what？

〃Those　men　out　there　are　very　foolish；〃　observed　Mr。　Haeckelheimer　at　one　time　to　Mr。　Fishel；　of　Fishel；　Stone　&　Symons。　　〃I　can't　see　that　Mr。　Cowperwood　is　different　from　any　other　organizer　of　his　day。　　He　seems　to　me　perfectly　sound　and　able。　　All　his　companies　pay。　　There　are　no　better　investments　than　the　North　and　West　Chicago　railways。　　It　would　be　advisable；　in　my　judgment；　that　all　the　lines　out　there　should　be　consolidated　and　be　put　in　his　charge。　He　would　make　money　for　the　stockholders。　　He　seems　to　know　how　to　run　street…railways。〃

〃You　know；〃　replied　Mr。　Fishel；　as　smug　and　white　as　Mr。　Haeckelheimer；　and　in　thorough　sympathy　with　his　point　of　view；　〃I　have　been　thinking　of　something　like　that　myself。　　All　this　quarreling　should　be　hushed　up。　　It's　very　bad　for　businessvery。　　Once　they　get　that　public…ownership　nonsense　started；　it　will　be　hard　to　stop。　　There　has　been　too　much　of　it　already。〃

Mr。　Fishel　was　stout　and　round　like　Mr。　Haeckelheimer；　but　much　smaller。　　He　was　little　more　than　a　walking　mathematical　formula。　In　his　cranium　were　financial　theorems　and　syllogisms　of　the　second；　third；　and　fourth　power　only。

And　now　behold　a　new　trend　of　affairs。　　Mr。　Timothy　Arneel；　attacked　by　pneumonia；　dies　and　leaves　his　holdings　in　Chicago　City　to　his　eldest　son；　Edward　Arneel。　　Mr。　Fishel　and　Mr。　Haeckelheimer；　through　agents　and　then　direct；　approach　Mr。　Merrill　in　behalf　of　Cowperwood。　　There　is　much　talk　of　profitshow　much　more　profitable　has　been　the　Cowperwood　regime　over　street…railway　lines　than　that　of　Mr。　Schryhart。　　Mr。　Fishel　is　interested　in　allaying　socialistic　excitement。　　So；　by　this　time；　is　Mr。　Merrill。　　Directly　hereafter　Mr。　Haeckelheimer　approaches　Mr。　Edward　Arneel；　who　is　not　nearly　so　forceful　as　his　father；　though　he　would　like　to　be　so。　　He；　strange　to　relate；　has　come　rather　to　admire　Cowperwood　and　sees　no　advantage　in　a　policy　that　can　only　tend　to　municipalize　local　lines。　　Mr。　Merrill；　for　Mr。　Fishel；　approaches　Mr。　Hand。　　〃Never！　never！　never！〃　says　Hand。　　Mr。　Haeckelheimer　approaches　Mr。　Hand。　〃Never！　never！　never！　To　the　devil　with　Mr。　Cowperwood！〃　But　as　a　final　emissary　for　Mr。　Haeckelheimer　and　Mr。　Fishel　there　now　appears　Mr。　Morgan　Frankhauser；　the　partner　of　Mr。　Hand　in　a　seven…million…dollar　traction　scheme　in　Minneapolis　and　St。　Paul。　Why　will　Mr。　Hand　be　so　persistent？　Why　pursue　a　scheme　of　revenge　which　only　stirs　up　the　masses　and　makes　municipal　ownership　a　valid　political　idea；　thus　disturbing　capital　elsewhere？　Why　not　trade　his　Chicago　holdings　to　him；　Frankhauser；　for　Pittsburg　traction　stockshare　and　share　alikeand　then　fight　Cowperwood　all　he　pleases　on　the　outside？

Mr。　Hand；　puzzled；　astounded；　scratching　his　round　head；　slaps　a　heavy　hand　on　his　desk。　　〃Never！〃　he　exclaims。　　〃Never；　by　Godas　long　as　I　am　alive　and　in　Chicago！〃　And　then　he　yields。　　Life　does　shifty　things；　he　is　forced　to　reflect　in　a　most　puzzled　way。　　Never　would　he　have　believed　it！　〃Schryhart；〃　he　declared　to　Frankhauser；　〃will　never　come　in。　　He　will　die　first。　　Poor　old　Timothyif　he　were　alivehe　wouldn't　either。〃

〃Leave　Mr。　Schryhart　out　of　it；　for　Heaven's　sake；〃　pleaded　Mr。　Frankhauser；　a　genial　American　German。　　〃Haven't　I　troubles　enough？〃

Mr。　Schryhart　is　enraged。　　Never！　never！　never！　He　will　sell　out　firstbut　he　is　in　a　minority；　and　Mr。　Frankhauser；　for　Mr。　Fishel　or　Mr。　Haeckelheimer；　will　gladly　take　his　holdings。

Now　behold　in　the　autumn　of　1897　all　rival　Chicago　street…railway　lines　brought　to　Mr。　Cowperwood　on　a　platter；　as　it　werea　golden　platter。

〃Ve　haff　it　fixed；〃　confidentially　declared　Mr。　Gotloeb　to　Mr。　Cowperwood；　over　an　excellent　dinner　in　the　sacred　precincts　of　the　Metropolitan　Club　in　New　York。　　Time；　8。30　P。M。　　Winesparkling　burgundy。　　〃A　telegram　come　shusst　to…day　from　Frankhauser。　　A　nice　man　dot。　　You　shouldt　meet　him　sometime。　　Hanthe　sells　out　his　stock　to　Frankhauser。　　Merrill　unt　Edward　Arneel　vork　vit　us。　Ve　hantle　efferyt'ing　for　dem。　　Mr。　Fishel　vill　haff　his　friends　pick　up　all　de　local　shares　he　can；　unt　mit　dees　tree　ve　control　de　board。　　Schryhart　iss　out。　　He　sess　he　vill　resign。　　Very　goot。　I　don't　subbose　dot　vill　make　you　veep　any。　　It　all　hintges　now　on　vether　you　can　get　dot　fifty…year…franchise　ordinance　troo　de　city　council　or　not。　　Haeckelheimer　sess　he　prefers　you　to　all　utters　to　run　t'ings。　　He　vill　leef　everytink　positifely　in　your　hands。　　Frankhauser　sess　de　same。　　Vot　Haeckelheimer　sess　he　doess。　Now　dere　you　are。　　It's　up　to　you。　　I　vish　you　much　choy。　　It　is　no　small　chop　you　haff；　beating　de　newspapers；　unt　you　still　haff　Hant　unt　Schryhart　against　you。　　Mr。　Haeckelheimer　askt　me　to　pay　his　complimends　to　you　unt　to　say　vill　you　dine　vit　him　next　veek；　or　may　he　dine　vit　youvicheffer　iss　most　conveniend。　　So。〃

In　the　mayor's　chair　of　Chicago　at　this　time　sat　a　man　named　Walden　H。　Lucas。　　Aged　thirty…eight；　he　was　politically　ambitious。　　He　had　the　elements　of　popularitythe　knack　or　luck　of　fixing　public　attention。　　A　fine；　upstanding；　healthy　young　buck　he　was；　subtle；　vigorous；　a　cool；　direct；　practical　thinker　and　speaker；　an　eager　enigmatic　dreamer　of　great　political　honors　to　come；　anxious　to　play　his　cards　just　right；　to　make　friends；　to　be　the　pride　of　the　righteous；　and　yet　the　not　too　uncompromising　foe　of　the　wicked。　　In　short；　a　youthful；　hopeful　Western　Machiavelli；　and　one　who　could；　if　he　chose；　serve