Part 24 (1/2)
”Is Ra.s.selyer-Brown with us?” asked someone of Mr. Fyshe a few days later.
”Heart and soul,” answered Mr. Fyshe. ”He's very bitter over the way these rascals have been plundering the city on its coal supply. He says that the city has been buying coal wholesale at the pit mouth at three fifty-utterly worthless stuff, he tells me. He has heard it said that everyone of these scoundrels has been paid from twenty-five to fifty dollars a winter to connive at it.”
”Dear me,” said the listener.
”Abominable, is it not?” said Mr. Fyshe. ”But as I said to Ra.s.selyer-Brown, what can one do if the citizens themselves take no interest in these things. 'Take your own case,' I said to him, 'how is it that you, a coal man, are not helping the city in this matter? Why don't you supply the city?' He shook his head, 'I wouldn't do it at three-fifty,' he said. 'No,' I answered, 'but will you at five?' He looked at me for a moment and then he said, 'Fyshe, I'll do it; at five, or at anything over that they like to name. If we get a new council in they may name their own figure.' 'Good,' I said. 'I hope all the other businessmen will be animated with the same spirit.'”
Thus it was that the light broke and spread and illuminated in all directions. People began to realize the needs of the city as they never had before. Mr. Boulder, who owned, among other things, a stone quarry and an asphalt company, felt that the paving of the streets was a disgrace. Mr. Skinyer, of Skinyer and Beatem, shook his head and said that the whole legal department of the city needed reorganization; it needed, he said, new blood. But he added always in a despairing tone, how could one expect to run a department with the head of it drawing only six thousand dollars; the thing was impossible. If, he argued, they could superannuate the present chief solicitor and get a man, a good man (Mr. Skinyer laid emphasis on this) at, say, fifteen thousand there might be some hope.
”Of course,” said Mr. Skinyer to Mr. Newberry in discussing the topic, ”one would need to give him a proper staff of a.s.sistants so as to take off his hands all the routine work-the mere appearance in court, the preparation of briefs, the office consultation, the tax revision and the purely legal work. In that case he would have his hands free to devote himself entirely to those things, which-in fact to turn his attention in whatever direction he might feel it was advisable to turn it.”
Within a week or two the public movement had found definite expression and embodied itself in the Clean Government a.s.sociation. This was organized by a group of leading and disinterested citizens who held their first meeting in the largest upstairs room of the Mausoleum Club. Mr. Lucullus Fyshe, Mr. Boulder, and others keenly interested in obtaining simply justice for the stockholders of the Traction and the Citizens' Light were prominent from the start. Mr. Ra.s.selyer-Brown, Mr. Furlong senior and others were there, not from special interest in the light or traction questions, but, as they said themselves, from pure civic spirit. Dr. Boomer was there to represent the university with three of his most presentable professors, cultivated men who were able to sit in a first-cla.s.s club and drink whiskey and soda and talk as well as any businessman present. Mr. Skinyer, Mr. Beatem and others represented the bar. Dr. McTeague, blinking in the blue tobacco smoke, was there to stand for the church. There were all-round enthusiasts as well, such as Mr. Newberry and the Overend brothers and Mr. Peter Spillikins.
”Isn't it fine,” whispered Mr. Spillikins to Mr. Newberry, ”to see a set of men like these all going into a thing like this, not thinking of their own interests a bit?”
Mr. Fyshe, as chairman, addressed the meeting. He told them they were there to initiate a great free voluntary movement of the people. It had been thought wise, he said, to hold it with closed doors and to keep it out of the newspapers. This would guarantee the league against the old underhand control by a clique that had hitherto disgraced every part of the administration of the city. He wanted, he said, to see everything done henceforth in broad daylight: and for this purpose he had summoned them there at night to discuss ways and means of action. After they were once fully a.s.sured of exactly what they wanted to do and how they meant to do it, the league he said, would invite the fullest and freest advice from all cla.s.ses in the city. There were none he said, amid great applause, that were so lowly that they would not be invited-once the platform of the league was settled-to advise and co-operate. All might help, even the poorest. Subscription lists would be prepared which would allow any sum at all, from one to five dollars, to be given to the treasurer. The league was to be democratic or nothing. The poorest might contribute as little as one dollar: even the richest would not be allowed to give more than five. Moreover he gave notice that he intended to propose that no actual official of the league should be allowed under its by-laws to give anything. He himself-if they did him the honour to make him president as he had heard it hinted was their intention-would be the first to bow to this rule. He would efface himself. He would obliterate himself, content in the interests of all, to give nothing. He was able to announce similar pledges from his friends, Mr. Boulder, Mr. Furlong, Dr. Boomer, and a number of others.
Quite a storm of applause greeted these remarks by Mr. Fyshe, who flushed with pride as he heard it.
”Now, gentlemen,” he went on, ”this meeting is open for discussion. Remember it is quite informal, anyone may speak. I as chairman make no claim to control or monopolize the discussion. Let everyone understand-”
”Well then, Mr. Chairman,” began Mr. d.i.c.k Overend.
”One minute, Mr. Overend,” said Mr. Fyshe. ”I want everyone to understand that he may speak as-”
”May I say then-” began Mr. Newberry.
”Pardon me, Mr. Newberry,” said Mr. Fyshe, ”I was wis.h.i.+ng first to explain that not only may all partic.i.p.ate but that we invite-”
”In that case-” began Mr. Newberry.
”Before you speak,” interrupted Mr. Fyshe, ”let me add one word. We must make our discussion as brief and to the point as possible. I have a great number of things which I wish to say to the meeting and it might be well if all of you would speak as briefly and as little as possible. Has anybody anything to say?”
”Well,” said Mr. Newberry, ”what about organization and officers?”
”We have thought of it,” said Mr. Fyshe. ”We were anxious above all things to avoid the objectionable and corrupt methods of a 'slate' and a prepared list of officers which has disgraced every part of our city politics until the present time. Mr. Boulder, Mr. Furlong and Mr. Skinyer and myself have therefore prepared a short list of offices and officers which we wish to submit to your fullest, freest consideration. It runs thus: Hon. President Mr. L. Fyshe, Hon. Vice-president, Mr. A. Boulder, Hon. Secretary Mr. Furlong, Hon. Treasurer Mr. O. Skinyer, et cetera-I needn't read it all. You'll see it posted in the hall later. Is that carried? Carried! Very good,” said Mr. Fyshe.
There was a moment's pause while Mr. Furlong and Mr. Skinyer moved into seats beside Mr. Fyshe and while Mr. Furlong drew from his pocket and arranged the bundle of minutes of the meeting which he had brought with him. As he himself said he was too neat and methodical a writer to trust to jotting them down on the spot.
”Don't you think,” said Mr. Newberry, ”I speak as a practical man, that we ought to do something to get the newspapers with us?”
”Most important,” a.s.sented several members.
”What do you think, Dr. Boomer?” asked Mr. Fyshe of the university president, ”will the newspapers be with us?”
Dr. Boomer shook his head doubtfully. ”It's an important matter,” he said. ”There is no doubt that we need, more than anything, the support of a clean, wholesome unbia.s.sed press that can't be bribed and is not subject to money influence. I think on the whole our best plan would be to buy up one of the city newspapers.”
”Might it not be better simply to buy up the editorial staff?” said Mr. d.i.c.k Overend.
”We might do that,” admitted Dr. Boomer. ”There is no doubt that the corruption of the press is one of the worst factors that we have to oppose. But whether we can best fight it by buying the paper itself or buying the staff is hard to say.”