one thing to stir up the
public, but it's another to make them forget. This is a restless,
socialistic country, and Chicago is the very hotbed and center of it.
Still, if it will serve to trip him up I suppose it will do for the
present. The newspapers can probably smooth it all over later. But I
don't know."

Mr. Hand was of that order of mind that sees socialism as a horrible
importation of monarchy-ridden Europe. Why couldn't the people be
satisfied to allow the strong, intelligent, God-fearing men of the
community to arrange things for them? Wasn't that what democracy meant?
Certainly it was--he himself was one of the strong. He could not help
distrusting all this radical palaver. Still, anything to hurt
Cowperwood--anything.

Cowperwood was not slow to realize that public sentiment was now in
danger of being thoroughly crystallized against him by newspaper
agitation. Although his franchises would not expire--the large
majority of them--before January 1, 1903, yet if things went on at this
rate it would be doubtful soon whether ever again he would be able to
win another election by methods legitimate or illegitimate. Hungry
aldermen and councilmen might be venal and greedy enough to do anything
he should ask, provided he was willing to pay enough, but even the
thickest-hided, the most voracious and corrupt politician could
scarcely withstand the searching glare of publicity and the infuriated
rage of a possibly aroused public opinion. By degrees this last, owing
to the untiring efforts of the newspapers, was being whipped into a
wild foam. To come into council at this time and ask for a twenty-year
extension of franchises not destined to expire for seven years was too
much. It could not be done. Even suborned councilmen would be
unwilling to undertake it just now. There are some things which even
politically are impossible.

To make matters worse, the twenty-year-franchise limit was really not
at all sufficient for his present needs. In order to bring about the
consolidation of his North and West surface lines, which he was now
proposing and on the strength of which he wished to issue at least two
hundred million dollars' worth of one-hundred-dollar-six-per-cent.
shares in place of the seventy million dollars current of ten and
twelve per cents., it was necessary for him to secure a much more
respectable term of years than the brief one now permitted by the state
legislature, even providing that this