The Titan [44]
believe the men who had introduced him so warmly. McKenty, as Cowperwood was well aware, had personally no interest in the old companies and also--though this he did not say--no particular sympathy with them. They were just remote financial corporations to him, paying political tribute on demand, expecting political favors in return. Every few weeks now they were in council, asking for one gas-main franchise after another (special privileges in certain streets), asking for better (more profitable) light-contracts, asking for dock privileges in the river, a lower tax rate, and so forth and so on. McKenty did not pay much attention to these things personally. He had a subordinate in council, a very powerful henchman by the name of Patrick Dowling, a meaty, vigorous Irishman and a true watch-dog of graft for the machine, who worked with the mayor, the city treasurer, the city tax receiver--in fact, all the officers of the current administration--and saw that such minor matters were properly equalized. Mr. McKenty had only met two or three of the officers of the South Side Gas Company, and that quite casually. He did not like them very well. The truth was that the old companies were officered by men who considered politicians of the McKenty and Dowling stripe as very evil men; if they paid them and did other such wicked things it was because they were forced to do so.
"Well," McKenty replied, lingering his thin gold watch-chain in a thoughtful manner, "that's an interesting scheme you have. Of course the old companies wouldn't like your asking for a rival franchise, but once you had it they couldn't object very well, could they?" He smiled. Mr. McKenty spoke with no suggestion of a brogue. "From one point of view it might be looked upon as bad business, but not entirely. They would be sure to make a great cry, though they haven't been any too kind to the public themselves. But if you offered to combine with them I see no objection. It's certain to be as good for them in the long run as it is for you. This merely permits you to make a better bargain."
"Exactly," said Cowperwood.
"And you have the means, you tell me, to lay mains in every part of the city, and fight with them for business if they won't give in?"
"I have the means," said Cowperwood, "or if I haven't I can get them."
Mr. McKenty looked at Mr. Cowperwood very solemnly. There was a kind of mutual sympathy, understanding, and admiration between the two men, but it was still heavily veiled by self-interest. To Mr. McKenty Cowperwood was interesting because he was one of the few business men he had met who were not ponderous, pharasaical, even hypocritical when they were dealing with him.
"Well, I'll tell you what I'll do, Mr. Cowperwood," he said, finally. "I'll take it all under consideration. Let me think it over until Monday, anyhow. There is more of an excuse now for the introduction of a general gas ordinance than there would be a little later--I can see that. Why don't you draw up your proposed franchise and let me see it? Then we might find out what some of the other gentlemen of the city council think."
Cowperwood almost smiled at the word "gentlemen."
"I have already done that," he said. "Here it is."
McKenty took it, surprised and yet pleased at this evidence of business proficiency. He liked a strong manipulator of this kind --the more since he was not one himself, and most of those that he did know were thin-blooded and squeamish.
"Let me take this," he said. "I'll see you next Monday again if you wish. Come Monday."
Cowperwood got up. "I thought I'd come and talk to you direct, Mr. McKenty," he said, "and now I'm glad that I did. You will find, if you will take the trouble to look into this matter, that it is just as I represent it. There is a very great deal of money here in one way and another, though it will take some little time to work it out."
Mr. McKenty saw the point. "Yes," he said, sweetly, "to be sure."
They looked into each other's eyes as they shook hands.
"I'm not sure but
"Well," McKenty replied, lingering his thin gold watch-chain in a thoughtful manner, "that's an interesting scheme you have. Of course the old companies wouldn't like your asking for a rival franchise, but once you had it they couldn't object very well, could they?" He smiled. Mr. McKenty spoke with no suggestion of a brogue. "From one point of view it might be looked upon as bad business, but not entirely. They would be sure to make a great cry, though they haven't been any too kind to the public themselves. But if you offered to combine with them I see no objection. It's certain to be as good for them in the long run as it is for you. This merely permits you to make a better bargain."
"Exactly," said Cowperwood.
"And you have the means, you tell me, to lay mains in every part of the city, and fight with them for business if they won't give in?"
"I have the means," said Cowperwood, "or if I haven't I can get them."
Mr. McKenty looked at Mr. Cowperwood very solemnly. There was a kind of mutual sympathy, understanding, and admiration between the two men, but it was still heavily veiled by self-interest. To Mr. McKenty Cowperwood was interesting because he was one of the few business men he had met who were not ponderous, pharasaical, even hypocritical when they were dealing with him.
"Well, I'll tell you what I'll do, Mr. Cowperwood," he said, finally. "I'll take it all under consideration. Let me think it over until Monday, anyhow. There is more of an excuse now for the introduction of a general gas ordinance than there would be a little later--I can see that. Why don't you draw up your proposed franchise and let me see it? Then we might find out what some of the other gentlemen of the city council think."
Cowperwood almost smiled at the word "gentlemen."
"I have already done that," he said. "Here it is."
McKenty took it, surprised and yet pleased at this evidence of business proficiency. He liked a strong manipulator of this kind --the more since he was not one himself, and most of those that he did know were thin-blooded and squeamish.
"Let me take this," he said. "I'll see you next Monday again if you wish. Come Monday."
Cowperwood got up. "I thought I'd come and talk to you direct, Mr. McKenty," he said, "and now I'm glad that I did. You will find, if you will take the trouble to look into this matter, that it is just as I represent it. There is a very great deal of money here in one way and another, though it will take some little time to work it out."
Mr. McKenty saw the point. "Yes," he said, sweetly, "to be sure."
They looked into each other's eyes as they shook hands.
"I'm not sure but