“And distillers, yes. And if the United States ever reaches the point where it will have to buy the saloons in order to wipe them out, it will face a very handsome little expenditure.”
“But, Mr. Ames, a very large part of the stock of American brewing companies is owned in Europe. How are you––”
“Nominally, it is. But for two years, and more, I have been quietly gathering in brewing stock from abroad, and to-day I have some ten millions in my own control, from actual purchases, options, and so forth. I’m going to organize a holding company, when the time arrives, and I figure that within the next year or so we will practically control the production of beer and spirituous liquors in the United States and Europe. The formation of that company will be a task worthy of your genius, Hood.”
“It will be a pleasure to undertake it,” replied Hood with animation. “By the way, Mr. Ames, I got in touch with Senator Mall last evening at the club, and he assures me that the senate committee have so changed the phraseology of the tariff bill on cotton products that the clause you wish retained will be continued with its meaning unaltered. In fact, the discrimination which the hosiery interests desire will be fully observed. Your suggestion as to an ad valorem duty of fifty per cent on hose valued at less than sixty-five cents a dozen pairs is exceptionally clever, in view of the fact that there are none of less than that value.”
Ames laughed again. “Triumphant Republicanism,” he commented. “And right in the face of the President’s message. Wire Mall that I will be in Washington Thursday evening to advise with him further about it. And you will go with me. Hood, we’ve got a fight on in regard to the President’s idea of granting permission in private suits to use judgments and facts brought out and entered in government suits against combinations. That idea has got to be killed! And the regulation of security issues of railroads––preposterous! Why, the President’s crazy! If Mall and Gossitch and Wells don’t oppose that in the Senate, I’ll see that they are up before the lunacy commission––and I have some influence with that body!”
“There is nothing to fear, I think,” replied Hood reassuringly. “An important piece of business legislation like that will hardly go through this session. And then we will have time to prepare to frustrate it. The suggestion to place the New York Stock Exchange under government supervision is a much more serious matter, I think.”
“See here, Hood,” said Ames, leaning forward and laying a hand upon that gentleman’s knee, “when that happens, we’ll have either a Socialist president or a Catholic in the White House, with Rome twitching the string. Then I shall move to my Venezuelan estates, take the vow of poverty, and turn monk.”
“Which reminds me again that by your continued relations with Rome you are doing much to promote just that state of affairs,” returned the lawyer sententiously.