Спрут: Калифорнийская история
Chapter VIII
withgraveintensity,lookingatPresleykeenly,“IsupposeyoubelieveIamagrandoldrascal.”
“Ibelieve,”answeredPresley,“Iampersuaded——”Hehesitated,searchingforhiswords.
“Believethis,youngman,”exclaimedShelgrim,layingathickpowerfulforefingeronthetabletoemphasisehiswords,“trytobelievethis—tobeginwith—THATRAILROADSBUILDTHEMSELVES.Wherethereisademandsoonerorlatertherewillbeasupply.Mr.Derrick,doeshegrowhiswheat?TheWheatgrowsitself.Whatdoeshecountfor?Doeshesupplytheforce?WhatdoIcountfor?DoIbuildtheRailroad?Youaredealingwithforces,youngman,whenyouspeakofWheatandtheRailroads,notwithmen.ThereistheWheat,thesupply.ItmustbecarriedtofeedthePeople.Thereisthedemand.TheWheatisoneforce,theRailroad,another,andthereisthelawthatgovernsthem—supplyanddemand.Menhaveonlylittletodointhewholebusiness.Complicationsmayarise,conditionsthatbearhardontheindividual—crushhimmaybe—BUTTHEWHEATWILLBECARRIEDTOFEEDTHEPEOPLEasinevitablyasitwillgrow.IfyouwanttofastentheblameoftheaffairatLosMuertosonanyoneperson,youwillmakeamistake.Blameconditions,notmen.”
“But—but,”falteredPresley,“youarethehead,youcontroltheroad.”
“Youareaveryyoungman.Controltheroad!CanIstopit?Icangointobankruptcyifyoulike.ButotherwiseifIrunmyroad,asabusinessproposition,Icandonothing.Icannotcontrolit.Itisaforcebornoutofcertainconditions,andI—noman—canstopitorcontrolit.
