tanding can have but one bearing--_that what the public read, we
must all be responsible for legally and morally, not some of us, but all
of us, you, Mr. Rockefeller, the City Bank, James Stillman, and myself_.
For bear in mind it was you and Mr. Rockefeller who changed my plans by
substituting companies and properties of which I knew nothing but what
you told me. All the things we ought to tell, you say cannot be put into
words, because if they are powers beyond us will refuse to allow the
enterprise to go through as it must go through. Then the condition must
be implied, must be between the lines. You say this is my task, and that
I alone can perform it properly. All right--but I will perform it in a
way that will hold every one concerned to his legal as well as to his
moral responsibility just as it will me who sign it. To save our
enterprise I will concede just this much: The advertisements will be so
worded as not apparently legally to involve Stillman, William
Rockefeller, or the Bank but in reality they will be bound to as strict
responsibility as though their signatures were in the place of mine. In
doing this I compromise with my conscience, Mr. Rogers, because it is
now of paramount importance that our consolidation go through--as
important to the thousands of others who have followed us as to
ourselves."

"You mean this, Lawson, that you will insist upon having this done in a
way that will make every one legally responsible?"

"I mean just that, Mr. Rogers. In what other way can it be done?"

"As all such affairs are arranged--by allowing the public to think for
themselves--but steering our end clear of all possible legal
entanglements," he replied in a voice half choked with suppressed rage.
Now we were both thoroughly aroused, he fairly seething with fury at my
rebellion, and I boiling over at his willingness to sacrifice me to his
own safety. By this time he was on his feet facing me, and it was
evident the tussle would be serious. Still I slowly and coldly asked:

"How can that be done?"

"By _your_ taking the responsibility," he as slowly and freezingly
answered.

"You mean that _I_ shall go ahead and make glowing and generous
promises, on the strength of which the public will put up its money, and
that if these promises for any reason are not carried out, I alone shall
be the one to face the music? Is that what you mean, Mr. Rogers?"

I held myself together, with closed hands and clinched teeth.