"You're a hard man to argue with, Welkie, and I'm not going to argue with you--not on things dead and gone. You're too well posted for me. But suppose it was that way once, is it that way to-day? I'll bring it right home to you. Here's the overpowering figure in public life, Roosevelt, a man you think a lot of probably--was he born in poverty?"
"No, but I notice he cut away from his comfortable quarters about as soon as his upbringing'd let him."
"Wait. In finance who? Morgan? All right. Son of a millionaire financier, wasn't he?"
"But if you're going to bring in money----"
"I know. What of the Carnegies and the Rockefellers? you're going to say. There's where you think you've got me, but you haven't; for I've always said that being born in poverty fits a man to make money above all things, because he's brought up to value it out of all proportion to everything else. But where are they after they get it? America's full of millionaires who came up out of nothing, but who had to work so hard getting started that they'd nothing left in 'em or didn't know anything but money when they got to where they could stop to look around. If they had any genius to start with, it was dried out of 'em trying to get going. Hitch any two-mile trotter to an ice-wagon and where will he finish? You overweight your boy going off and he will be handicapped out of the race, too. But can I have another one of those cigars?"
"Thanks. I wish I had your pull with old Cabada. Now, Welkie, I'm only trying to show you where you ought to cast aside certain outworn traditions and face actual present-day truths. Now listen. You probably don't believe I'm a villain, Welkie, and you know I represent a powerful corporation--reputable even if powerful. Yes. Well, this work of ours is good, useful work--don't you think we can fairly claim that?"
"Good. Then wouldn't you like to see that work growing under your hand--ten thousand men driving night and day, and that concrete structure reaching out, as you've planned it, in long white stretches to the sea?"
"Then why not do it? What's the use, Welkie? You're the best man in the country for us and we're the best concern for you. We offer you the biggest job in sight. What d'y' say? You've been turning us down, but think it over now."