At the trustees' meeting, of the three faces staring gloomily at these ruinous figures the gloomiest was Charles Whitney's.

"There can be only one explanation," said he.

"The shifting of the centers of production is making it increasingly difficult to manufacture here at a profit." "Perhaps the railways are discriminating against us," suggested Scarborough.
Whitney smiled slightly.

"That's your reform politics," said he.

"You fellows never seek the natural causes for things; you at once accuse the financiers." Scarborough smiled back at him.