CHAPTER XXIII.
The Power of the Press The morning papers, in spite of the efforts of Cowperwood and his friends to keep this transfer secret, shortly thereafter were full of rumors of a change in "North Chicago." Frank Algernon Cowperwood, hitherto unmentioned in connection with Chicago street-railways, was pointed to as the probable successor to Onias C.Skinner, and Edwin L.
Kaffrath, one of the old directors, as future vice-president.

The men back of the deal were referred to as "in all likelihood Eastern capitalists." Cowperwood, as he sat in Aileen's room examining the various morning papers, saw that before the day was over he would be sought out for an expression of opinion and further details.

He proposed to ask the newspaper men to wait a few days until he could talk to the publishers of the papers themselves--win their confidence--and then announce a general policy; it would be something that would please the city, and the residents of the North Side in particular.

At the same time he did not care to promise anything which he could not easily and profitably perform.

He wanted fame and reputation, but he wanted money even more; he intended to get both.
To one who had been working thus long in the minor realms of finance, as Cowperwood considered that he had so far been doing, this sudden upward step into the more conspicuous regions of high finance and control was an all-inspiring thing.