Атлант расправил плечи
The Top and the Bottom
ThePeople’sStateofMexicowaseagertoco-operate,andsignedacontractguaranteeingfortwohundredyearsthepropertyrightofTaggartTranscontinentaltoitsrailroadlineinacountrywherenopropertyrightsexisted.Franciscod‘Anconiahadobtainedthesameguarantyforhismines.
DagnyfoughtagainstthebuildingoftheSanSebastiánLine.Shefoughtbymeansofwhoeverwouldlistentoher;butshewasonlyanassistantintheOperatingDepartment,tooyoung,withoutauthority,andnobodylistened.
Shewasunable,thenorsince,tounderstandthemotivesofthosewhodecidedtobuildtheline.Sittingasahelplessspectator,aminoritymember,atoneoftheBoardmeetings,shefeltastrangeevasivenessintheairoftheroom,ineveryspeech,ineveryargument,asiftherealreasonoftheirdecisionwereneverstated,butcleartoeveryoneexceptherself.
TheyspokeaboutthefutureimportanceofthetradewithMexico,aboutarichstreamoffreight,aboutthelargerevenuesassuredtotheexclusivecarrierofaninexhaustiblesupplyofcopper.TheyproveditbycitingFranciscod‘Anconia’spastachievements.TheydidnotmentionanymineralogicalfactsabouttheSanSebastiánMines.Fewfactswereavailable;theinformationwhichd’Anconiahadreleasedwasnotveryspecific;buttheydidnotseemtoneedfacts.
TheyspokeatgreatlengthaboutthepovertyoftheMexicansandtheirdesperateneedofrailroads."They’veneverhadachance.""Itisourdutytohelpanunderprivilegednationtodevelop.
