Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1888-03-29
CHAPTER XVII.

OF his will, nor course Of reasoning could COM
fort him. For n moment he might find re-
lief, but his torment would only return
afresh. Humanity are slow to believe good
Of fellow creatures, but nothing seemed too
bad to be true. He thought it might have
caimed him to havo been assured even of tho
worst He believed that he might despise
the woman he had elevated to the highest
pinnacle Of his ideal temple of womanhood,
If she had made so little of the most sacred
gift Of God. But it would have been o vio-
lence to his feelings to inquire of those who
must know. Her father must know, but his
smiling face will reveal nothing, and his
very reserve was peopled with horrors for
Philip. His wife Jane must know, too, but
he could not bear to think of the malicious
pleasure she would take in detailing the
shameful story to him. She would safe her
hate in his misery But what if it were not
a shameful story! Still he could not form his
lips to ask. The humiliation Of such q ques-
ton from him, discarded lover, about her
at whose feet he had been proud to sit,
shocked him into silence He even dreaded
lest they might speak to him of her, although
it had been months since he had heard Ber-
thas name once breathed.
One evening at the very close of the winter,
Philip Breton called q meeting of his help,
and the old market hall was packed from
door to platform. Reporters were planted
by their tables, to catch every word Of the
mysterious proceedings Representatives
from all the factories in the country elbowed
the crowd for their three feet of standing
room, eager TO learn some new device for
making money out Of their help as good as
the other But the great audience was
strangely silent. 1t knew not what to ex-
poct. Perhaps the economical mill owner
was going to announce new reduction in
their wages; everybody said he was reducing
everywhere The feeling in their hearts was
more of fear than hope and it was look of
piteous terror, almost, that they cast at the
slight form in black, that came forward on
the platform. They reminded Philip of
flock of frightened sheep that had never had
a shepherd. Then he thought of great
army massed before the smoking cannon
mouth, an army that had never had a gen.
eral. He saw they feared him.
81 have been for a long time trying to think
q some way to make your lives more fair for
you, and yet be fair to myself and my class
whole business machinery as economical as |
knew. Now, at last am ready to take you
into my confidence and make you proposal"
There was stir in the great audience, as if
every man changed his position at the same
moment, so as to be sure not to lose che
precious word Of the new gospel.
II cannot feel that l ought to give you
anything. And cannot sec that it would be
reasonable to pay more wages than others
pay; that is, than you have now"
A hush had fallen upon the people like
death. There was 10 hope for them, then
Still the speaker went on,
But if your labor is profitable to ME, *.
that I can pay you your price, and pay my
other expenses, and pay me for the time
give to the business what such service rs do
Is paid elsewhere, and then have something
besides"-
The reporters dropped their pens III aston
ment; was the man mad!
~ am disposed to think that you have
earned share in it." He paused to catch
his breath, and one could have heard pin
fall in that crowded room. "My capital
should be allowed for, too In a word, 1 pro
pose to divide the profits of my mill, after
all expenses are paid into two equal parts
hereafter, ono for labor, yours and mine, and
one for the interest on my money. The part
which belongs to labor will be distributed
according to the worth of each ones years.
work. The one that earns the largest year,
pay will have the largest per cent. of tina
dividend. We shall all be stockholder
together, each with share large or small &C
cuding to the value of his work"
The building trembled with the roar of ap
plause that went up, and it was several lno
ments before Philip could make himsel
heard again. He had thought there wa
nothing left in his life, with love gone out o
it, but as he stood that moment with the gla'
shouts of the poor ringing in his ears, and fel
he had led them out of bondage, his hear
thrilled with proud joy that was almos
ectasy. His wealth had brought him a hap
piness that made even life like his WORTH
livil &, had conferred on him glorious
sense of the dignity Of manhood which Iiftec
him as ON wings.
They must listen while he explained the
terms of his plan more fully. He motioned
to dozen boys and took a printed sheet OF
paper from the pile of similar sheets which
ho ordered distributed among the workmen
He then read aloud the following from the
paper in his hand:
The first divided will be distributed Aug.
for the year ending July |. The surplus is
500, 900; 100000 is set apart as the allow.
ance for capital invested, which leaves Sl00,
600, to be distributed to the labor in proper,
tion to the wages or salary earned by each
The whole amount of wages and salaries
earned in the mills was about $500, 600. There
fore the rate per cent of dividend is about
n 7-l0 to be calculated on the wages or salary
of each man, woman and child as shown by
the paymaster's book for the past year. Fol
example, the man whom the pay roll shows
to have earned $500 for his ears work
will receive 27 7.l0 per cent on $500 in ad
dition. or about $S310 as Ills dividend
The paymaster, who receive a salary
of $4,000, will receive { bout $54+
and as manager worth salary of 5000
shall receive more than twice the dividend
of the paymaster Certain restrictions will
be imposed First only one-half Of the al
nual dividend will be in cash, for i
would hurt the interests of the mil
to withdraw 50 much from the bust
ness. The other half will be in stock
which will draw dividends as the rest of til,
capital. Second, stock cannot be transferred
except to operatives, but win be redeemed a
the counting room, after notice, whci
holders leave the mills, as stock will yielt
dividends only while holders work in th'
mills. Holders Of stock may hold meeting
and choose q committee to examine the book
Of the company, before the annual distribution
of dividends.
When Philip Breton sat down noisy hun
Of voices followed as the people read ant