Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1888-09-08

to their credit you succeed. Their labor III
quantity and quality would be just the same.
What reason i'll changing its valuation? No,
/ am sure there is but one way, to measure
the value of your labor as you do every thing
else, by what it will bring"
"Not quite everything, said Philip; but he
said it so low the argumentative Jennings did
not hear it. All he heard was just as he was
closing his door:
please send in the overseer Of No. weave
ROOM
1t was but few moments, during which
Philip did not move from his seat, before the
overseer came in, stroking his apron defer
entially.
"Mr? Bright, the men and girls complain;
they say they ought to be paid by the day
instead of by the piece"
(Which ones complaint The lazy ones, I
guess, Why surely, Mr. Breton, it wouldn't
be right to pay the best weaver and the poor
est the same"
"Why not7" asked Philip, with unchanged
features watching the look of astonishment
that shone on the mans round fat face
"Why not, if we paid them all the highest
priceq'
"Well sir, it wouldn't be month before
bad and good would all be worth about the
same, and that as little as the poorest Of
them. 1t would be a poor way to encourage
them to be smart"
docs Graves work in your roomP'
eyes, but he is just going out for this
mornin'-his"-
"Send him in if you can find him." Philip
rose to his feet now, and was walking the
room impatiently when John Graves slouched
in. He turned on him as if he was going to
do violence to his visitor. but it was only
question he hurled at him.
"What do you think ought to be changed
in the mills Speak up now, and let me know
your mind"
81 think we work too hard for our pay,
then,n drawled the laborer, but his mind was
in an unusually excited condition.
"That is because the public want such
goods as ours SO cheap"
"There's other things to cut on besides labor
forever and ever. Oh, no, ye can't by poor
cotton, it would show in the cloth; ye can't
save on machinery, It would spoil yer sales;
but if we carders and weavers and spinners
be cut it don't leave mark on the cloth
But it leaves deep gashes in our hearts and
joys, you be suren Graves looked at the
young man to see if he might go on, but he
could not read his masters face. He hesi-
tated moment and then he continued.
''There aint poor bent girl in the mill
but might live life so happy it would make
strong man cry to think of it. We are OF
more account than your machinery. No
beltin' or patent self acting springs could do
our work; it takes immortal souls, and intel
lects in the image of God to do it. It's the
same sort of work you do, and compare what
the two of us gets. We amt fairly paid till
we gets, the weakest of us, taste Of the
sweet things in this world we have longed for
so long, l don't care what yer wise book
men says" Was the young proprietor angry,
he stood SO grave and still! What a changed
Time was when pity would have shone on
every line of his face. But he might have
been statue for all appearance of melting in
him now.
81 pay you the market price, as much as
the other mill owners
Well, God have mercy on his poor children,
if Philip Breton could make that excused
The man sat down without an invitation, and
leaned his brawny elbows on the table.
Snow see here, you told me to speak my
mind, and l am agoin' to. We are poor; we
amt got nothin'; we can't lay back and wait
for our price. We want somethin' to eat
today; we come to you for work; we
a loaf of bread. Is it right, then, to value
us at what we can be got fora If we could
haggle with ye, and hang off the way little
ready cash lets man do, there might be
some sense in it. But you never let us get
enough ahead for that It's work or go
hungry with us The poorer we gets, the
tighter ye can squeeze us, and l sometimes
wonder why ye gives us as much as ye do.
spose a man might live on little less. And
it's all business, as ye say"
Philip had seated himself, but he said
nothing. He had given the man the priv
ilege of his tongue, and be did not seem dis
posed to stop him.
SIS the right price Of thing what man
II give for it2 If they had the money, men
would give $1,O00,000 for a breath of air,
when they're stified. Would it be right to
pump off the air, and then let it on at 81 ,OOO,-
600 breathings If you was drowning,
you'd give 81 600 to be saved if it was
only to hold out pole to yer Is that fair
price for holdin' out pole! We're starvin'
unless we can get a bite to eat Is it any
more right to bargain with us for a life OF
hard work, for just enough to live on? man
wants somethin' more than food. He wants
to send his children to school, to get a loafin'
hour now and then, to make himself some
thin besides brute He wants-he wants
some such things and chances as you have.
Why, squire, we're all men trgether." The
mans eyes looked across at Philip with
vague wistfulness, as if he were thinking of
the beautiful possibilities Of a life so far all
drudgery and want.
"But what is there to dor exclaimed
Philip in all impatient tone that put to fight
all the workman's foolish fancies. The young
mans heart seemed changed to flint "You
don't want to be objects of charity, do you"
John Graves Strengthened his arms along
the table; then he stood up.
"Charityl Well, no, not such charity as
picks creature up today as soft as a baby,
and drops him tomorrow like dog But if
payin' yer help enough of yer gain so they
can know what life is-if that is charity, as
you call it, give it to us. Ye needn't be SO
precious fraid of hurtin' the laboring classes,
as they call 'em, by treatin' 'em too well.
They're sinkin' every day lower and lower,
and lots of fellows in specs keep warnin'
you not to spoil 'em, not to hurt their pride,
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