Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1891-11-25


the elderly gentleman who had spoken
before, and who, it transpired, was n
Christian minister, turned his ewes
upon Mills and said, in slow, measured
tones:
Mr.. Mills, God has had mercy on
him to whom you showed none. He
has taken the poor old man ont Of your
tolls and removed him beyond the reach
OF your greed and avarice. There lies
the unconscious form of one of your VIC
Tins. You brought him to his death.
You robbed him of all his possessions;
broke his home, his hope, his heart and
his life, and God has taken the poor old
sufferer home"
Il do not know" said Mills after n
short silence, why you should say such
things TO me. i have not robbed that
old man, and am not responsible for
his misfortunes!
you loaned him money on his pos
sessions, Mr.. Millsl'
Eyes, and like the rest of You people
he was glad to get it.
Yes, he was glad to get it because
want drove him TO such extremities.
But that did not give you the right to
/
order the sale of his property to pay n
! debt OF less than a tenth of its value
/ Mr.. Mills, the worlds view NAV be
what it will, but with God robbery is
robbery, whether you do it under the
law or in defiance of it, To force fell
low creature under necessity to give up
his property to you. is not far different
in principle from forcing him to do SO
mt the point of arms. The desire to OBJ
tain what is not yours and what you
have no right to take is the same in
both cases, and there is no moral dis
tinction between them. In either case
1t is robbery. 1t is taking something
for nothing"
Mills WINGED little under these
words, for hardened, unfeeling wretch
that he was, he could not help but see
the truth of the remarks. Perhaps il
he had been a man with the least
particle of conscientious scruples, he
might have shown some sense of
shame. AS it was, however, he only
made an effort to exculpate himself
from the charge, and place himself in
the position of n benefactor, by saving:
II loan you people money as bust
ness venture. Like you. and like man
kind in general, l limit my profits by
the necessity of my customers You
sell your products for the highest
prices you can get, and do the same.
That is n law of business Further
more, IL you people do not want to ac-
cept my terms why do you come TO me
and beg me for favorsp You are not
compelled 10 come"
stWa nro
drives us 10 It," the minister replied.
las TO IT being law of business To
govern profits by necessity, have very
strong doubts. II is not the law OF
honest business / am sure. There is a
wide difference between necessity and
demand-at least between the necessi.
ties of such times as these and the de.
mands OF ordinary times. In the mar
kets OF the world we sell our products
for all they will bring. and in that mar.
ket you have n perfect right 20 so dis
pose OF your money. But we do not
sell our produce at exorbitant prices.
When we find fellow creature suf.
fering the pangs OF hunger we do not
compel him 30 pay us his last cent for
a morsel Of food. But that is the prin-
ciple upon which you work. Mr.. Mills.
and cannot think IL far short Of rob
i berry"
| Mills flushed with anger but seeing
| that 10 was useless 90 argue. and per
maps not being disposed 70 do so any
\ way let the matter drop. and sending
out TO have the remains Of the old man
T removed. resumed the order OF business
ana went on with his ruthless, heartless,
/ grinding process.
TO HE CONTINUED