The record-union., 1894-08-24
Two VIEWS OF A WAGE QUESTION.
Old Crank and His Mansion-A
Reply Made.
A Question of civiIization-Look
on This Picture and Then
on That.

say by persevering economy and con-
stant attention to business. / am aware
that the popular opinion is that 1t was by
sharp practice, and by taking advantage
of meme necessities.
If were a genuine Christian, perhaps
I should have to admit that there may pe
a little foundation for this popular opln-
ion. but as my conscience don't trouble
me will simply assert that 1 have got 1t
-Iegally-and / propose to enjoy the
benefit of it.
Some time ago made up my mind to
have much finer house to live in, If
could get it built for about such sum.
called a lot of meu who were in the
building business together, and laid my
plans before them. and stated what wages
proposed to pay for the work: but they
demurred at once; said that men couldn't
live and support their families on such
wages: that il was worth nearly double
that amount, and that / had plenty of
means and could afford to pay reason
able price.
have always retained my suavlty OF
manner so l said: well, gentlemen, 1
think l know my own business, and
what can afford TO pay for this work.
You don't want to do IL for the prices L
offer?''
They answered: "No, they didn't pro.
pose to work for nothing for any man"
and they left.
Soon after some men came to me and
said that they had heard that l proposed
to build a house, and as they were In that
kind of business they would like state
ment of my proposition. showed them
my plans and stated my terms.
They said the wages offered were Alto
gether inadequate compensation, butthey
were needing work badly-ln fact, must
have it, as their families were suffering
and that they would accept my prices,
hoping that they would never have to
work for such low wages again.
l suppose 1 could have paid them
higher wages, but l had good deal more
work which l wanted done, and had
only about SO much money which l
wanted to use; and not being good
Christian, reasoned that if men were IN
such a needy condition that they would
accept my prices, the money would GO
Just as much good il il was spread around
among that kind of men as 1t would II
paid to Jew who didn't need it so badly.
and ] would be benefited u good deal
more by obtaining double the amount OF
work, and conseq uently L would be III
better condition to pay for more work IN
the future. You can see that AIN pretty
shrewd calculator.
NV brother is the counterpart OF my
self and he is just about as we'll oil as
am, and he gotit into his head that be
wanted a finer house. He figures about as
close as l do: so he got up his plans, and
got lot OF men together who understood
that kind of work and told them what he
proposed to pay; but they just laughed at
him. They told him that they had
Builders Union, and if he wanted to live
in mansion he had got TO pay torit. They
! /. RI ba haA r.la NJ
and could afford to pay living wages to
laboring men and they proposed TO see
that he did it.
He answered suavely that perhaps
they understood his affairs and what he
wanted better than he did himself, but
that he proposed to run his own business
awhile yet, and that if they didn't want
to work at his price there was no need of
any more talk about il. They lett. Some
time after some men came who said to
him (as mine said to me- that the wages
offered was very much too low, but that
they wanted work, and must have 1t at
any price.
The Builders Union heard of it and
said emphatically that no lot OF scabs
should do the work for old skin-flint at
less price than they had proposed.
The men were waylaid. cursed, as
saulted and maltreated until they We're
afraid of their lives and were glad to get
out of town.
1t was probably a lot of sympathizers
who assaulted the men. for the Builders
Union is composed of upright, law-abid-
ing citizens, who never countenance ille-
gal acts.
There was no protection afforded by
the authorities to these needy men, and
my brothers house remains unbuilt, and
probably will remain SO for long time
to come; for he is such darned old fool
that he says if he can't have say in his
own business affairs that he will quit
doing business.
The Builders Union has the satisfac-
ton of knowing that the cause OF labor
has been vindicated, and that men of the
skinflint type will learn after awhile that
the laboring man cannot be ground into
the dust by their iron heels with I'M
punity. OLD CRANK.
A Reply.
EDS. RECORD UNION: A copy of "Old
Crank's' letter has been handed TO me.
] don't know whether he is sincere or
not When 1 first read il over / thought
: he was cynical, and then again that he
was in earnest. But [ want TO reply on
the ground that be is sincere.
l am not a capitalist, not able to
build mansion. l am cottager. / am
not a trade worker, but just as hard
worker. l belong to no union and never
did. But am vain enough TO think my
self something OF philosopher, and
hope l may write myself down as one
who loves his fellow-men.
l think both "Old Crankn and his
brother are wrong and cruel and cold and
selfish, and am glad that neither one Is
Christian. Such Christianity as theirs
would not be Christ-like, nor follow the
golden rule.
The bottom error of Old Crank's position
is in his desire; be desired to have gar
ment larger than his cloth would cut, and
therefore would seize upon his neighbor's
cloth, who has none 10 spare without ex-
posing his nakedness. He desires grand
mansion, but fixes the cost thereof sell
hShly, knowing nothing, as he admits. of
what il ought to cost. lie acts at the ex-
pense of labor, not on the figure OF JUS
tice.
When the builders he called in told him
they could not live on the wages he Of
fered, and the second lot came and told
him the same, he accepted their state
inents as true, for he does not say to the
contrary, and he said he could have paid
them more than he fixed upon. But the
second lot were in distress and, of their
necessity. accepted his terms. In that he
took their cloth and exposed their naked
ness. But he had his desire-the man
sion.
Now, the true and humane man would
have said, Livery mans civilization is
represented by his wage. even though
some men squander the wage" The
Chinese coolies civilization is represented
among US by rice, mat, twelve in the
space of as many feet, no wife. no child,
no carpet. no books, no pictures. no news
papers. no boys and girls clad decently
for school. no interest in public affairs,
no pew in church, no home with Aineri-
can home surroundings, no service in
arms, no jury duty. etc.
The men unon Mhosa necessity Old