Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1895-12-27
PAT TOOLEY'S OUTING.


Tooley is; will tell you. He is an
American citizen of Irish descent, a
good democrat, and works in a coal
mine down in Pennsylvania. He has
worked there for about seven years.
The company furnishes him a shanty
to live in by his paying rent, and he
also has a summer resort up on the At
lantic coast, called "Buzzard's Roost," /"
and shanty near by called weather
beaten Cables" Now, Pat thought he
GOULD spend the heated term at his sea-
side home and draw his weekly allow
ance right along, but the company
said no. So he has never enjoyed the
fresh air and the good fishing of "Buz-
Yards Roost," bnt has toiled along in
the dark and noisome depths of the
coal mine until few weeks ago, when
he thought he would go hunting for
rabbits. He knew the company's road
ran near the hunting ground, and he
asked permission to ride i'm coal car.
But no; they told him they ran their
business on business principles, and if
they carried him free they would have
to carry all of their 5000 employees the
same way: so he trudged off on foot
and finally bagged large quantity of
rabbits. He returned home after a
week loaded down with rabbits and
hardly stopped to greet his wife and
eight children, the oldest of whom is
Ruth, but proceeded to distribute his
game among his particular friends and
rushed to his private Office to answer
the large pile of letters that had accum-
ulated during his absence. The fact il
that just before Pat went hunting he
had written to all his friends in this
and the old country about the low tar
iff that would set us all on our legs,
the policy that would make us free
from Great Britain on money matters
and the remarks of a deceased gentle
man by the name of Monroe on cer-
tain doctrine, and lots ofthose matters,
some wise and some foolish. But what
stirred up the warlike spirit the most
was the question of boundary line
between some outside parties, and
which this country has no more to do
with than the man in the moon. But
the ideas of Mr.. Monroe, although
they have smouidered for many years,
seem to have taken fresh start, and
the cry of war, war, is heard on every
hand. In an interview with Pat he
says there is no danger of war; that the
line talked about is only a boundary
line and not a fish line.
Well, Pat, after he had recuperated
from his weeks hunting went down to
the office and wanted his salary for the
week, but the company said "oh, no,
you must lose your time" But, said
Pat, 81 know fellow who gets $3.50
day and goes hunting and fishing
when he has mind to and has free
transportation for himself and friends
and the company he works for pays
him just the same when he is hunting
and fishing as when he is working for
them. Now, here l am, a poor man
with wife and eight children to sup
port; have worked for you faithfully
for seven years, and you wont pay me
for the week that take to recuperate
and wont let me ride free on one of
your coal cars" But, says the coal
company, 1--WE told you before that we
run business on business principles,
and the fellow you speak of that gets
$50 per day is working for company
who run business at loose ends. There
is only one plan on which business
can be run successfully, viz: pay every
employe the wages agreed upon. If he
loses a day, a week or month take it
out of his wages, no matter whether it
is $3.50 day or $1.OO day." "Well,"
said PATTI had thought of working for
you another term, but if that is your
rule you can count me out" ***