The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1897-06-18
SAW MILL MEN IN TROUBLE.

10 the New orleans Lui1uci i'"u'
Journal, and republished in The
Southwark, OF June 4th, we derive
the unpleasant intelligence that the
saw mills situated at various points
along the Gulf and Ship Island Rail
road, are in a peck Of trouble. From
the mil owners m a wall OF dis.
tress which cannot fail TO excite our
most heartfelt sympathy with the
hope that a safe and satisfactory
solution Of their difficulties may be
near at hand. Toquote Mr.. Kilduif:
"There is a certain wildcat com
pany over in Mobile who takes the
product OF these mills at practically
their wi figures and in return TINS
company gives a little bread ana
meat Their first effort is to tie up
the mill men with an iron bound con-
tract and when the mill man signs
this contract he has virtually sold his
birth-right for a mess pDttage.
If this statement be true--and the
authors name is sufficient guarantee
as to the reliability Of any assertion
he may make-thc millers seem Ger.
tainly between the devil and the deep
blue sea-an iron bound contract with
low figures on one side, and only a
little "brcad and meat" with prospcc-
tive liquidation on the other.
While many Of our readers Will
wonder and rack their brains in guess.
inc who constitute the "Wild-Cat
Company over in Mobile" into whose
cruel and oppressive hands the millers
have fallen, our readers will wonder
still more how men Of intelligence
and supposed business capacity could
enter into a contract which contains
so many and so greatly Objectionable
features. The sum and substance Of
the millers' difficulties and wrongs lie
10 the fact that the cream Of their
cut is taken from them at unremun-
eratiye prices prices that are ridicu-
lousy below actual VAUDEVILLE to
again quote Mr.. KlldutI, "the edge
:, boards and the inferior stuff are piled
, up to decay on the yard and impede
the progress Of the work"
The query again arises, how is It
, that any one, with even ordinary bus
mess intelligence, can enter into an
iron bound agreement to furnish lum-
D ber-Or, for that matter, any comInod-
t ity-at figures which not only promise
no remuneration but which do not
even repay the original outlay? 1t
would be a somewhat questionable
a reflection on the mill-men's sagacity
and, at the same time, on the business
methods Of a "a certain Wildcat
Company over in Mobile" to insinuatt
y that the ''iron bound contract" wa
drawn in doubtful terms, 50 we mus,
assume that the agreement was OF
= fered and accepted by either party
with full knowledge OF its obligation,
k and limitations, with no hidden in
tent on either side, and that, there
, fore, the obligations OF the Contrac
are legally and morally binding, an,
10 should be mutually observed in al
fairness. That one or the other part
should suffer loss does not invalldat
the agreement or release tile lose
from fulfilling its conditions. Thi
Is is simply his misfortune liable to over
10 take the one as well as the other.
ia Now, all this trouble may serve st
point a moral and adorn a tale and
is at the same time, teach an importan
1e and salutary lesson which the busine,
* man Of each and every calling ma
n. well heed, namely, that while cuttin
prices and selling at figures that d
not return a fair profit, may and wi
attract a certain amount Of CuStol
~ for the time being, the harm done t
'' those engaged in legitimate business
in which only legitimate profits al
expected-this harm, we repeat, wi
ii. invariably return with increased vigC
Of to plague the inventor.
ar The mill-men in question surely d,
Y serve, and will doubtless receive, NJ
only the sympathy, but also the SUI
stantial aid OF their respective con
munities whose interests they hay
az furthcred, If not entirely built up, an
vi we conclude this review OF the situi
70 ton by wishing them aspcedy releas
from the clutches OF "a certain Will
ty Cat Company over in Mobile"