The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-21
THE MUTABLE MANY
BY
ROBERT carr
CHAPTER XXXIv.-coxrrNrrp.

CHAPTER XXXIv.-CoST1NuED.
t5artwell had no delusion regarding the advance
no had made tho men. He knew he had merely
postponed the tight. hut he wanted to be In n 10.
sition IN ahow the directors that he had done
everything to avoid n conflict. Six months
iatcr sartwell called the directors together.
~ desire to place before YOU" he said. Ger.
tain infor nation I have received. There ia rea.
Bon 10 believe that n further demand of 10 per
cent. will Do made. II you are going to grant
II. I would like to know; IL we are going 10
mako q stand, I would like TO know. I will
then arrange my plans accordingly"
IF we grant IT," snid Mr.. Hops. what do
you think will DO the result2 VIII It avert
trouble. or will It be made tho baris Of fresh
exactions? We cannot go on making conces-
sions indefinitely"
"GivinR the increase will probably postpone
the trouble for another six months. am GER
tain that Marsten wants to force on n fight; he
has heen preparing for moro than two years.
What I want to impress on you Is that tho
struggle, wen II comes, Is going to be n severe
one. and II you enter upon II. you must do 80
with your eyes open. resolved to ight II to the
very end. You may 20 On conceding until
wages are doubled. and every fresh concession
will merely make an ultimate fight the more
inevitable"
Then you think We had better make Q stand
now?'
YES; II. having made the stand. you refuse
to capitulate on anv terms"
but II we find. when tho strike has lasted .
few weeks. that we cannot hold out. Il would
he folly to continue"
Exactly. You know your own resources, and
] know the resources of the men. You.are
therefore in as good a position to make up your
minds now as two weeks hence. or o month. or
n re me- AnNnH trNn N Nartnat -. .,,,,t
win. or I must resign"
1T Is q most perplexirg situation" sighed
Mr.. Hope.
oh. the situation Is imple enough. You
either give In or you d mt. Which is IT."
What are the chances Of filling tao works
with new men. should It provo impossible to
some to terms with our present employees?"
"They are not so good as they were We
,ould do it gradually. but 1t would be some
time before we were In full force again."
That would mean the refusal of now orders.
aud perhaps :he cancelling of many now on
hand"
Undoubtedly. That is tho COST Of war. We
must face It II we fight We might be crippled
Tor ak months 10 come"
That 10 very serious. Is no compromise
possible? Could you not confer with Marsten
and find out what he wants?"
II know what he wants."
And you think compromise imposslble?"
Frankly. I do"
Have you the same objection to meeting
Marsten that you had to meeting Gibbons?"
las a natter OF principle 1 object to dis
cussing our business with any outsider. Mars
ten has never raised that point. When II was
necessary to confer with me he always sent a
deputation Of our own men. He is a much
more dangerous opponent than Gibbons WIS"
Would you be willing. then, in the inter-
ests Of peace. TO arrange a conference with
I1arsten. talk the matter over and come to an
understanding. it:that be ,possible?"
Yes. ] will tend for him at once: but I
It forms q bad precedent" AN
II was unanimously agreed that suca, an
his hands. and that the fight. II It prov ed in
eyttable; conld be rome into With greater spirit
Seen done lon k To ~vo shI1 he eyiIytesns possible haa
; ,rtwell invited Mar.ten to NEE. him at
his ONCE a. : o'clock IN n. the evening. When
this once unless i was ordered to do SO: / must
apologize; therefore,. for coming on a mere IN
you haven't torRcttsn tina. YETI said
get apparently that you were here on invita-
ton betore,durtng the strike. you know
Vow, Marstel. to begin with. have you any
peraonsl III feeling against me for your sum
MOT the slightest. I should probably have
acted as you did under the same circum-
doubt Il Il YOU would. However. sn not Attempting afass
70 excuse M self at all. I may. say that the
hoped that you would call on me. and that we
would-well. arrange an armistice, as 1t were"
II thought you knew me better than that"
bury It's dead. Let US give our attention to the
present anG to ths future. and l shall! begin
by asking 5no,5 Il you have any Suspici0n that you
"A most diplomatic and soothing beginning.
moro or less tinged with folly. so we won't
quarrel about terms: but we seem TO see the de-
That is undoubtedly true. Ii strikes me.
then, that you are wasting your life. and I
would like to convince you OF that before It is
too late;"
Yes. 1 want an assistant. manager. He
trust. / am getting on in years and will soon
stand aside. Ny assistant, II he has the right
SSs Belong T 70 hi ia.' i p o, ergo You Af the pc posi fien.S Will
II cannot accept it."
"Becaute ! have devoted my life to the men,"
But you will have an opportunity Of doing
moro for the men In that position than you
ONCE. where they grudgingly pay you barely
enough 70 keep body and soul together"
"Idon't mean the men IN these works. but all
Rather q large order. Marsten."
'Idon't suppose you Imagine / make you this
offer because I am afraid OF you as secretary OF
the union"
"Oh. no. am well aware that you want 10
avoid a tight. and know you are afraid OF
nothing except that your directors will not
back you through to a finish"
D you Imagine that your own hackers arc
mo. My weakness 10 Gibbons and his gang.
Yours 10 the board Of directors. One neutralizes
the other. SO It will be an Interesting fight"
Make no mistake. my boy; n capitalist
Will back his man ten times as long as a worker
will his"
II haven't your intense a admiration for tho
capitalist. Mr., Hope promised me. almost
with tears In his cyes. to look after my future
when he found was working. TO settle the
other strike which so terroriZed him. ! and
my friends succeeded in breaking up the strike.
yet yoa d!schhreed me a week after. ard I
doubt IL Mr.. Hope ever gave a THOUGHT to his
promise from that day to this. Your capital
ist is VIGOROUSLY timid and thoroughly selfish.
The workingman. has his faults, OF course.
and he is himself the greatest sufferer from
Them: but In aenerosit, he 10 miles ahead OF
any CAPITALIST that ever lived"
Then you are determined to fight. Mars.
s'Ob M Not ~ VIM give In ~