Omaha daily bee., 1897-03-21

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IHE MUTABlE MANY. wv
5Ml BY ROBERT BARR.
IWThe Story os tabor Union ATae ofPrsert Day Problems With Episodes hm Real Re
BY ROBERT BARR.

The Story ofs labor Union. Arahe oiPesert Day Problems, With Episodes inm Real te

Copyright. 1896, by Robert Barr)
my position is this, Mr.. Sartwoll; l don't
want to fight for fights sake, and / have no
revengeful desire TO humiliate you or to de-
feat the firm for the mere glory Of victory;
but l am convinced the men will not get the
fair share Of what they make until there is
a fight and a decisive victory. A few years
ago the very right to combine was utopian
and nonsensical in the mind of the capitalist,
yet that right is one Of tho undisputed facts
of today. The capitalist won't concede
anything until he is forced to do so. There
fore, there must be a struggle, and l am
bound to choose my own time and my own
battle ground. We are ready to fight now,
we are going to fight, and | believe we are
going to win"
Exactly. That Is what / wanted TO know.
AS to winning, we shall see. / quite agree
with you that there Is nothing so satisfactory
in the long run as a square, stand-up light,
and let the best man win. The combatants
have a mutual respect for each other after
ward. The trouble Is that the contest is
rarely free from the side issues that affect
the final result. In this case you are not sure
OF your hackers, neither am /.
"If I wero the owner of this establishment
j would bring on the war instantly, carry IL
through with the "reminiscences Of a Barbary
pirate. win 1t, of course, and have the most
contented men in England in my employ ever
after. AS 1t is. the trouble Is not going to
be decided by either your generalship or
mine. but by the relative consistency of our
hackers. II the men round on you before my
directors get a trife more frightened than
they are now, then you will be defeated. If
the directors get panic stricken first, then
/ shall go under. 1t Will be a hollow victory
either way, and will not be decided on the
merits OF the case at all. 1t is a toss-up,
and, II we were sensible men, we two would
settle it now by twirling a penny in the air
besides. IL you do win, Ii will be a barren
triumph, for you will lose everything you
gain the moment there is a pinch in trade.
The only reason you have a show OF winning
is because business is brisk, and the direc-
tors naturally wish to make hay while the
sun shines. They don't wish to be crippled
and have a fuss on while their trade rivals
are reaping the benefit Of their embarrass-
ment. The moment trade becomes dull gain,
down will 20 the wages, and no power on
earth can prevent the fall. 1t Is all a ques-
tion Of supply and demand On the other
hand, l give you fair warning that, II l win,
not another union man will ever set foot In
these works again. So, II you really nave
the interests of the men at heart, Marsten,
you will reflect a bit before you bring on the
light"
"Do you doubt that 1 have the interests
OF the men at hearth
mo. / don't. believe you are thoroughly
u L oioo 80
lessly sacrificing yourself. You see 1t is
difficult for us to come to an agreement, for
We look out on the world from entirely dill
ferent standpoints. You are at the foot OF
the hill, and the mists of the valley OF youth
are around you, distorting your vision, ana
destroying correct proportion. l am up to-
ward the top of the mountain, where the air
is clearer. You see men heroic and noble; l
see them small and mean. You believe In
Che workingman; / do not. The chances are
that neither of us sees with absolute accu-
racy, and the truth lies between the two ex-
tremes. Never .heless, l think the day OF
chjvalrous, unselnsh action is past, and 1t Is
every man for himself in these times"
81 can't understand why you talk like that,
Mr.. Sartwell. + have seen heroic things
done even in my short life. I saw a man
come out of the.e works alone and unpro-
tected, when he knew the mob outside was
bowling for his blood, yet there was no trace
of either fear or bravado about him. The
same man nearly lost his life in saving
others when the factory burned, and Braunt,
an unlearned workingman did unselfishly
and chivalrously go to his death in the same
cause"
"Ah, Braunt was one of a thousand! Well,
perhaps there is something worth preserving
left in human nature after all, and maybe l
am merely growing old and pessimistic.