Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-02-13

u WOFu OF Two more. VIII you: ne
lieve the decision of the men today
will be a serious one. and want to do
all can to make 1t right"
Eric at once raised his voice. "AIen,
Mr.. Duncan wants to say word
again. am sure you will give him a
careful hearing"
AYE, that we willv'
Hes no bad for millionairew
"Give him chance. He doesn't often
have it!' shouted voice with n touch
of irony in it.
Stuart took advantage of the lull that
followed these and other shouts to
speak as he had never thought Of doing
when he came to the park. He bpliey-
ed that the result of the mems action
would be exceedingly important for
themselves and himself. He had never
had such a great desire to explain his
own attitude toward the whole prob
lem Of labor and capital as 1t affected
him.
1t is not possible to describe his
speech. Eric thought at the time that
it was the best speech he had ever
heard from moneyed man. At times
II was iinpassioned. then quiet and con-
versational. 1t is doubtful If very
many Of the miners understood it as
Stuart meant. He was in reality voic-
ing policy for the men of money
which he afterward followed out with
some changes.
This much he made clear to the men:
He sympathized with their demands
for larger wages, while he could not
agree with their methods, and he would
do all in his power to give them their
just demands as far as he was ut liber-
ty t.: act Independently. He told them
he was going to Cleveland the next day
to confer with the other mine owners
and would use all his influence to get
the others to agree to the rise in wages.
He repeated his offer to treat with the
thousand or more men employed in the
Champion mines Mt any time they
chose to return. AS he closed he made
an appeal to the men to use reason and
spoke Of the religious influence that so
far had prevailed for the good Of the
community.
There ran through the whole of Stu
arts speech this second time u passion
ate desire to be understood as q man
before men. He had never before had
such longing to be understood; neither
had he ever felt thegapbetweenh himself
and the men to be SO wide and deep.
AS has been said, it is doubtful If parts
of his speech We're understood at all by
the men.
AS soon as he finished there was a
great uproar Of applause and shouts.
Eric himself could not restore quiet.
The committee politely asked Stuart
to leave the park while the union went
into conference over his proposals.
Stuart was glad to get away. He felt
exhausted with his unusual effort.
1t was 3 o'clock in the afternoon
when Eric came to the house with the
news Of the decision reached by the
miners union. Stuart at once saw by
his face that the situation was serious
1.-THE men voted by large majority
not to go back to work till all could &c
back on the same terms-that is, they
demanded that all the mine owners rec
ognize the union and make terms with
it for all the men,"
do you mean that the men who
work in the Champion mines refuse to
accept my offer of the wages they de-
nand?"
"Yes-that Is, the Champion miners
will not go back until the other owners
make the same terms you make and
make them to the union"
(which means simply that this strike
is deadlock replied Stuart decided.
ly, .'for know the men at Cleveland
and they will never agree to any such
terms"
THE miners will not agree to any 9th.
err" Eric spoke quietly, but sadly.
eric" said Stuart suddenly after q
pause, tell me frankly, as brother tc
brother, is this reasonable step for
the men to take? Do you believe the
union will make anything by such &c
ton? Is it just or fair?"
Eric's face worked under a pasAon
ate feeling. Then he said: "The mer
have right to combine for mutua
support. In this instance they fee
driven to it by their condition. Why
should not labor seek to defend itsell
us capital does? You-that is, meal
| the mine owners generally-get togeth
err in a combine and fix wages. VIII.
should not the miners get together ant
have say about it? We have beer
working for years at the price set b.
men at distance who never saw !;
mine or Il miner, far less went dow
into the ground to see what the labo
is. These men sit in nice upholstered
offices in elegant buildings and max,
it their business to get just as mucl
out of the iron ore as they can. Til,
wages of the men are cut every tim,
ore falls in price. Instead Of taking !
out of their own large dividends in tb
years when they have made enormous
/ profits every time there is a depressio.
in the market they cut this end instea.
of theirs. You know this is the case
Stuart.
"Three years ago dozen men in tn
iron industry grew to be millionaire
from the profits of this metal whicl
God put in the ground for the common
use of man. During that year the min
ers received only fair wages. Sine
then financial depression and drop Ii
the price of ore have followed. VIVA
do those men do who have in prosper
Gus years made their fortunes? ID
they say, We will draw on this re
serve. and in order that the miner
may not suffer we will declare smalle
dividends and lose somethingY No
they say ut once, Cut down wages, be
cause ore is cheaper, and we cannot af
ford to iose' And who suffers? No
the mine owner. He eats just as goot
food. goes to Europe in his steam pal
ace, drives his elegant carriage. keep.
up his amusements. But the poor man
10 whom every cent means something
goes without the common necessarie!
of life, and his wife and children suffe
because the millionaire who made hi.
fortune on his business is not willing t,
share a part of it during hard time.
with the men who made possible his
wealth with their labor. tell you