Waterbury Democrat., 1901-02-16

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 the mine owner. He eats just as good food, goes to Europe in his steam pal ace, drives his elegant carriage, keeps up his amuSements. But the poor man, to whom every cent means something, goes without the common neceSSarieS of life, and his wife and children suffer because the millionaire who made his fortune on his business is not willing to share a part of it during hard times with the men who made possible his wealth with their labor. I tell you, Stuart, my heart is on fire with these conditions, and no man knows how the workinCmen in this country feel unless he has been one himself. AS to the union, it is an organization that has sprung up out of wrongs that are sim ply deyilish in their human selfish ness''
 Stuart sat with his head bowed dur ing this speech. Then he said gently: What if the union develops the same kind of selfshness in the workinglnen: What tken?''
 -'Then the worlzingmcn will suffer. That is inevitable.'
 What if the mine owners decide to put new men into the mines:
 ''Then there will be trouble"
 ''Do you mean that you will incite the men to violence?"
 Good God, Stuart, you know I will not! l shall use my utmost power to prevent anything of the kind.'
 But what if it cannot be prevented?' ?'
 Erie said nothing. His face changed with a torrent of feeling and passion.
 ''If it comes to that, let God be judge if the owners and not the men are real ly the ones most to blame. I'shall use 'all my influence to prevent violence or lawlessness. The union has right to combine for such wages as it thinks are just. It has no right to prevent other men from working at any wages they choose to take. Since joined the Salvation Army I have become con- vinced that the only permanent basis for any true settlement of labor and capital differences must be religious basis--that is, Christian"
 Stuart listened with an interest he felt to be genuine. "How did you hap pen to join the Salvation Army, Eric?"
 Its a long story. I'll tell you some time, not now.'
 "I've heard part of it, but want you to tell me all of it.''
 II can't now. I must go. I have hardly had a minutes time to myself since this movement came on. l must be going now. You leave for Cleye- land',-
 Tonight. I want to be there to- morrow. I can tell beforehand what the companies will say. Is there no other way out of it?
 "I don't see any," replied Erie.
 The two men shook hands silently, and Eric went out.
 Stuart went down on the night ex- press and next day at Cleveland was in conference with the other owners. The result of the conference was what he had anticipated. The terms of the union were rejected. tt was decided by the other owners that a force of men should be at once placed at work with steam shovels on the stock piles so as to move the ore, and in case there was trouble the troops would be called out. Stuart refused to take ac- tion on his own mines. He would not yet precipitate matters by getting new men either for the stock piles or the mines. He came back home the next day with the feeling that he was at present in a condition of indecision and waiting. He could not sympathize with the strike, he did not believe the union was wise in refusing to let the Champion miners go to work, and he could not help feeling that great ca lamity of some kind was impending.
 It was two days after his return that the event occurred which really shaped and nodded his whole after life. The mines were still manned by pump men. They had not been called out by the union, for the reason that if once the water in the mines rose above the diff ferent levels and doNed tn. among tue