The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-02-07
A LITTLE OF
EVERYTHING
WHAT IS IT WORTH?
BY RAMBLER.

it worth to engage IN an occupation that
involves the risk of life every moment?
What price would you fix for your ser.
vices in a powder mill, or coal mine, or
in fire company, or in any one OF
hundred occupations that are so hazard
Gus that an insurance company either re-
fuses to take risk upon them. or else
charges an extra premium Tor the risk!
Not many days ago there was an ex-
plosion in a Pennsylvania coal mine and
nearly 200 men lost their lives A day
or two later a cage fell in a California
mine and Is men were killed. There are
several scores of thousands of men en-
gagged in mining in this country. There
are many more engaged in other occupa-
tons that are likely to bring death at
any moment These men are nearly all
poor men, and their wages are barely
sufficient to supply them and their fami-
lies with the absolutely necessary things
of life. Every week we read of sons OF
these men meeting an untimely death as
q result of following a calling that is
dangerous. Very few of them receive
enough in wages to allow them to make
any provision for their families in the
event of their death. Their work is so
hazardous that either they cannot get
life insurance, or if they can 1T IS at
such a high rate that they cannot pay
the price.
What would you charge to risk your
life every day? What do you think 1t
would be worth to leave your wife and
babies every morning feeling that you
might not return to them again alive?
Suppose that you had to do It, as hun
dreds of thousands do have to do, or else
see your loved ones starve-what do YOU
think it would be worth? Would you
be willing to do it for two dollars day?
What would you charge to enter burning
house to save another mans property. or
| his life If you please, from destruction?
Would you make it your business for
| fifty dollars month? What would you
] have charged to have taken that rail
road train into an open switch and go
| laundering to certain death? What does
it cost wife and baby to lose hus-
| band and father? How much are you
worth to those dependent upon you?
| This brings us to the vital question:
| Are you paying enough to the brave men
| who face death every moment that the
i rest of the world may have Injuries,
| comforts, and necessities? The answer is:
| We are not We'll, then, how much is it
| worth? 1t is worth just what you would
| charge to do the same work. You fix
| your price, and then you have decided
how much you should pay others. This
| Is certainly fair. It is certainly good
| morals. You can test it with the Golden
| Rule.
| would not apply this high standard
| to all occupations, but only to those in
which there is constant risk of life. ]
see no reason why one class of workmen
| should risk their lives and receive more
pay than another class that takes no
risk. The price of a particular kind OF
work should have some relation to the
probabiltys that the man who does it
| takes unusual risk What is 1T worth
| to risk your life?
A GOOD RADIANCE.
And so Dr. Harper Of the Chicago Uni
versity, announces that his institution
has left the Baptist denomination. For
long time the Baptists have, in some
quarters. been worried over the fact
that this famous institution was consid-
cred their property. 1t was never de-
nominational, except that Dr. Harper is a
Baptist and Mr.. Rockefeller, who gave it
its millions is member of a Baprlst
church. These millions were contributed
by Baptists, Catholics and Professionals
alike. When Dr. Harper thought he
needed a little money, Mr.. Rockefeller
Just asked the consumers of oil to let
him have the money, and they always let
him have it without regard to creed. No,
Chicago University is not denomina-
tional school 1t owes its existence TO
the saints of all denominations, TO infidel
and sinners of all types. Thanks to the
nighty power of John d. to levy tribute.
The Baptists were never selfish enough
TO claim this school as all their own. 1t
is kind in DIR. Harper to set the world
right in the matter.
COTTON DRUNK.
Cotton is king The king has made
all his subjects drunk. Never before
has there been such soaring of prices.
The farmer has realized handsome prices
in spite of the fact that spinners said
they could not pay fifteen cents for cot
ton. They are paying it, just the same
or somebody is. But is all this excite
ment good for Us? Decidedly, no. The
gymnastics of the cotton market have
set all the world to gambling Men, wo.
men and children all over the land, espe-
oially in the South, have wildly invested
their money in cotton futures. l know
OF a man who took the money Of his
niece, his cook and his coachman and
invested 1t IN cotton. He made more
money for them than they had ever
dreamed OF having, and he has made
gamblers OF every one of them. The first
great spasm seized the public on Deem
Der the Bird. Thousands made more
money on that day than they had ever
seen before. They had only begun, they
thought. They began to feel wise and
rich, and then they became reckless The.
uiaf, lat 4 ho orLro L all
TO pieces and the poor innocent public
lost all. But they had become so in
fatuated that they continued to gamble,
that is, those did who could raise enough
money. Last week the biggest bucket
shop in the country went down in ruin
and with it went thousands OF these new
made gamblers. The cotton crop at pres
ent prices is worth eight hundred mil
lions OF dollars. This crop will cost the
South every dollar it has sold for. And
worse than this, il has made gamblers oil