The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1906-09-12

on condition he drst offers an apology
to McClintock and to me. Unless he
does he can never set his foot inside
these doors again while l remain here.
! agree to this because l don't wish to
make him scapegoat for the rest Of
you. and l don't wish those dependent
OH him to suffer-"
He avoided looking in McClintock's
direction. He felt rather than saw
thai the Ia tier was shaking his head
Ia strong disapproval of his course.
The committee ana the men exchanged
grins. The boss was weakening. They
had scored twice first against Roger
Oakley and now for Branyon.
II guess Branyon would as lief be
excused from making I'm apology If
it's all the same TO Mill." said Bentick
less civilly than before, and there was
a ripple of smothered laughter from the
crowd.
Dan set his lips and said sternly, but
quietly, THAT'S for him to decide"
"Well, Wen tell him what you say,
and If he's ready to eat humble pie
there won't be no kick coming from
u.s." remarked Bentick impartlally.
lis this ally asked Oakley.
'No; we can't see the cut" And
murmur Of approval came from the
men.
Dan looked out over the crowd. Why
couldn't they see that the final victory
was in his hands? BE guided by me-"
he said earnestly, "and take my word
for 1t, the cut is necessary. I'll meet
you halfway in the Branyon matter.
Let 1t go at that"
1--WE want our old wages" insisted
Bentick doggedly.
at Is out of the question. The shops
are running behind. They are not
earning any money, they never have,
and it's as much to your interests as
mine or General Cornish's to do your
full part In making them profitable.
wages can't 60 back until the bust
ness In the shops warrants it. If you
will continue to work under the pres
emit arrangement, good and well. If
not, l see no way to meet your de-
mands. You will have to strike. That,
however, Is an alternative trust you
will carefully weigh before you com
NIT yourselves. Once the shops are
closed 1t will not be policy to open
them until fall, perhaps not until the
first Of the year. But II you can at
ford to lie idle all summer It's your
own affair. That's exactly what 1t
means II you strike"
He jumped down from the car and
would have left them then and there,
but Bentick stepped In front Of him.
Cant we talk 1t over Mr.. Oakley"
"There is nothing to talk over, Ben
tick. Settle it among yourselves"
And he marched Sf up the tracks,
with McClintock following in his wake
and commencing the stand he had
taken.
The first emotion Of the men was one
Of profound and depressing surprise at
the abruptness with which Oakley had
terminated the interview. and his evil
dent willingness to close the shops,
move they had not counted on. 1t
dashed their courage.
"Wc'll call his bluif..' cried Bentick,
and the men gave Il faint cheer. They
all. 1t looked real enough.
There were those who thought with
guilty pang Of wives and children at
home and no pay day the fortnightly
haven of rest toward which they lived.
And there We're the customarily reck-
less souls who thirsted for excitement
at any price and who were willing to
see the trouble to finish. Thess
ruled, as they usually do. Not man
returned to work. Instead they hung
about the yards and canyassed the sit
uation. Finally The theory was ad
vanced that II the shops were closed
1t would serve to tging down Cornish's
wrath on Oakley and probably result
In his immediate dismissal. This the
DRY found instant favor and straight
way became Il conviction with the ma
jority.
At length all agreed to strike, and the
whistle in. the shops was set shrleking
into the building, where each got to-
gether his kit Of tools. They were quite
jolly now and laughed and TESTED
good deal. Presently they were stream
ing of uptown, with their coats over
their arms, and the strike was on.
An unusual stiffness fell on the yards
and In the shops. The belts as they
swept on and on in endless revolutions
cut this stiffness with a sharp incisive
hiss. The machinery seemed to ham,
mer at 1t, as IL to beat out some last
Ing echo. Then gradually the volume
Of sound lessened. 1t mumbled to
dotage of decreasing force, and then
everything stopped with sudden jar.
The shops had shut down.
McClintock came from the office and
entered the works. pulling the big doors
to after him. He wanted to see that all
was made snug. He cursed loudly as