The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-03-24

= 800 $~SAS VI AAU NSlu0 PAVAAAC4Ae
Company-capital ten millions; one
million In six per cent preferred stock,
and nine millions common. A bonus
OF nine shares or common went. with
every share of preferred, and as I had
furnished almost the entire capital, l
took almost the entire stock in pay
ment for my interests.
Then I began to act upon McGre-
gors suggestion. A notice of IL per
cent reduction to the foundrymen was
posted at the Townsville, works, fol-
lowed by howl of defiance f1om them
and they went out. I was ready for
THIS and the same day shipped car
load OF patterns to Hoppel Falls. Nc
Greeor jumped his men on to them
at once, and was soon shipping back
castings. stood in well with our
local papers-and they commented
p1teously on my announced intention
TO move. The loss Of the three fac
tories, employing together nearly
tnree thousand: hands, would be a
greV1ous blow to our town.
Although some quit the larger part
stayed on. They Were mostly old
hands with families, and many had
homes partly paid for. To them leav-
ing this shop meant leaving tho town,
Tor l controlled the only employment
open to them.
Inc beauties of McGregor's scheme
developed as the months passed along.
l closed up the two smaller plants at
Toonsville. Then we re-opened the
foundry and hired any man that came
along-union or northumberland soon
mad an efficient force at the reduced
rates. When the first year closed,
both plants were open shops, and the
scale of wages at Townsville was
brought down to as low a level as at
Hoppel Falls.
One day Mac said to me:
Those Jumpers are getting too
much, Mr.. bubble: We can drop them
to twelve cents an hour. Everey cent
they get over a bare existence goes
for drink. We may as we'll have that
as the rum sellers. I'll tackle the Falls
plant first" -.
There were about three hundred of
these laborers at that end-unskilled
workers Of course, many Of them for
e1gners. They had no unions but when
we posted our notice reducing the pay
from 16 to IL cents, they went out in a
BODY. Mac autographed an order to a
chicago agency for three hundred
strike breakers, and they arrived ON a
special train. There was some trouble
at first, stone and little matters like
that-but we provided our new men
with quarters in the grounds for a.
couple OF weeks, and after that things
went on quietly as before. Later, our
Toonsv1lle laborers gave in without a.
struggle,
l was looking over the balance sheet
with Odell at the end Of the second
year when Rainsford came in. cou,d
not help showing my elatim. THE
regular pronts are more than enough
to pay the dividend on the preferred
stock, and we've effected a saving on
the payroll sufficient to pay five per
cent on the common" =
1t was not long before Mac saw
something wrong. ses 49,. .....:-- (
;"Mr. Duble, he said there's some:
thing going on among the union men.
They're getting the other into line"
is there no way of finding out what
goes on at their meetings?"
"There is! One of the men has heen
detected in stealing brasses and some
small tools-hes recording secretary
of the union, and if you wait little
you'll see that he becomes my secre-
tary also"
McGregor telephoned out to the mill
ordering the man; Coombs, to come
to the office.
"Coombs," said the superintendent,
in a harsh, resonant voice, you've
been stealing from the company. We've
got brasses back from COINS junk
shop, and an officers on the way to
your house how with search war;
rant ".
The suddenness Of the charge extin-
gulshed the trifling show of courage
and self-respect the man possessed.
mr.. McGregor,' he gasped, throw
out his arms appealing, ut
wasn't but little took, an I'll make
1T good, s'help me God, will! 1 was
hard up-awful hard up. The wom-
ans been sick an / couldn't make the
wages meet nohow! There's been a
doctor to pay, medicine to get, AM five
children to look out for-an' all out O.
eight dollars week."
He was looking now with terrified
intensity into McGregor's eyes.
Mr.. Nc Gregor, I tell you my wom-
ans been sick-she's sick now
it'll kill her If you send me up! I did
mt think Of dom wrong lit seemed
so little-and I needed 1 needed the
few dimes-Oh, God! how I needed
them!"
you're secretary Of the union" he
you can go back to work.
If you obey my orders"
60 back to work? Obey your or
ders?" He leaped to his feet, STAN
mering out protestations of gratitude
and docility, the tears starting from
You know where / live" the sup
continued. II shall ex-
pect to see you. there tonight with
with the records of the union.''
The man. stood speechless. The
hunted, terrified look returned. For
the love of heaven, Mr.. McGregor, ask
me something else! I dasn't do that!
I dasn't They'd kill me if they found
it out! can't play traitor to them
I'd as lief 60 to jail!"'
Its your choice" resorted McGre
gor grimly. IF / don't see those re-
cords tonight YOU 20 to tail In the