Marble Hill press. (Marbel [sic] Hill, Mo.) 1881-1923, 1906-06-07
Is This Famil,arl

Louisville, KY, Is called the "Falls
City" because Of the rapids in the Ohio
river near there. During the high water
season many coal barges are wrecked at
the falls, and as consequence thousands
Of tons Of coal have sunk to the bottom
Of the river. Several years ago a shrewd
man discovered that this coal was as good
as ever when brought to the surface and
dried, SO he set to work. He rescued huge
piles Of the coal from the river, piled it
on the banks, let it dry and then sold it
at good prices. fio made money by the
transaction.
One day a man walked along theriver
bank, and noticing the "coal dealer' ask
ed him what he was doing.
'T'm dredging upcoal from the bottom
Of the river and sellingit," was the reply.
"Does 1t payp"
"Yes, / am making good money att"
"Do you want to hire man to help
you2"
"Well, l might hire man or two.
Want a job?"
"Yes. What will you pay?"
The dredger studied minute and then
said:
"I'll tell you what I'lldo. 'llgive you
half Of all the coal you bring up"
The man studied minute and then
said:
"That amt enough. Make it three
fifths and I'll go to work."
"All right" said the dredger.
And the man, perfectly contented with
his bargain, went to work dredging up
the coal that was as much his as the
other mans, giving the other man two
fifths Of the product.
"What fooll" you calculate.
Certainly. But, before you become too
emphatic in your denunciations Of the
mans foolishness just indulge in little
introspection- -self-study.
You voted for a high protective tariff,
didn't your And it makes you pay the
protected interests' 40 per cent more
than they sell the same goods for to Euro
pean laborers against whom they ask
you to protect yourself.
Whose coal are you dredging up from
the bottom OF the riverP
Your wages have advanced i8 per cent
during the last two years, and the EN-
ployers ask you to remember that fact,
but they fail to call your attention to the
fact that they make you pay 80 per cent
more for the necessaries OF life.
Whose coal are you dredging up from
the bottom OF the river?
The more you think about it the more
you should be convinced that the man on
the river bank is not the only foolish
worker in the country.-The Commoner.
When / was kid we used to play ball
a good deal and l remember there we're
several of US who would not play unless
we could be pitcher. Since l have grown
up find that many of ushaye not gotten
over the habit. FIVE can't be the whole
works we won't play. 1t crops out in
church, in the lodge, in politics, and in
public enterprises. As long as we can
run and boss things We will stay in the
game. When some other fellow gets
hold Of the lines it is different. The
trouble is too many of US imagine we are
cut out for generals, when the Lord in
tended for us to be pnvates. Sometimes
the wrong man gets TO be general but 1t
rarely occurs that the wrong man is a.
private. In every town you will find men
sulking in their tents, like AchilesQ old
But just inquire into the thing little
and You will find out their grievance is
because they could not run everything.
About the only consolation sulker gets
is in seeing some other fellow take his
place and do the work little better than
he could. Don't5 be sulker. Ifyou can't
pitch, get out and play right field, and If
you can't do that carry the bats. II you
are the best pitcher in town the people
will soon find it out and you won't have
10 carry the hats any lonRer.-Ex.