Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1909-12-28
F u | /
John w. Harding
Copyright. 1908. by G. W. billing.
ham Co.

let yourself be loaded till the last
straw broke your back and then you'd
lick the hand that crushed you"
Sure" sa ID jenkins ent Enthusiastically
Anybody AN load me up that wants
to-"
"And I'll back his liquid capacity to
equal that of any camel" chimed in
another clerk while every one within
earshot grinned.
"Oh. you can laugh" grumbled
Brooks. but it doesn't alter he truth
of what | say. It's men like him tina,
have made our society today what it
is. soulless. heartless. oppressive
civiliza ton In which Croesuses walk
roughshod over the men who are
down and thrust them deeper into the
slough with one foot as they climb
higher and higher to the power that
the possession of inconceivable wealth
carries with it."
"'Twas ever thus" sighed jenkins.
But there is yet hope. Our Joseph
hath received call to uplift the down
trod"
"How did he get it? What Is his
record:" went on Brooks. ignoring the
interruption. Why. he started out as
sealer or south Pacific trader,
being Il pirate. and you know and
know that his name was terror to
sailormen from San Francisco to Aus
trala He made his first money by
bullying and i'll treating her men and
killing them. too. on occasion. It's a
matter Of common knowledge. And
he's been buccaneer ever since
Didn't he bunko and sandbag my ia
ther-in-law out of control of this com
pany? And what has he done since
then but act the brutal tyrant over
everybody connected with 1t. beating
us down to the lowest wage man
can exist on that he may add TO his
dirty heap. running this office with
fist. boot and rope end as though 1t
were his lawless ship and we Were his
groveling I.ascar crew. l hope the
longshoremen do strike. They would
be doing humanity service If they'd
fill him full of bullets"
"There's lot of truth in what
Brooks says" aSsenied youthful
clerk in low tones. looking around eau
tiously as he did so.
well. after all. don't see that
you're got such fierce kick coming.
observed Jenkins to the disgruntle
ora tor.
You don't, eh?" sneered Brooks
You think 500 week Is big pay fol
an accountant and collector who's
handled half the money of the line fol
five years. Ell"
NO; | mean that you are at leas
solid with the boss aud SIRE of YOU
Job. which is more than anybody elst
here is. and hat YOU stand to becom,
an officer high up in the company ont
Of these days. Williams is Il friend o
your family. isn't he? You yoursel
and your wife"
That's just It, The swine takes nd
vantage of his relations with m,
wife's people to keep me- down ant
rub it in. Other people get their sal
airy raised. but l don't Do you cal
that a square deal?"
ut hardly seems so. but perha p
there's a reason. He may have som
object that will appear in due course
and you'll go up several numbers a
one sweep In the meantime" contir
ued Jenkins. lowering his voice
wouldn't let On like you have this aft
ernoon If We're YOU. Joe. 1t can't d
any good and might do you deal O
harm You don't know who might hea
you. and the boss somehow know
everything that goes on in the office.
II don't care" affirmed Brooks su
kily. I'D just as lief tell him TO hi
face what | think of him. and. b
gum. will one of these days. dar
him.
"AIl right" laughed Jenkins. Il hop
I'll be around at The time so that
can perform for you the last sad rit
of gathering up your scattered r.
mains. All. here's Jimmy Smith"