The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-11-06

witches and cakes. For the children
there was supply of candy. Most OF
the women-there were $50 or more
present-had to stand while they
slipped their tea, for there were not
chairs enough to seat them.
When they all had been served. Mr..
overton arose
My friends" he said. II have in
vited you here this afternoon to tell
you some things about this factory,
and to ask you to aid me in solving a
problem that is of great Importance
TO me and of considerable importance
to you I am going to start at the
beginning and tell the whole story. so
simply. so plainly. that there can be
no misunderstanding.
This factory is my life's work.
Your husbands. sons and brothers are
parts of the establishment. Sone OF
you may not know what years OF
struggle this plant represents. !
worked for long time at a machine
and at a forge. just as your men io l1s
do to-day. | was careless, happy-so-
lucky and improvident. One day there
was n strike in the shop where
worked. and I went out with inc
others. ! was glad of the opportunity
10 do so. For a week or ten days we
had a fine time I enjoyed every min
ute of 1t. There wasn't much doubt
the strike would succeed, and we had
one or two opportunities to settle Win
the boss. but he wouldn't agree TO an
our demands, so the strike continued.
"As isme dragged on tho situation
was not so pleasant Our money got
low. and then the men who had been
drinking got ugly and did things that
made the fight one to fnish. Ihat
strike lasted for months. l probably
suffered less than any one among tho
strikers, but saw some things in that
struggle that never have forgotten.
saw women and children hungry.
| saw them In rags saw them turned ned
no longer could pay the Ions overdue
rent. They are the ones who bore the
brunt of that bitter contest, we VINO
We're striking always could md com
there was nothing but bitterness and
privation for the women and the chill
dren.
"When that strike ended only few
; of the scores OF men who went out
got Jobs again. It was way back In
rs. and there was panic. Thousands
of men were idle. and the whole couh-
try was in distress. I walked the
streets searching for work until I
wore the soles off my shoes. Many,
MANY nights Went " sACSP !lotieo
| Jared better than those who had fami-
lies. had no one dependent upon me.
, When at last I got work telt JOY
never knew before. Only one who
has had the experience can understand
the feeling.
THAT strike was the turning point
In my life. When got Strengthened
out once more worked with a pur.
pose. I determined never would
place myself in such position again.
! I - y1G n
years I rented a. shack that you can
see out there at the far end of the
factory. I began to make tools on my
own account. For a long time | didn't
make living wages. Hal Half "a g d ;oin n
up and going back to a factory, but
I hated to confess myself beaten.
Then my affairs frightened a bit, and
I saw a slight profit. Next got or
and year later I had three helpers
'Then I had to build small shop,
for my business was growing. al
ways tried to remember that my sue
cess depended largely upon the 5000
will of my men.
/ u have gone on year after year, my
business growing and my plant IN
creasing In all the years ! never have
had strike and never a serious dis
pute until the present time.
| Probably you think I am rich. !
would etif could turn into cash what
my interest in this factory represents,
but l could not carry on business at
all were It not for the support OF my
bankers. Maybe you don't know hoy,
business Is conducted. The pay roll
has to be met every Saturday, whathar
business Is good or bad. Sometimes
collections are slow. Sometimes we
have thousands and thousands of dol
Ilars' worth of material on hand for
which we have paid and have tens Of
thousands Of dellars due, US for stuff
we have sold, but for which we have
to wait months before we can collect;
ITO pay the men we have TO get
money from the bank and pay interest
to the banker for lending it. Many,
lsmany times have been In sore straits
for cash, and yet have hnd a handsome
profit ON my books. 1t Is not all SCI
rene IN business. The man who gets
I his Wages regularly mayN think the
boss is to be envied but sometimes tho
boss sngies the man who has not his
ltroubles to hear
II have tried to be fair with my men.
SIX months ago heard that they We're
| dissatished, and when | came to look
'over my affairs and saw how I had