Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-08-14
The Argus Daily Short Story
Their epresentative-By F. A. Mitchell.
Copyrighted. 1911 by Associated Literary Press

rest, instead of being willing to give
up their profits, are bowling for more.
Ny dear Margaret, you don't under
stand such things"
Does anybody understand them?
Yes, one-Providence."
One day Maggie Doolan sent a pitt
full message to Margaret, scrawled in
pencil on a bit Of paper, saying that
she was i'll, her husband was away at
his work all day, the children had no
one to take care of them, and Jim's
wages were pledged for debts. Be
sides this, there was nothing to eat in
the house. Margaret Immediately sal
lied forth with a well filed purse and,
stopping at the provision shops by the
way, carried comfort to the distressed.
AS she was coming away, Jim came in
with a rueful countenance and, throw
ing himself into a chair, dropped his
head in his arms on a table.
What is If, Jim?" asked his wife in
a frightened tone.
1.-THE strike is on" was the mournful
reply
ooh, heavens!' cried Maggie in dis
may.
What are the hands striking for?"
asked Margaret Etheridge.
"Ten per cent advance all around"
"And do you mean that you viii
have no iucome whatever till the mat
ter is settled?"
Il do"
"How much do You earnT'
"Twenty-one dofIars a week"
every well. Every weekly pay dan
will send you a check for that
amount"
Margaret left, leaving relieved and
thankful household behind her.
The strike proved to be a prolonged
one. Que evening while IT was IN
progress Richard Ainsworth and Mar
garet Etheridge were sitting in her
home discussing the matter.
Why do you not give the men what
they demand?" she asked.
For n number OF reasons-first, If l
do within six months they will make
another demand, and so on until we
pay them so much that we can't man.
ufacture at a profit. This Will drive
US out of business and them out of
employment"
"Why can't a compromise be effect
ed?"
THE question is a difficult one to
answer. If these men were repre-
scented by one of their own number a
compromise might be effected. But
they are represented by one or more
persons whose interest / don't consider
their interest. The questions between
the laborer and the capitalist are those
co0ata Dfly arising hafvyaon ma rfuers in
business Whenever the interests Of
persons and peoples are intertwined
there can only be loss to both in a
want of harmony. When the capital
ist is unjust TO the laborer he in the
long run Injuries his business. When
the laborer is excessive in his demands /
upon the capitalist he Injuries the bust |
ness in which he is a partner"
Ainsworth had scarcely spoken the z
last word when there was evidence OF 4
q commotion without. Some one cried: 4
"Hurrah for the strike sympathizer," 4
Ainsworth and Margaret looked at 4
each other vonderingly.
where's the Teddy? Come outF
There was a ring at the door bell. I
Margaret chose TO answer the SUM
mons herself. 4 workman stood at 1
the door, who, pulling respectfully the
rim OF his tattered hat, said TO her:
There's lot OF US here, miss, that i
hearin sc have contributed TO the
strikers fund by paying Jim DooIan's
family his weekly wages, have come
to thank ye. Would ye mind shown
yourself on the porchT' u