Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1911-02-24

when he wasn't no more'n knee-hixn
to hop toad"
We'll, you bet your life he's a heap
highen'n that now" said another, who
had CHANGED to be at the station when
the Gordons, father and son, left the
train together. Hes a half head
taller than the old man, an built like
one O. Maize Dabney's thoroughbreds.
But I reckon he amt nothin' but
school-boy, for all O. that"
"Gar-r-r!" spat a third. We've had
one kid too many in this outfit, all
along"
Yes, chimed in a fourth, ''huckle-
berry, miner from the Bald Mountain
district. Il don't believe the old man
knows, himself. He fit around and fit
around, talkin' to me, and never said
nothin' more'n that there was goin' to
be a meetin' here at 2 o'clock, and Tom
his son Tom-was goin' to speak to
it."
Tom and his father entered the
building from the cupola side, and Tom
mounted the flask built platform while
the men were scattering to find seats.
He made goodly figure of young
manhood, standing at ease on the pile
of frames until quiet should prevail,
and the chances flung up from the
throng of workmen were friendly rath-
err than critical. When the time came,
he began to speak quietly, but with a
certain masterful quality in his voice
that Enthusiastically constrained atten-
ton.
Il suppose you have all been told
why the works are shut down-why
you are out of a job in the middle OF
summer; and l understand you are not
fully satisfied with the reason that Was
given-hard times. You have been say
ing among yourselves that if the presi-
dent and the treasurer could go off on
holiday trip to Europe, the situation
couldn't be so very desperate. Isn't
| that SOP"
That's so; you've hit it in the head
| first crack out O. the box" was the
swift reply from a score of the men.
Good; then We'll settle that point
before we go any further. l want to
| tell you men that the hard times are
here, sure enough. We are all hoping
| that they won't last very long; but the
fact remains that the wheels have
stopped. Let me tell you: I've just
come down from the North, and the
streets of the cities up there are full of
| idle men. All the way down here l
| didn't see a single iron furnace in
| blast, and those of you who have been
| over to South Tredegar know what the
| conditions are there. Mr.. Farley has
| gone to Europe because he believes
| there is nothing to be done here, and
| the facts are on his side. For anybody
| with money enough to live on, this is a
| mighty good time to take vacation.
There was murmur of protest,
voicing itself generally in a denial of
| the possibility for men who wrought
with their hands and ate in the sweat
| of their brows
Il know that" was Toms rejoinder.
Some of us can't afford to take lay
| off; I can't, for one. And that's why
we are here this afternoon. Chiawas-
see can blow in again and stay in blast
| II we've all got nerve enough to hang
| on. If we start up and go on making
| pig, it'll be on a dead market and well
| have to sell it at loss or stack it In
| the yards. We can't do the first, and
| 1 needn't tell you that it is going to
| take a mighty long purse to do the
stacking. 1t will be all outgo and lao
| income. If"
Spit it out" called Ludlow, from the
| forefront of the miners division. u
| reckon we all know what's comm"
It's a case of half a loaf or no bread
| If Chiawassee blows in again, it will
be on borrowed money. If you men
| will take half-pay in cash and half in
| promises, the promised half to be paid
| when we can sell the stacked pig, we
| go on. If not, we don't. Talk it over
among yourselves and let us have your
| decision"
| There was hot caucusing and a faiI
| imitation of pandemonium on the foun-
| dry floor following this bomb-hurling
| and Tom sat down on the edge of the
| platform to give the men time. Calet
| Gordon sat within arms reach, nursing
his knee, diligently saying nothing. II
| was Tom, undoubtedly, but Tom who
| had become a citizen of another world
| a newer world than the one the ex-ar-
| tilleryman knew and lived in. He
| Caleb-had freely predicted riot as
| the result of the half-pay proposal
| yet Tom had applied the match ana
there was no explosion. The buzzing
arguing groups were not riotous-only
| fiercely questioning.
| Ito be continued.)