The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1911-03-11

that's neither here nor there. What IS
II, boy?" T..
Unable to remain a moment inactive,
he commenced to pick among the mass
Of papers on his desk while Jefferson
was thinking what to say. The last
word his father uttered gave him a
cue, and he blurted out protestingly:
That's just it, sir. You forget that
I'm no longer boy. It's time to treat
me as If I were a man."
Ryder senior leaned back in his chair
and laughed heartily.
"A man at twenty-eight? That's an
excellent joke. Do you know that q
man doesn't get his horse sense till
he's forty?'
II want you to take me seriously"
persisted Jefferson.
Ryder senior was not patient man.
His moments of good humor were of
brief duration. Anything that savored
Of questioning his authority always an
gered him. The smile went out of his
face, and he retorted explosively:
go on! Be serious if you want
~.
understand one thing-I want no
preaching, no philosophical or social
istic twaddle, no Tolstoi; he's a great
thinker, and you're not; no Bernard
Shaw; he's funny, and you're not.
Now go ahead"
This beginning was not very encour-
aging, and Jefferson felt somewhat in
Inundated, but he realized that he might
not have another such opportunity, so
he plunged right in.
"Father. l am devoted to my work
I even intend to go away and travel
a few years and see the world. 1t will
help me considerably
Ryder senior eyed his son in silence
for few moments; then he said gen.
tly:
Don't be obstinate, jeff. Listen to
me- know the world better than you
do. You mustn't go away. You are
the only flesh and blood 1 have. You
see that I want you with me, and now
you take advantage-you take advan-
tage''-
mo, father, I DON'T" protested JEFF
ferson, 'but want to go away. Al
though have my studio and am prac
tically independent, want to go where
I shall be perfectly free-where my ev-
cry move will not be watched-where
can meet my fellow man heart to heart
on an equal basis, where shall not be
pointed out as the son of Ready Money
Ryder. want to make reputation of
my own as an artist
"Why not study theology and become
preacher" sneered Ryder. Then
more amiably he said: mo, my lad,
you stay here. Study my interests
study the interests that will be yours
some day."
NO." said Jefferson doggedly, "I'd
rather 60. My work and my self re-
spect demand it,
"Then go, go!'' cried his father in a
burst Of anger. I'm a fool for vast
ing my time with an ungrateful son."
He rose from his seat and began to
pace the room.
Father" exclaimed Jefferson, start
Ing forward, you do me an injustice.''
Ryder laughed cynically. He went
back to his desk, and, sitting facing his
son, he said:
Jefferson, you are young. 1t is one
Of the symptoms Of youth to worry
about public opinion. When you are
as old as I am, you will understand
that there is only one thing which
counts in this world-money. The
man who has it possesses power over
the man who has it not, and power is
what the ambitious man loves most"
He stopped to pick up book. 1t
was 1.-THE American Octopus" Turn
ing again to his son, he went on:
"Do you see this book? 1t is the lit
krary sensation Of the year. Why?
Because it attacks me, the richest man
in the world. 1t holds me up as mon
ster, a tyrant, a man without soul,
one thing-money; having but one pas
sion-the love Of power and hating at
nothing, not even at crime, to secure it.
That is the portrait they draw of your
father
Jefferson said nothing. He was won
dering If his sire had a suspicion who
wrote it and was leading up to that
But Ryder senior continued:
'Do 1 care? The more they attack
me the more I like it. Their puny pen
prlcks have about the same effect as
mosquito bites on the pachyderm.
What am, the conditions Of my time
made me. When started in business
a humble clerk, forty years ago, I had
but one goal-success; I had but one
aim-to get rich. Twas lucky. made
a little money, and soon discovered
that could make more money by out
whiting my competitors in the oil fields.
Railroad conditions helped me. The
whole country was money mad. A
wave of commercial prosperity swept
over the land, and was carried along
on its crest. I grew enormously rich,
my millions increasing by leaps and
bounds. I branched out into other in
forests e,1cooSofn1 o1uovo until INV