Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-10-14
THE FACTORY!

THE FACTORY!
Grim stern and smoky it stands against the sky.
Its high stacks to seek the clouds The streaKed
roof is framed in atmosphere Of smoke and steam
The whirl of wheels fills the air. Busy hands are
moving under the direction of keencut eyes The faces
OF the workers reveal ntenness of purpose, knowledge
OF the craft and serenity with work well done.
This is the factory. Perhaps it has made the town.
Usually it has, for, as ]. lie Roy Tope has well said:
Over the gate growth and glory Of every city must
be inscribed the words: "A monument to them VINO
buildeth factories here"
Out of the 229 cities of this country having 25OOO
population about 70 per cent in the manu-
featuring section Mr. Tope says 63 per cent OF all the
people live in cities and the buyers who distribute
population and prosperity to their cities
And who built the factory? Who took the venture
of failure success? The employees who keep the place
busy and share the burden of industry? No It the
man with money, the capitalist He took the risk. He
could have put his money in the savings bank or loaned
it to his neghbors their farms houses and rested
in comfort without anxiety but he took the chances Of
the investment,
Perhaps he had been working man. In all prob
ability he had Accommodating his savings and inspired
by ambition to be his employer, to prove his
ability rather than to store up wealth. he had waited for
the opportunity to venture in business by himself or
with Others Watching and waiting, and finally find
ing the opportunity, and taking advantage OF it, ne
rsked his savings and the factory rose
Perhaps after time as his business increased, it
developed into wider lines until it reached magnitude
surprising anticipation. Perhaps ultimately, the sue
cessful head of the enterprise, meeting growing
petition from the domestic and the foreign producer,
and realizing the value Of concentration and efficiency
combined his establishment with others and thus
created magnificent corporation, employing thou
sands instead Of hundreds and requiring millions Of
capital instead Of tens of thousands.
Then the city took on the appearance Of
metropolis Suburban property divided into city
lots and farms into villa Sites Rows Of dwellings
stretched out into the fields where the flowers grew.
Shops multiplied and everybody shared in the general
prosperity
This is the history Of many an American city. 1t is
the tale Of every city that has been conspcuous pros
porous. And who brought this prosperity? Capital or
labor? It was both. Woe betide those who fail to
prehend the mutual dependence Of these upon each
other! ,
And wrath upon wrath to him who dare raise a
hand to endanger the victory that labor and capital
united have won in this favored land Of freedom and
equal opportunity.
Let capital always be considered. Let labor always
be conservative. Let no mischievous hand foment
trouble. Capital gets it's greatest reward when labor is
efficient The best friends of labor the they
work for and with.
And remember that demogogue never filled a
pay envelope Leslies Weekly.
sn9a
pen:e Of studying the
house made His failure to attend such