News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1914-09-09

tant things you do is to test the ce
ment as to its solidifying quality"
Eyes, that's my work | have an as
sistant who looks after the steel. The
cement is the most important part Of
the job
How close can you approximate the
endurance of cement?"
It's part of my duty to know the
difference in grades. For instance, the
ordinary Portland that is put up in
most work ought to hold tight a hun
dTed years. There is a closer process
of refinement that would extend the
life another fifty years"
Exactly. Now, it's that closer
process of refinement that l want to
talk to you about" Brand crossed
the room and stood facing Reynolds.
He took out a paper. Here are the
specifications of the Pecos job. am
furnishing the cement"
"Yes?"
eyes, I'm the Hudson Cement com
pany. We have this contract, Bob
and this closer refinement of the CO.
ment you were speaking Of is called
for in the specifications. Now, on this
job alone, it will mean an extra ex-
pense to us of something like two
hundred thousand dollars. It's very
problematical in my mind whether
that same extra expense will increase
the life of the cement five years, no
matter how you chemist boys figure
and potter. Anyway, it won't be over
twenty-five years. l don't know who
got up these specifications, but in my
mind he is pretty much of a d--n
fool. Now for the kickoff. Here's my
chance to give you and your wife that
Bis boost-lake you both financially
independent wine out that college OBJ
legation, and, at the same time, help
r.ysc-f."
That's kind CT you. It'll make her
very happy"
brand concealed a smile. "As told
you," he continued, that closer proc
ess Of refinement is called for in the
specifications, but-Bob = what we
want is to have the tests go through
on our regular cement-the ordinary
grade-the same we sell everybody. If
you save that two hundred thousand
dollars for me l think a fair division
of that saving is to give you forty !
thousand dollars"
But there's the government inspec-
tori" said Reynolds. I'm only under
him"
Don't you worry about anybody but
yourself. I want to help you, but I'm
a business man and there'H be no
loose ends"
But it's stealing"
mo, it's business"
"If l did that, I'd be a thief"
Bob, thief is a nasty word, and it's
used altogether too carelessly these
days. Now, I'm not here to teach any
moral lessons or anything like that, but
are you doing any harm in accepting
this? No, you're doing what any sue
2essful business man would do. You're
taking a chance of making forty thou
sand dollars. And why? Because you're
cheating the people? No. Because
the dam will fall down? Certainly not
The dam will last a hundred years
Now, lot of public improvements are
put up to last one hundred years, and
you know their history. They're gen
orally torn down in twenty. And this
particular dam is not half big enough
for the requirements. The chances
are it will be rebuilt in less than
years. It's a case of penny
wise and pound foolish so far as the
goes, and you know it."
But tell you it's graft"
mo, it's taking advantage of the
foolish and incompetent specifications
made for this job. Why, it's not even
sharp practise. It's making money on
another mans mistake. It's picking
up the loose ends Of a business deal
and putting them in your pocket, and
believe me, it's the loose ends that
have made the American millionaire" ,
rs that the secret?"
Certainly. Why, it's the same OPP
oortunity that would come to you If
you were walking across a farm, |
Kicked up some dirt and discovered
gold. Would you go to the owner of
he farm and say: There's gold on ,
,our land; hope it makes you rich?
Certainly not. You'd buy the farm.
You might stake him to the potatoes, {
tut you'd take the gold. What the ]
levil is the matter with you fellows !
Who are always working your hearts {
md souls out for twenty-five dollars a
week because of your Sunday school l
lotions? Here's an opportunity right I
n your hand. Don't let it go by. Take t
dvantage of it." '
Not me, Brand" {
"All right We can get along with '
ut our end of that particular profit, 6
ven if it is a useless waste. Waste,
tell you, and nothing else. But Bob, G
GU can't get along without the forty {
thousand, and let me tell you some. I
hing; labor doesn't make money; toll c
oesnt make money-for the toilerl c
he only thing that makes money is v
honey, and if you haven't some Of Il c
D turn over and make into some Fl
lore, you're going to work for some v
ody else all your life. That's the t
pliers Job. Now. be sensible. Take v