Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-04-01
CHAPTER EIGHT.
In Which Judge crooker Delivers a
:. Few Opinions.

with soiled garments and lowered
/ head. 1t had suffered derision and
defeat. It could never be the same
again. Sneed and Snodgrass recov-
cred, in degree, from their feeling
Of opulence. Sneed had become po-
lite, Industrious and obllging. Snod-
grass and others had lost heavily In
stock speculation through the failure
Of broker In Hazelmead. They
: went to work with will and without
the naughty independence which, for
time, had characterized their at
titude. The spirit Of the Little Shep-
herd had entered the hearts and home
0f Emanuel Baker and his wife. Pau
line and the baby were there and
being tenderly loved and cared for.
But what humility had entered that
home! Phyllis and her husband liSed
with her parents, Gordon having
taken humble place in the mill. He
worked early and late. The Bings
had made it hard for him, finding it
difficult to overcome their resentment
but he stood the gaff, as they say,
and won the regard Of J. Patterson,
although Mrs. Bing could never for
!gire him.
J., In June, there had been public meet
lings in the town hall addressed by
Judge Crooker and the Reverend Mr..
Singleton. The Judge had spoken Of
the grinding Of the mills of God
THAT was going on the world over.
'f""Our civilization has had it's time Of
trial not yet ended.' he began. "Its
. enemies have been busy in every city
and village. Not only in the. cities
'and villages Of France and Belgium
have they been busy, but in those Of
our. own land. The Goths and Van.
dals have invaded Blngville. They
have been destroying the things we
loved. The false god Is In our midst.
Many here, within the sound of my
voice, have god suited to their own
tastes and sins-an obedlent tract
able, homeless god. 1t Is my deliberate
opinion that the dances and costumes
and moving pictures we have seen in
Bingville are doing more injury to
civilization than all the guns of Ger.
many. My friends, you can do moth
ing worse for my daughter than de-
prive her Of her modesty and would
rather, far rather, see you slay my
son than destroy his respect for law
and virtue and decency.
"The jazz band Is to me a sign OF
spiritual decay. 1t is step toward
the Jungle. I hear it in the beating
Of the tcm-tom. 1t is not music. ii Is
the barbaric yawp Of sheer reckless
ness and daredeyiIsm, and it is every.
where.
'Even In our economic life we are
dancing to the jazz band with utter
./reckleSSnesS. American labor is be-
ing more and more absorbed in the
manufacture of luXurieS - elnbroid.
cred frocks and elaborate millinery
and limQusines and the landaulets and
rich upholstery and cord tires and
golf courses and sporting goods and
great country houScs-so that there
Is not enough labor to provide the
comforts and necessities of life.
"The tendency of all this is to
put the stamp Of luxury upon the
commonest needs Of man. The time
seems to be near at hand when a
boiled egg and piece Of buttered
bread will be luXuries and q family
of children IN unspeakable eXtrnva-
gance. Let us face the facts. 1t is
up to Vanity to moderate its demands
upon the industry Of man. What we
need is more devotion to slI..ple liv-
ing and the general welfare. In plain
old-fashloned English we need the re-
ligion and the simplicity of our
fathers"
Later, in June, strike began in
the big plant Of ]. Patterson Bing.
The men demanded higher pay and
shorter days. They were working
under O contract but that did not
seem to matter. In O fight with
"scabs" and Pinkerton men they de-
stroyed part Of the plant. Even the
life. Of Mr.. Blng was threatened! The
summer was near its end when j.
Patterson Bing and q committee Of
the labor union met in the Office Of
Judge Crooker to submit their differ
ences to that impartial magistrate for
adjustment. The judge listened pa
tiently and rendered his decision. 1t
was accepted.
When the papers were signed, Mr.
Bing rose and said, "Your honor,
there's one thing that l want to say.
I have spent most Of my life in this
town. have built up big business
here and doubled the population. !
have built comfortable homes for my
laborcrS and taken an interest in the
education of their children, anil built
library where anyone could find
the best boukS tu read. l have built
Fairgrounds for the children of the
working people. II have heard nf
any case IF need, ] lave done my
best TO relieve it. I have always been
ready TO hear complaints and treat
OCtl