I asked the superintendent to call together the three committees which governed the works--not only the blast-furnace committee that was alone involved, but the mill and the converting works committees as well. They appeared and, of course, were received by me with great courtesy, not because it was good policy to be courteous, but because I have always enjoyed meeting our men. I am bound to say that the more I know of working-men the higher I rate their virtues. But it is with them as Barrie says with women: "Dootless the Lord made a' things weel, but he left some michty queer kinks in women." They have their prejudices and "red rags," which have to be respected, for the main root of trouble is ignorance, not hostility. The committee sat in a semicircle before me, all with their hats off, of course, as mine was also; and really there was the appearance of a model assembly. Addressing the chairman of the mill committee, I said: "Mr. Mackay" (he was an old gentleman and wore spectacles), "have we an agreement with you covering the remainder of the year?" Taking the spectacles off slowly, and holding them in his hand, he said: "Yes, sir, you have, Mr. Carnegie, and you haven't got enough money to make us break it either." "There spoke the true American workman," I said. "I am proud of you." "Mr. Johnson" (who was chairman of the rail converters' committee), "have we a similar agreement with you?" Mr. Johnson was a small, spare man; he spoke very deliberately: "Mr. Carnegie, when an agreement is presented to me to sign, I read it carefully, and if it don't suit me, I don't sign it, and if it does suit me, I do sign it, and when I sign it I keep it." "There again speaks the self-respecting American workman," I said. Turning now to the chairman of the blast-furnaces committee, an Irishman named Kelly, I addressed the same question to him: "Mr. Kelly, have we an agreement with you covering the remainder of this year?" Mr. Kelly answered that he couldn't say exactly. There was a paper sent round and he signed it, but didn't read it over carefully, and didn't understand just what was in it. At this moment our superintendent, Captain Jones, excellent manager, but impulsive, exclaimed abruptly: "Now, Mr. Kelly, you know I read that over twice and discussed it with you!" "Order, order, Captain! Mr. Kelly is entitled to give his explanation. I sign many a paper that I do not read--documents our lawyers and partners present to me to sign. Mr. Kelly states that he signed this document under such circumstances and his statement must be received. But, Mr. Kelly, I have always found that the best way is to carry out the provisions of the agreement one signs carelessly and resolve to be more careful next time. Would it not be better for you to continue four months longer under this agreement, and then, when you sign the next one, see that you understand it?" There was no answer to this, and I arose and said: