"We have foundations for the promotion of the sciences, of art and of
business," said the legal gentleman who made the announcements. "Why
not an institution for the study and promotion of patriotism--research
in the fields of social and industrial life that are peculiarly
American--lectures, classes, and literature on the true Americanization
of those who come to us from foreign countries--the promotion of true
American principles and standards of citizenship in our public schools
and educational institutions and among our people--the collection and
study of authentic data from the many industrial and social experiments
that are being carried on--these are some of the proposed activities."
This Institute of American Patriotism would be under the leadership of
the Interpreter and would stand as a memorial to the memory of Captain
Charlie Martin.
When the mayor, in behalf of the people, had made a fitting response to
this presentation, John told the Mill men that their employer, Pete
Martin, would make an announcement.
The old workman was greeted with cheers. Some one in the crowd called,
good-naturedly, "How does it feel to be an owner, Uncle Pete?"
Everybody laughed and the veteran himself grinned.
"I guess I'm too old to change my feelings much, Bill Sewold," he
answered. "And that's about what I was going to tell you. The lawyers
say that I own half of our Mill here and that I can do what I please
with it. But I can't some way make it seem any more mine than it always
was. Mary and I are agreed that we'd like to do what we know Charlie
would be in for if he was here, and we've talked it over with John and
his folks and they feel just like we do about it.
"The lawyers can explain the workin's of the plan to you better than I
can; but this is the main idea: The whole thing has been made over into
a company with John and his mother and sister owning one half and me
the other. What John wants me to tell you is that he and his folks are
turning one half of their interest and Mary and me are turning one half
of our interest back to you workmen. So that from now on all the
employees of the Mill will be employers--and all the employers will be
employees. With John and me and our folks owning one half, you can see
that we're figuring on keeping the management in the proper hands, John
will be in the office where he belongs and the rest of us will be where
we belong. Considering our recent demonstration, I guess you'll all
agree that a lot of us need to be protected by the rest of us from all
of us. And now all we have to do is to work. And I'd like to see Jake
Vodell or any other foreign agitator try to start another industrial
war in Millsburgh."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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