"You see," Ralph said to Dick, "they're only concerned about themselves and what the war will do to them." "Don't you think it's a matter of concern to Sabinsport whether the mills are open or shut this winter, whether we have half or full time?" asked Dick. "It isn't the working man they think of; it's themselves," Ralph insisted. "And I suppose the only one the working man thinks of is himself. We must each figure it for himself, Ralph, or become public charges. It strikes me this concern is quite a proper matter for men who are not as lucky as you and I are. We have our income; no thanks, however, to anything either of us ever did. Our fathers were men of thrift and foresight, and the war will hardly disturb us. But there are few in Sabinsport like us. I should say it was as much the duty of Sabinsport business men to concern themselves about orders as it is the business of Paris to put in munitions. No work and you'll soon have no town." "It is a rich town," challenged Ralph. "There's lot of money here--they could keep things going if they would." "Rich when there are orders to fill, and only then. Don't be unreasonable. You know this town lives by work." "Reuben Cowder and Jake Mulligan have $500,000 a year income if they have a cent; do you suppose they earn it?" "Well, they won't have a hundredth part of that, Ralph, if the mills and mines are closed this year. You certainly are not supposing that the money they circulate here is piled up in a chest in the banks. It comes from the sale of coal and barbed wire and iron plates and bars and hosiery and sewer pipe, and stops when they are no longer made. Let the shut-down continue, and who is going to use the street railways and the electric lights that Mulligan and Cowder and half High Town draw dividends from? Who is going to support the shops, buy the farmers' produce? Sabinsport is rich only when her properties are active. You know that. There are few men in the country who make every dollar work all the time as Mulligan and Cowder do, and if the work stops, their incomes stop. Their activity is the biggest factor in the life of the place, and every business man knows it."