Such will prove true in the adjustment of difficulties between employers and employes. Both will learn that to sit on the high horse is an expensive luxury, and reason will prevail, and should either lose command of this and throw down the gauntlet, they will be disarmed by the good judgment reason gives the other. There has been a lack of this on both sides in the Reading strike.

The present strike is interesting the members of D. A. 82, as this District was copied after in the organization of the Reading men.

D. A. 82 was the pioneer in the consolidation of all branches of railroad men on the platform of the K. of L., and it has seen three similar Districts organized and meet with defeat-the Wabash, the Rio Grande and the Gould Southwest System--in acting in behalf of labor; and it may itself again have to step into the arena at a test of arms, but it is to be hoped that it will be able to avoid such and force reason to adjust all things.

The District extends its sympathy and good wishes for their brother railroaders in the East, and hope that success crowns their efforts.

The last issue of the Journal of United Labor (Jan. 21) says of the strike:

Contrary to our expectations, a settlement has not been reached in the great strike. Notwithstanding the fact that Brother Wm. T. Lewis, representing the miners, had intimated that the claims of the miners may be considered independent of the difficulty with the railroad people, the Company has been obstinate in its refusal to listen for a moment to anything short of unconditional surrender.

The papers all indorse the position of the miners, even those obviously in sympathy with the Company being compelled by the force of public opinion to admit that the refusal to arbitrate with the miners is an outrage.

A very significant factor in the contest is a movement announced by the Philadelphia Record, by which the business men and the public generally, who are fleeced by the stubborn stand of the Company, to bring an action through the

Attorney-General to enforce the law forbidding railroad companies mining coal. ed for in the near future, and the tide of Important developments may be lookpublic indignation at the asinine position of the Reading Company in r-fusing to arbitrate a just grievance may force the Company to favorable action.

TO MAKE A MAN A MILLIONAIRE.

In this great world of toil and care
It takes all means, both foul and fair,
To make a man a millionaire.
Warmth, air and water, all are free.
To man as well as bird and bee:
The field of labor's broad and wide.
When weal and woe stalk side by side,
And where to rise in church or state,
The chances are so very great (!)
So great indeed, that any man
May gain a future if he can :
Or, by economy's stern rule,
He may, if he is not a fool,
Lay some small competence away,
To serve against a rainy day :
At least he may, through living slim,
Lay by enough to bury him.

Yet, this one fact I do declare,
It takes all means, both foul and fair,
To make a man a millionaire.
The poor man plods his weary way,
And labors hard day after day:
And is content if he can share,
With humble ones his frugal fare:
And if by honest, humble means,
He husbands well what'er he gleans.
He may in time, grow up to be
A man of notoriety:

May not be wealthy as a king.
With diamond crown and jeweled ring,
But, he with prudent thrift and care,
May have enough and some to spare:
So after long, long years of strife,
The man may lead an easy life,
And when with life he's nearly through
Be counted somewhat wealthy too.
Yet, this one fact I do declare,
It takes all means, both foul and fair.
To make a man a millionaire.
Men of science, men of skil!,
Lawyers, bankers at their till,
Preachers, tradesmen, everyone
That on the track of labor run.
The man who sells his skill to men,
The man who buys to sell again,
The man who owns and feeds his flocks,
The man who speculates in stocks,
All, all, though strive they as they may.
If striving in an honest way

Cannot pile up gold high enough
To count a million worth of stuff;
For he must earn-who'd count that way
Full forty dollars every day,

And man's life span is quite too short.
To work a marvel of that sort.

So, this one fact I do declare,

It takes all means, both foul and fair.
To make a man a millionaire.

-L. M. Wise, in the Stage.

RANDOM SHOTS.

My time being somewhat limited this month I will try and give a few random shots, hoping that some, if not all, may hit some mark and make some impression.

Two months ago reference was made to what some members expected when they joined the K. of L. One thing we have found here, and that is that some real worthless fellows joined fully expecting that if they were sick they would be cared for, if out of work they would be clothed and fed, and all out of three dollars a year.

Then, again, there are a few, yea, I may say a very few, who desire to blow their horn. There is one not many miles from here who has been blasting the K. of L. because they did not take full care of the sick, and yet he has not paid one cent into the Assembly's fund in two years. What a noble specimen of—what? A fool.

One man said to me to-day that almost every man who asked assistance was a single man, with no one to care for but himself. On thinking over this matter, and having had good opportunities to know, I must confess this is true. Now, my advice to all young men is prepare for a rainy day by joining some good benevolent society.

Then there are a few others who will not help any person because they have been deceived. We think it would be better to give a supper to one deserving rather than let him go hungry to bed. If you have been deceived you might be again if you live long, but do not turn the hungry poor away empty.

There is another class in the world who will take every advantage of his fellowman to make a dollar, and whose soul is getting so narrow that the old man's prayer extends too far for them when the old man said, "God bless me and my wife, our son John and his wife, us four and no more. Amen."

There is another class who look upon every one who does not believe in their doctrines as fools and bigots. They will often tell you that you have no right to

crowd your views upon others, at the same time they are ever and anon preaching to you if you will let them, and they are never satisfied unless they can be cramming their ideas down into some one else's gizzard. We do like to see men earnest in their belief, but we do not admire any one who cannot allow others to have their own faith without calling them fools and blockheads.

There is another class who think it necessary to have houses of prostitution. My friend, whoever you are, do not feel sorry or complain if your mother, sister, wife or daughter should become a prostitute. If you beleive them a necessity they must come from some where, and if any one should furnish them I think that humanity and common sense demand that they should come from your home, and do not turn a look of scorn upon them but still wrap them in your own bosom until a case of necessity calls, then give them up to another's lust until he is tired and then let them return to you and say, "Come, my wife, or my daughter, thou art justified."

A question or two and I am done for this time.

How is it that a $30 Howe or Singer sewing machine can be sold in England for £2 2s, or a little over $10?

How is it that a Waltham clock costing $8 in the States can be sold in England for 10s, or $2.50 ?

How is it that almost every article which is made in America and shipped to England cost three times as much in the States, where made, than in England? Is this the result of the tariff?

One more I had almost overlooked. The editor in the January Magazine says:

With those who believe that this life is only a temporary stopping place, preparatory to an unlimited future, it may be different. Such cannot consistently think that it will make any particular difference to a human being, whether he lives out his time on earth in cold, hunger and bodily suffering, or in comfort, so that he for the good of humanity, such believers has prepared himself to die; but happily are becoming proportionately fewer as civilization extends, etc.

Here is a two fold statement. First,

there are those who believe this is only a temporary stopping place, and, second, that it makes no material difference to them if they are hungry or well fed.

I am one who believes this is only a temporary abode to prepare for a never ending eternity, yet I believe that every one should see to the welfare of the body as well as the soul, and that while we are only pilgrims and sojourners on earth, we should so strive to live and act that we may leave the world better than we found it, and in better condition, if possible, for the coming generations.

This is generally taught by pulpit and religious press, and if any one should say that God does not teach it to the children of men, such an one should read the Bible and they will see differently. H. J.

RAILWAY ACCIDENTS.

During the past year there have been an appalling number of railway accidents, particularly in the United States, and we venture to say that in very few cases could it be truthfully said that they were due to uncontrollable causes. The neglects of some responsible officials and the recklessless of others, the overworking of train dispatchers and train men, the lack of vigilant inspection of rolling stock and permanent way, not infrequently the ambiguity of train moving orders, and sometimes, it is to be feared, the intemperate habits of officials, seems to be the principal causes of accidents which lead to such

dreadful sacrifice of human life, and result in the destruction of much valuable property. This growing insecurity of traffic and travel on railways is not a pleasant subject of contemplation, especially to people whose business has largely to do with railways.

How this state of affairs is to be remedied is the problem of the hour. One thing is certain, the law should be more effective in reaching officials by whom the primary responsibility for disasters can be traced. In the majority of cases where fatal accidents occur, dismissal from service is no adequate punishment for an official whose neglect or recklessness has lead to disaster, he should be dealt with criminally and the same rule should

apply to the heads of railway corporations who overwork their employes, or permit them to be overworked in such a way as to increase the danger of disaster.

Safety of travel and efficient handling of traffic depend very largely on the morals of the working staff of railways, including those who are responsible for the state of the rolling stock, for the character of the permanent way, as well as those who are responsible for the running of trains; and in order that such men in such responsible positions should be equal to the emergency, the managers of railways should impress them, by precept and example, with the fact that their efficiency as railroad men, their advacement in the profession, and their reward in a pecuniary sense, depend mainly upon their own faithfulness, energy and integrity. The great majority of railway employes, when they see before them the prospects of pro

motion as the reward of faithful service, will rarely fail to prove themselves equal to emergencies, and safe and efficient train service will be the result. But where railroad men are treated simply as beasts of burden, as merely human machines, and no consideration is given to their social, moral and intellectual requirements, it is too much to hope that they can be imbued with any higher idea of their profession than that of earning all they can. The sense of responsibility will be largely wanting, and railways operated under such circumstances will in terrible disasters which so frequently nine cases out of ten, be the scene of those Occur. It will thus be seen to how great extent railway managers have in their hands the promoting or marring of the faithfulness and efficiency of their employes, and consequently the ensuring of safety to travel and traffic on railways.

In addition to all this, there comes in the practicability of inventive genius designing a plan whereby, when all ordinary precuations fail to guard against accidents-as will sometimes occur--timely warning can be given to trains which may be rushing into danger. Various plans have been suggested, but none have been submitted to such a test as will engenius of Canada and America should be sure their adaptability. The inventive equal to solving the problem.-Montreal Daily Herald.

A DIALOGUE WITH A MORAL.

The following taken from the Labor Stage, has more than one moral and much that should be thought of by every wageworker:

(Seene, office of a New England shoe factory. Enter union committee). Committee-Good morning Mr. Super

intendent.

dice against labor organizations generally. and in our trade in particular. Men don't like to be bulldozed you know-at least I don't. How is it with you and your organizations?

Com. That is human nature. We and our organizations are probably no exception.

Supt. Well, to come to business, you

tlemen. What can I do for you?

Com. We, a union committee; have called, in the interest of organized labor, to reason with you against your practice of employing non-union instead of union

men.

Supt. We employ union and nonunion men both-at least I presume so as we ask no questions and make no discrimination.

Com.-Exactly. That's as we understand it, and our business in calling is, as before stated, to reason with you and try to induce you to discriminate and to employ union instead of non-union or mixed labor. We think that if you are reasonable that we can show you clearly that it would not only be to your advantage to do so but that by so doing you would be assisting in a noble work-that of elevating humanity not only directly by your own action but indirectly by your influence upon other employers.

Supt. You came to reason with me upon this did you say?

Com.--Yes sir! if you will give us the necessary time and attention.

Supt. I will most assuredly, if that is what you want. Any reasonable man ought to be willing to listen to reason, and though my time is valuable, a committee of workingmen is or ought to be entitled to at least as much time and attention as I give to other occasional callers. But I confess to something like surprise, and to having entertained the idea that committees from labor organizations usually called with a demand, which was supposed to be backed up with an intention or a threat to order a strike or a boycott in case ofnon compliance, and I will say frankly that I had imbibed with thes? notions quite an unpleasant preju

Com. We even hope you may see that it is your duty to employ only union men.

Supt. Before beginning the argument or reasoning, by which you would convert me to your ideas permit me to ask if you yourselves act upon them in your organizations and individually. You, I understand, are professed friends and members of labor organizations while I am not and have even confessed a perjudice against them. If I, a stranger, should at once consent to go as far toward carrying out your idea as you the members and friends of labor organizations have gone would you be likely to be entirely satisfied?

Com. We think so, and we hope you will so decide.

Supt.--Very well then. You have come here to reason, and I want to ask you then as reasonable men whether you and each individual member of your organizations are not as actually employers of labor as I am. Does not each and every one of you employ some sort of labor every time you make a purchase. Not only that but do not you, the consumers, by simply asking for and buying things, really create and regulate the demand for the different sorts of products, and actually employ the different kinds of labor engaged in producing them? Do I reason correctly?

Com.-Yes, that seems to be sound reasoning. The consumers are of course the ultimate employers of all labor.

Supt. Well, that being the case you will pardon me if before hearing your argunaent in favor of my employing union men exclusively, or discriminating for them, I ask whether you, the professed

friends and members of labor organization practice this discrimination yourselves when you employ labor in your capacity of consumers?

Com.--We do to a certain extent. Supt.-Do you, to the same extent you expect me to, that is, do you discriminate steadily, systematically and carefully and employ only union labor by using only union labor products. Do you even give a systematic preference to the products of union labor even when no higher priced than other products? Bear in mind, too, that you expect me to employ union labor even if it costs me more.

Com. Perhaps we do not as much as we might or ought,

Supt.---Well how much? Do not, I pray you, think me, discourteous, impertinent or personal, but to come down to a present tangible illustration, permit me to ask what portion of the clothing worn by your committee on this errand to me is the product of union labor?

Com.--Our hats bear the union label and we wear shoes, of course that had the yellow label.

Supt. How about the rest- the main portion of your apparel--your overcoats and your suits-are they the product of union or non-union labor? What kind of labor were you employing when you bought them?

Com.--(Smiling) We do not know. Supt. Neither do I, when I employ labor. I take it as it comes, just as you do, where I can get the most and best for my money. You see that pratically I am just as good a union man as you are, for come to look, I wear a union hat, though I hadn't noticed it till now. But that suggests another idea which is that you organized consumers can easily create a demand for any class of goods you please. Any dealer is anxious to keep what sells readily, but, of course, the demand to be healthy and normal must be steady and continuous. Now, if it is really true that you union men haven't disciplined your selves into doing what you ask me to do wouldn't it be wise to defer my case until you have succeeded with yourselves, and to encourage you I will say that

when you have all concluded to act together in pratically encouraging the employment of union men by creating a a healthy demand for their products, I may be influenced by your successful example and conclude to employ the same labor you do especially as it would then he profitable. What do you say? Com.--You have been so gentlemanly and fair about this matter, Mr. Supt., that we feel it would be rude to urge our present errand further, but will see you again and hope to have you on our list of fair employers. Good day, sir.

Supt. Good day, gentlemen. I shall be happy to meet you again.

Exit. Committee. WHAT'S THE MORAL?

POWDERLY, ALABAMA.

What can be done by co-operation has been well illustrated the past year in the success in the establishment of the town of Powderly, Ala., by the Mutual Land and Improvement Company, a strictly K. of L. co-operative institution, the first annual report of which has been sent out for the perusal of the Order at large.

The project was started by a few enterprising spirits at Birmingham, Ala., on the basis of a plan suggested by Mr. Hess, of Indianapolis, Ind., and published in the Journal of United Labor.

A company was organized and chartered under the laws of Alabama as a Building Association. Thirty-six and one-half acres of land was contracted for to be paid for in monthly instalments. This was surveyed and platted with streets and 176 lots, of which 46 are corner lots and the balance inside lots, 50x120 feet.

The following plan was adopted: First, to levy regular dues to the amount of $1 per week, this money to be used for the payments on the land and current expenses, and all surplus to be applied to the building fund. Second, to levy a building assessment of $2 on each member, this money to be used exclusively toward building of houses, and the same to continue until houses for all members are built and paid for, no more than