or the
most part ignorance still wears the crown and holds the scepter. The
men who put themselves under the guidance of a dishonest labor leader
are much to be pitied. The individual laboring man always had my right
hand, but I have never had any particular reason to admire the union
leader.

"'There were two hundred and twelve strikes last year, of which only
six had cause. The others were brought about by politicians and greedy
unions. Dishonesty finds the line of least resistance in greed. Now, I
have studied the strike problem from beginning to end. There can be no
strike at the Bennington shops for a just cause. Had I lived long
enough, the shops would have been open-shop. My son, never surrender
once to injustice, for if you do you will establish a precedent, and
you will go on surrendering to the end of time. I leave the shops to
you. There is but one thing I demand, and that is that you shall never
sell the shops; Bennington or nothing. If you have difficulties with
the men, weigh them on the smallest scales. You will be master
there--you alone. It is a big responsibility, but I have the greatest
confidence in you. When the time comes, show that you are master, even
to the tearing down of every brick and stone that took me so long to
erect. I shall be where such disasters will not worry me in the
least.'"

Bennington refolded the letter slowly. The men stood absolutely
motionless, waiting.

"Men, if you go out this day, not one of you will ever find employment
here again. My sense of justice is large, and nothing but that shall
dictate to me. I shall employ and discharge whom I will; no man or
organization of men shall say to me that this or that shall be done
here. I am master, but perhaps you will understand this too late. Stay
or go; that is as you please. If you stay, nothing more will be said
on my part; if you go ... Well, I shall tear down these walls and sell
the machinery for scrap-iron!"

For the first time he showed emotion. He brought his hands strongly
together, as a man puts the final blow to the nail, then buttoned up
his coat and stood erect, his chin aggressive and his mouth stern.

"Well, which is it to be?" he demanded.

"You are determined to keep Chittenden?"

"Positively determined."

"We'll go out, Mr. Bennington," said Shipley.

"And what's more," added Morrissy, "we'll see that nobody else comes
in."

He lighted a cigar, shoved his hands into his trousers pockets and
walk