ed into his own private carriage, and immediately
drove to the general offices of the Harrisville Iron & Steel Co. The
directors of the company were in special session to devise means of
protecting their threatened property and of crushing the strike.

B.C. Wilson, the manager, rose to greet Colonel Harris, who shook hands
with him and the directors, and then the meeting was resumed, Harris
acting as chairman of the board. Colonel Harris soon grasped the
situation, and he approved of all that his directors and manager had
done.

Rising to his feet, in a firm tone, he made a vigorous talk to his board:
"Gentlemen, my views as to the best method of dealing with the important
question before us are known to some of you. Four years ago a similar
trouble perplexed our company, and our failure then to act decisively
resulted in prolonging the discontent among our employees. Their purposes
are as apparent to-day as then, viz., to rule or ruin our gigantic
enterprise. Capital and labor should be the best of friends.
Unfortunately, trusts and labor organizations are alike avaricious and
selfish.

"Centuries ago, in Belgium, weavers dictated terms to capital, and hurled
rich men from balconies to death upon spears below. This unnatural
revolution lasted for a short time only; brains and wealth again acquired
control, and they always will control. To yield to our employees the
privilege of fixing their own wages, and a voice in directing the affairs
of our company is to cloud or mortgage our capital. This is a most
unreasonable demand. Why should they expect us to share with them our
property, title to which the United States has guaranteed?

"If our state, or national government cannot or will not defend us in the
title to our property, on which they yearly levy taxes, then we will
place our interests beneath a flag that can and will give ample
protection. This terrible uncertainty as to titles and values in the
United States will yet wreck the republic."

It was natural that the directors should heartily approve Colonel
Harris's utterances, as he was the owner of five-sixths of the stock of
the company. He then asked Mr. Webster their general counsel, to read
to the board the position which the company proposed to take before the
public.

Mr. Webster was a tall, elderly man, who had served five years on the
supreme bench of his state, an attorney of few words, but well versed in
the laws of his country, especially in corp