uch for the iron
workers because they could see farther than the common man. The worker
with an education can see far. He can judge quickly and be guided
rightly, for he has knowledge to guide him. I have knelt and prayed to
God to direct me. Now I know He has answered my prayer. My mission is to
bring to the poor man's boy the ample education that the rich man gives
his son. Equal education will make men equal in the gaining of wealth.
Education is Democracy.

"A French soldier lay dying on the battle-field, and a comrade kneeling
by him asked what last word he wished carried to his wife and children.
And the dying man said with his last breath: 'Tell them that I gave my
body to the earth, I gave my heart to France and I gave my soul to God.'

"And so I say to you in the spirit of the French soldier that this, my
body, I will give at last back to the iron earth, in whose deep mines
and smoking metal shops my muscles took their form. This heart of
mine that beats for liberty and equality I give--and give to its last
beat--to the cause of equal education for our young. And my soul at last
I shall render back unto my Maker knowing that I have served His cause
as He has given me to see it."

CHAPTER XLIX. CONCLUSION

H. G. Wells has asked all scholars to unite in writing a "Bible of the
New Education." I am no scholar, but if Wells will take suggestions from
an iron puddler, I offer him these random thoughts.

This generation is rich because the preceding generation stored up lots
of capital. We are living in the houses and using the railroads that our
fathers built by working overtime.

When labor loafs on the job it makes itself poor. We are not building
fast enough to keep ourselves housed. Were it not for the houses our
fathers built this generation would be out-of-doors right now, with no
roof but the sky.

No matter who owns the capital, capital works for everybody. Ford owns
the flivver factory, but everybody owns the flivvers. The oil king owns
the gasoline, but he has to tote it to the roadside where every one
can get it. Equal division is the goal that capitalism constantly
approaches. No man wants all the gasoline. He wants six gallons at a
time, with a service station every few miles. Capital performs this
service for him. Under "capitalism," so-called wealth is more equally
divided than under any other system ever known.

Work is a blessing, not a curse. This country had the good luck to be
set