Mr. McGinnis sprang to his feet, "I want to tell you," he said in
a voice choking with rage, "that it is none of your high-explosive
business."

"'E says as it is none o' my business," cried Brother Simmons, joyously
taking Mr. McGinnis on. "Let me (h)ask 'im who paid for these shells? I
did, you did, all of us did. Not my business? Then 'ose business is
it? (H)If 'e was paid a fair price for 'is shells, (h)all right, I say
nothin' against it. If 'e was paid more than a fair price, then 'e is
a robber, worse, 'e is a blood robber, because the price was paid in
blood."

At once a dozen men were on their feet. Cries of "Order! Order!" and
"Put him out!" arose on every hand. The mayor rose from his chair
and, in an impressive voice, said: "We must have order. Sit down,
Mr. Simmons." Simmons sat down promptly. Union men are thoroughly
disciplined in points of order. "We must have order," continued the
mayor. "I will not permit any citizen to be insulted. We all did our
bit in this town of Blackwater. Some of us went to fight, and some
that could not go to fight 'kept the home fires burning'." A shout of
derisive laughter from the working men greeted this phrase. The mayor
was deeply hurt. "I want to say that those who could not go to the war
did their bit at home. Let the meeting proceed, but let us observe the
courtesies that are proper in debate."

Again Simmons took the floor. "As I was sayin', Mr. Mayor--"

Cries of "Order! Order! Sit down!"

"--Mr. Mayor, I believe I 'ave the floor?"

"Yes, you have. Go on. But you must not insult."

"(H)Insult? Did I (h)insult anybody? I don't know what Mr. McGinnis made
from 'is shells. I only said that if--you (h)understand--if 'e made more
than e ought to, 'e is a robber. And since the price of our freedom was
paid in blood, if 'e made more than was fair, 'e's a blood robber."

Again the cries arose. "Throw him out!" Once more the mayor rose. "You
must not make insinuations, sir," he cried angrily. "You must not make
insinuations against respectable citizens."

"(H)Insinooations," cried Simmons. "No, sir, I never make no
(h)insinooations. If I knew that (h)any man 'ere 'ad made (h)unfair
profits I wouldn't make no (h)insinooations. I would charge 'im right
'ere with blood robbery. And let me say," shouted Simmons, taking a step
into the aisle, "that the time may come when the working men of this
country will make these charges, and will (h)ask the people who kept the
'