to him that hath-第48部分

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which；　if　followed；　would　have　undoubtedly　prevented　the　disasters
of　the　previous　night。

Giving　a　brief　account　of　the　proceedings　of　the　meeting　to　the
present　point；　the　Mayor　suggested　that　Dr。　Templeton　might　offer
them　a　word　of　advice。

Courteously　thanking　the　Mayor　for　his　invitation；　the　Doctor　said：

〃As　I　came　in　this　room；　I　caught　the　words　of　my　young　friend；　who
suggested　a　committee　for　the　preservation　of　public　order。　　May　I
suggested　that　the　preservation　of　public　order　in　the　community　is
something　that　can　be　entrusted　to　no　committee？　　It　rests　with　the
whole　community。　　We　have　all　made　mistakes；　we　are　constantly
making　mistakes。　　We　have　yielded　to　passion；　and　always　to　our
sorrow　and　hurt。　　We　have　vainly　imagined　that　by　the　exercise　of
force　we　can　settle　strife。　　No　question　of　right　or　justice　is
settled　by　fighting；　for；　after　the　fighting　is　done；　the　matter　in
dispute　remains　to　be　settled。　　We　have　tried　that　way　and　to…day
we　are　fronted　with　disastrous　failure。　　I　have　come　from　a　home
over　which　the　shadow　of　death　hangs　low。　　There　a　father　and
mother　lie　prostrate　with　sorrow；　agonising　for　the　life　of　their
child。　　But　a　deeper　shadow　lies　there；　a　shadow　of　sin；　for　the
sting　of　death　is　sin。　　A　brother　torn　with　self…condemnation；　his
heart　broken　with　grief　for　his　sister；　who　loved　him　better　than
her　own　life；　lies　under　that　shadow　of　sin。　　But；　gentlemen；　can
any　of　us　escape　from　that　shadow？　　Do　we　not　all　share　in　that
sin？　　For　we　all　have　a　part　in　the　determining　of　our　environment。
Can　we　not；　by　God's　grace；　lift　that　shadow　at　least　from　our
lives？　　Let　us　turn　our　faces　from　the　path　of　strife　toward　the
path　of　peace；　for　the　pathway　of　right　doing　and　of　brotherly
kindness　is　the　only　path　to　peace　in　this　world。〃

The　Chairman　then　called　upon　the　Reverend　Murdo　Matheson　to
express　his　mind。　　But　at　this　point；　the　whole　audience　were
galvanised　into　an　intensity　of　confused　emotion　by　the　entrance　of
the　Executive　of　the　Allied　Unions；　led　by　McNish　himself。　　Simmons
alone　was　absent；　being　at　that　moment；　with　some　half　dozen
others；　in　the　care　of　the　police。　　Silently　the　Executive
Committee　walked　to　the　front　and　found　seats；　McNish　alone
remaining　standing。　　Grey；　gaunt；　hollow…eyed；　he　met　with　steady
gaze　the　eyes　of　the　audience；　some　of　them　aflame　with　hostile
wrath；　for　in　him　they　recognised　the　responsible　head　of　the
labour　movement　that　had　wrought　such　disaster　and　grief　in　the
community。

Without　apology　or　preface　McNish　began：　　〃I　am　here　seeking
peace；〃　he　said；　in　his　hoarse；　hard；　guttural　voice。　　〃I　have　made
mistakes。　　Would　I　could　suffer　for　them　alone；　but　no；　others　must
suffer　with　me。　　I　have　only　condemnation　for　the　outrages　of　last
night。　　We　repudiate　them；　we　lament　them。　　We　tried　to　prevent
them；　but　human　passion　and　circumstances　were　too　strong　for　us。
We　would　undo　the　illwould　to　God　could　undo　the　ill。　　How　gladly
would　I　suffer　all　that　has　come　to　others。〃　　His　deep；　harsh　voice
shook　under　the　stress　of　his　emotion。　　He　lifted　his　head：　　〃I
cannot　deny　my　cause；〃　he　continued；　his　voice　ringing　out　clear。
〃Our　cause　was　right；　but　the　spirit　was　wrong。〃　　He　paused　a　few
moments；　evidently　gathering　strength　to　hold　his　voice　steady。
〃Yes；　the　spirit　was　wrong　and　this　day　is　a　black　day　to　me。　　We
come　to　ask　for　peace。　　God　knows　I　have　no　heart　for　war。〃

Again　he　paused；　his　strong　stern　face　working　strangely　under　the
stress　of　the　emotions　which　he　was　fighting　to　subdue。　　〃We
suggest　a　committee　of　three；　with　powers　to　arbitrate；　and　we　name
as　our　man　one　who　till　recently　was　one　of　our　Union；　a　man　of
fair　and　honest　mind；　a　man　without　fear　and　with　a　heart　for　his
comrades。　　Our　man　is　Captain　Maitland。〃

His　words；　and　especially　the　name　of　the　representative　of　the
labour　unions　produced　an　overwhelming　effect　upon　the　audience。
No　sooner　had　he　finished　than　the　Reverend　Murdo　Matheson　took　the
floor。　　He　spoke　no　economics。　　He　offered　no　elaborate　argument
for　peace。　　In　plain；　simple　words　he　told　of　experiences　through
which　he　had　recently　passed：

〃Like　one　whom　I　feel　it　an　honour　to　call　my　father；〃　he　began；
bowing　toward　Dr。　Templeton；　〃I；　too；　have　made　a　visit　this
morning。　　Not　to　a　home；　but　to　a　place　the　most　unlike　a　home　of
any　spot　in　this　sad　world；　a　jail。　　Seven　of　our　fellow…citizens
are　confined　there；　six　of　them　boys；　mere　boys；　dazed　and
penetrated　with　sorrow　for　their　follythey　meant　no　crimeI　am
not　relieving　them　of　the　blamethe　other；　a　man；　embittered　with
a　long；　hard　fight　against　poverty；　injustice　and　cruel
circumstance　in　another　land；　with　distorted　views　of　life；　crazed
by　drink；　committed　a　crime　which　this　morning　fills　him　with
horror　and　grief。　　Late　last　night　I　was　sent　to　the　home　of　one　of
my　people。　　There　I　found　an　aged　lady；　carrying　with　a　brave　heart
the　sorrows　and　burdens　of　nearly　seventy　years；　waiting　in　anxiety
and　grief　and　fear　for　her　son；　who　was　keeping　vigil　at　what　may
well　be　the　deathbed　of　the　girl　he　loves。　　You　have　just　heard　his
plea　for　peace。　　Some　of　you　are　inclined　to　lay　the　blame　for　the
ills　that　have　fallen　upon　us　upon　certain　classes　and　individuals
in　this　community。　　They　have　their　blame　and　they　must　bear　the
responsibility。　　But；　gentlemen；　a　juster　estimate　of　the　causes　of
these　ills　will　convince　us　that　they　are　the　product　of　our
civilisation　and　for　these　things　we　must　all　accept　our　share　of
responsibility。　　More；　we　must　seek　to　remove　them　from　among　us。
They　are　an　affront　to　our　intelligence；　an　insult　to　our　holy
religion；　an　outrage　upon　the　love　of　our　brother　man　and　our
Father；　God。　　Let　us　humbly；　resolutely　seek　the　better　way；　the
way　we　have　set　before　us　this　morning；　the　way　of　right　doing；　of
brotherly　kindness　and　of　brotherly　love　which　is　the　way　of
peace。〃

It　was　a　subdued　company　of　men　that　listened　to　his　appeal。　　In
silence　they　sat　looking　straight　before　them　with　faces　grave　and
frowning；　as　is　the　way　with　men　of　our　race　when　deeply　stirred。

It　was　a　morning　of　dramatic　surprises；　but　none　were　so　startling；
none　so　dramatic　as　the　speech　of　McGinnis　that　followed。

〃This　is　a　day　for　confessions；〃　he　said；　〃and　I　am　here　to　make
one　for　myself。　　I　have　been　a　fighter；　too　much　of　a　fighter；　all
my　life；　and　I　have　often　suffered　for　it。　　I　suffered　a　heavy　loss
last　night　and　to…day　I　am　sick　of　fighting。　　But　I　have　found
this：　that　you　can't　fight　men　in　this　world　without　fighting　women
and　children；　too。　　God　knows　I　have　no　war　with　the　old；　grey…
haired　lady　the　Padre　has　just　told　us　about。　　I　have　no　war　with
that　broken…hearted　father　and　mother。　　And　I　have　no　war　with
Annette　Perrotte；　dear　girl；　God　preserve　her。〃　　At　this　point；
McGinnis's　command　quite　forsook　him。　　His　voice　utterly　broke
down；　while　the　tears　ran　down　his　rugged　fighting　face。　　〃I　am
done　with　fighting；〃　he　cried。　　〃They　have　named　Captain　Maitland。
We　know　him　for　a　straight　man　and　a　white　man。　　Let　me　talk　with
Captain　Jack　Maitland；　and　let　us　get　together　with　the　Padre
there；〃　pointing　to　the　Reverend　Murdo　Matheson；　〃and　in　an　hour　we
will　settle　this　matter。〃

In　a　tumult　of　approval　the　suggestion　was　accepted。　　It　was
considered　a　perfectly　fitting　thing；　though　afterwards　men　spoke
of　it　with　something　of　wonder；　that　the　Mayor　should　have　called
upon　the　Reverend　Doctor　to　close　the　meeting　with　prayer；　and　that
he　should　do　so　without　making　a　speech。

That　same　afternoon　the　three　men　met　to　consider　the　matter
submitted　to　them。　　Captain　Jack　Maitland　laid　before　the　committee
his　figures　and　his　charts　setting　forth　the　facts　in　regard　to　the
cost　of　living　and　the　wage　scale　during　the　past　five　years。　　In
less　than　an　hour　they　had　agreed　upon　a　settlement。　　There　was　to
be　an　increase　of　wages　in　keeping　with　the　rise　of　the　cost　of
living；　with　the　pledge　that　the　wage　scale　should　follow　the　curb
of　the　cost　of　living　should　any　change　occur　within　the　year。　　The
hours　of　labour　were　shortened　from　ten　to　nine　for　a　day's　work；
with　the　pledge　that　they　should　be　governed　by　the　effect　of　the
change　upon　production　and　general　conditions。　　And　further；　that　a
Committee　of　Reference　should　be　appointed　for　each　shop　and　craft；
to　which　all　differences　should　be　submitted。　　To　this　committee
also　were　referred　the　other　demands　by　the　Allied　Unions。

It　was　a　simple　solution　of　the　difficulty　and　upon　its　submission
to　the　public　meeting　called　for　its　consideration；　it　was　felt
that　the　comment　of　the　irrepressible　Victor　Forsythe　was　not
entirely　unfitting：

〃Of　course！〃　said　Victor；　cheerfully。　　〃It　is　the　only　thing。　　Why
didn't　the　Johnnies　think　of　it　before；　or　why　didn't　they　ask　me？〃

The　committee；　however；　did　more　than　settle　the　dispute　immediately
before　them。　　They　laid　before　the　public　meeting　and　obtained　its
approval　for　the　creation　of　a　General　Board　of　Industry；　under
whose　guidance　the　whole　question　of　the　industrial　life　of　the
community　should　be　submitted　to　intelligent　study　and　control。



CHA