Part 46 (1/2)
”You have placed armed men in your shops without a justifiable cause.”
”The men are mechanics, sworn in for their own self-protection.”
Donnelly saw that he was making no impression.
”These men, then, are to tear down your shops?” not without admiration.
”Well, they are there to dismantle it.”
”That building must not go down, Mr. Bennington.”
”'Must not'? Do I understand you to say 'must not'?”
”Those words exactly.”
”It is private property, Mr. Donnelly; it was not organized under corporation laws.”
”You can not destroy even private property, in a city, without a legal permit.”
”I have that.”
”And I shall call a special meeting of the Common Council to rescind your permit.”
”Do so. I shall tear it down, nevertheless. I shall do what I please with what is my own.” Bennington balanced on his heels.
”The law is there.”
”I shall break it, if need says must,” urbanely.
Donnelly surveyed the end of his dead cigar.
”The men will become violent.”
”Their violence will in no wise hinder me, so long as they confine it to the shops. Even then I shall call upon you for police protection.”
”And if I should not give it?”
”Just now I am sure you will. For the mayor of Herculaneum to refuse me my rights would be a nice morsel for the Republican party.”
Donnelly pa.s.sed over this.
”I wish to protect the rights of the workman, just as you wish to protect yours.”
”What are the workman's rights?”
Donnelly did not reply.
”Well, I'll reply for you, then. His right is to sell his labor to the highest bidder; his right is to work where he pleases; for what hours he desires; his right is to reject abusive employers and to find those congenial; his right is to produce as little or as much as he thinks best; his right is to think for himself, to act for himself, to live for himself.”