76 THE FAT OF THE LAND 
have an undoubted right to do so. A man is 
not a slave, to be made to work against his will; 
but, on the other hand, is he not a slave if he is 
forced to quit against his will? Freedom of 
action in personal matters is a right which wise 
men have fought for and for which wise men 
will always fight. Do you find it in the union? 
What shall I do when you quit work? How 
long are you going to stay out? What will 
become of my interests while you are following 
the lead of your bell-wethers? Shall my work 
stop because you have been called out for a holi- 
day? Shall the weeds grow over these walls 
and my lumber rot while you sit idly by? Not 
by a long sight! You have a perfect right to 
quit work, and I have a perfect right to continue. 
« The rights which we claim for ourselves we 
must grant to others. One man certainly has as 
defensible a right to work as another man has to 
be idle. In the legitimate exercise of personal 
freedom there is no effort at coercion, and in this 
case there shall be none. If you choose to quit, 
you will do so without let or hindrance from me ; 
but if you quit, others will take your places 
without let or hindrance from you. You will 
be paid in full to-night. When you leave, you 
must take your tools with you, that there may be 
no excuse for coming back. When you leave 
the place, the incident will be closed so far as 
you and I are concerned, and it will not be 
opened unless J find some of you trying to inter- 
