th being illiterate I would neither have been nominated nor elected。 When I appeared before audiences in the 〃swell end〃 of town and wrote my lessons on my little slate； I gained their sympathy。 They believed in fair play。 And I found I had not lost their support by thrashing the editor。
Nearly all of the mill workers in Elwood voted for me。 I supposed that I had made many personal enemies among the men by refusing to take their grievances up with the bosses when I thought the men were wrong。 But the election proved they were my friends after all。 The confidence of my own fellows pleased me greatly。 Later on； the men as a further token of their good will clubbed together and gave me a gold watch。 This gave me greater joy； no doubt； than Napoleon felt when； with his own hand； he placed a gold crown upon his head。
When it came time to qualify and be sworn into office I found trouble。 The Republican boss was disgruntled because only one Republican was elected while the Democrats got everything else。 He wanted me to give up the office。 〃Let the tail go with the hide；〃 he said。 〃Let 'em have it all。〃 His idea was to give the Democrats a closed family circle； so that when temptation came along； they would feel safe in falling for it。 He feared that a Republican in the house to watch them would scare them away from the bait。 He wanted them to take bribes and be ruined by the scandal； and that would bring the Republicans back to power。 It was a good enough way to 〃turn the rogues out〃 by first letting them become rogues； but my heart was not set on party success only。 I believed in protecting the public。 So I went ahead and got bondsmen to qualify me。 But as often as I got men to sign my bond； the boss went them and got them off again。 A firm of lawyers； Greenlee & Call； stood by me in my struggle to make my bond。 These men were ten years older than I。 I was twenty…five。 They acted as godfathers to me。 They gave me the use of their library； and throughout my term as city clerk I spent my nights poring over their law books。 I became well grounded in municipal law and municipal finance。 I was able to pay back their kindness some years later when C。 M。 Greenlee aspired to be judge of the Superior Court of Madison County。 I went to the convention as a delegate and worked hard for Judge Greenlee until he was nominated； and elected。
The city administration of which I was a member let many contracts。 As I said before； a cross…roads town had become a city and there were miles of paving and sewer to put in； and scores of public buildings to go up。 Old Francis Harbit was the Democratic mayor； and he didn't intend that the contractors should graft on the city nor give boodle to the officials。 I remember one stirring occasion。 There was a big contract for sewers to be let； and if a certain bid should go through； the contractor would profit greatly。 Big Jeff Rowley （I'll call him） was the grafting contractor who had ruined the Republican administration。 He was six feet； two inches tall in his stocking feet。 He had put in his sealed bid and then had approached everybody with his proposition。 His overtures were scorned and he was told that we were not out for boodle but were 〃playing the game on the square〃 （that had been my campaign slogan）。 It finally dawned on the corrupt old bully that the lowest bid would get the contract。 He then came into my office and took down his bid to revise it。 It was such a big contract that he could not afford to lose it。 I told him that if his bid was not back in time I would so note it。
Bids were to be opened that night and read by me before the mayor and council。 I was familiar with every detail of the law governing municipal bonds and contract letting。 We had advertised that bids must be filed before seven…thirty that evening。 Big Jeff took down his bid at seven…fifteen and filed his new bid at seven forty…five； fifteen minutes after the legal time limit。
The council was in session and hundreds of citizens were there to protest against any more deals in letting contracts at exorbitant prices。 I opened and read aloud the various bids； including that of the big boss； Jeff Rowley； adding that Jeff's bid had been filed too late to be legal。
〃You lie！〃 he screamed。 〃You're a Welsh liar； and I'll kill you for this！〃 The threat was heard by the council and the citizens。 But the man seemed so terrible that no one dared reprimand him。
A few moments later the city attorney sent down to the clerk's office for some blanks。 Jeff was waiting behind a corner of the hall。 He hit me a blow in the neck that knocked me four yards。 It was the 〃rabbit blow〃 and he expected it to break my neck。 The hard muscles that the puddling furnace put there saved my life。 I sprang up； and he came after me again。 I seized the big fellow by the ankles and threw him down。 Then I battered his head against the floor until I was satisfied that he could do me no more harm。 He went home and took to his bed。
He announced that when he got out he would charge me with assault。 I went before the mayor and offered to plead guilty to such a charge。 The mayor protested against it。 He said I had done the right thing in protecting the honor of the city； and that the citizens would not permit my action to cost me money。 The local banker took up a collection to pay my fine in case a fine should be assessed against me。
My salary as city clerk was forty dollars a month。 My wages in the tin mill were seven dollars a day。 A week in the mill would have brought me more than a month's pay in the city office。 But I hoped the clerkship would lead to something better。
One incident that happened while I was city clerk I have already related。 The city attorney almost sent a man to jail because he couldn't understand the lawyer's questions。 I put the lawyer's language into simpler words； and the man then understood and quickly cleared himself of the charge against him。 At another time； the mill owners petitioned for the vacation of an alley because they wanted to build a railroad switch there to give access to a loading…out station of the mill。
〃I suppose；〃 their representative told me； 〃that since this would be a favor to the mill； and you were opposed by the mill owners； you will hand it to us in this matter。〃
〃Why should I？〃 I asked。 〃Don't you think you ought to have this alley？〃
〃Certainly we do； or we wouldn't have asked for it。〃
〃Do you think the city needs the alley worse than you do？〃
〃No。 It is an alley only on paper。 There are no residences there and nobody needs the alley but us。〃
〃But you think because I am a labor man and you are a mill owner； and you and I have had many hot fights over wage questions； that I will fight you on this just for spite？〃
〃Such things have been done。〃
〃Well； I am not spiteful。 Many a time I have made the men mad at me by being fair to you。 Spite and malice should have no place in dealings between employer and employee。 If you had a chance； would you give the men a dirty deal just for spite？〃
〃We're business men；〃 he said。 〃And we never act through malice； but we often expect it from the other side。〃
〃Well； don't expect it from me。 As a city official my whole duty is to the city。 If we give you that railroad switch it will help the mill and can't hurt the city。 Without your mills there would be no city here； and all the alleys would be vacated； with grass growing in them。 If I took advantage of my city job to oppress your mill business； I would be two kinds of a scoundrel； a public scoundrel and a private one。 I favor the vacation of the alley and when the council meets next Wednesday I am sure they will do this for you。〃
CHAPTER XLII
THE EVERLASTING MORALIZER
I played the game fair throughout my term of office。 I hate dishonesty instinctively。 I like the approval of my own conscience and the approval of men。 This is egotism； of course。 I claim nothing else for it。 I am no prophet。 I do not claim to be inspired。 The weaknesses that all flesh is heir to； I am not immune from。 I write this story not to vindicate my own wit nor to point out new paths for human thought to follow。 I am a follower of the old trails； an endorser of the old maxims。 I merely add my voice to the thousands who have testified before me that the old truths are the only truths； and they are all the guidance that we need。 I am an educator of the young； not an astounder of the old； and it is for the boys and girls who read my book that I thus point the morals that life's tale has taught me。
Had I proved unfaithful in my first office I could not have gone to higher offices。 My opponents would have 〃had something on me。〃 As secretary of labor； I am called on to settle strikes and to adjust disputes between employers and employee。 I could do nothing if either side distrusted me。 But since both sides believe me to be honest； they get right down to brass tacks and discuss the cases on their merits only。 Sometimes the employees ask too much； sometimes the employers。 When either side goes too far I feel free to oppose it。
I approach each problem not only from the economic but from the human angle。 I took my guidance from the words of President Harding； when he said：
〃The human element comes first。 I want the employers to understand the hopes and yearnings of the workers； and I want the wage earners to understand the burdens and anxieties of the wage payers； and all of them must understand their obligations to the people and to the republic。 Out of this understanding will come social justice which is so essential to the highest human happiness。〃
The Labor Department has been able to settle； after candid argument； thousands of disputes saving millions of dollars for workers and employers and relieving the public from the great loss and inconvenience that comes with strikes and industrial war。 I have but one aim； and that is justice。 I know but one policy； and that is honesty。 I am slow to reach decisions。 I must hear both sides。 I want the facts； and all the facts。 When all the facts are in my mind the arguing ends； the judgment begins。 I judge by conscience and am guided by the Golden Rule。 Decision comes； and it is as nearly right as God has given me power to see the right。
Out of four thousand dispute