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.