"It'll have to work," answered John Rawn. "That river'll have to work to earn its keep—they'll all have to!"
"And the country—the republic—what will become of it?"
"The republic? That was a compromise. We perhaps had to live through that. Conditions in government change." Mr. Rawn spoke largely, finely, with a nice appreciation of all values.
"My God!" whispered Halsey. "What do you mean?"
IX
Rawn paid small attention to him, and he broke out yet more vehemently. "But it is an enormous thing—you are dealing with the power of powers! The great force of the world is gravitation. It makes the world move, keeps the sun in its place. Water running down hill never tires. It doesn't know any eight-hour day."
"That term will cease to exist within two years," said John Rawn grimly. "It is a detestable thing. It has hampered business long enough."
"What do you mean?"
"There's no such thing as an arbitrary length for a day's work. The agreed day has lasted long enough. Money is made by setting other men to work for you, and then seeing that they do work. When you have something every man must use, when you've got the final whip-hand, it's you who set the working day, and not those who work for you."
"You're talking of using what God gave to human beings, and talking of making worse slaves of them to that gift. That's monstrous, Mr. Rawn!"