The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1872-03-23
THE RELIGIOUS ~ PRESS AND THE
LABOR PLATFORM

The action of the so-called religious
world; orators and press-in its discussion
If the the Labor Movement, its full sym
pathy with the oppressors Of the poor, and
the ar-fetched arguments with which it at
tempts to maintain its opposition-has
caused it to be viewed with indifference if
not distrust, by the great mass of our in
dustrial population. Superciious, Alto
CANT and affected, its ignorance of the ques-
tons involved, and of the evils sought to be
removed, is only equaled by its mamonized
servility How often, we would like to
know, has its voice been raised and its in
fluence used in behalf of the laborer in his
unequal struggle with capital to secure his
daily bread How often has the conduct Of
him who spake-as never man spake-who
declared "my Kingdom is NOT Of this
world" whose admonition was "lay up
Tor yourselves treasures in heaven, been
cited, when our religious @ earthworms
have scented penny-no matter how OBJ
tanned, with the same avidity that fox
scents hen roost, by those who profess to
be his representatives Let memory do its
work-and the result can be foretold.
We remember some years ago, when re-
turning to Chicago from funeral of a near
and dear relative, we were thrown into COM
pany with a divine who ranked high in the
religious world, and who seemed very much
exercised about the exhorbitant and imprac-
teal demands of the working classes, and
who informed us that the next Sunday
evening he intended giving his views on the
labor question, in which he would show the
the folly and unscriptural character of the
EIGHT HOUR MOVEMENT. Being somewhat
interested in his statements, we found, up
on inquiry, that all his sources Of informa-
ton were derived from the falsehoods con-
tanned in the daily press that his sympa-
thies were entirely with the employers, and
that he was as IGNORANT Of the merits and
objects of the movements and the charac-
ter and claims Of the men embarked in it,
as an inmate Of Jacksonville asylum. And
yet this man, possessing national rePuta-
ton, guiding public opinion, whose utter
ances as a scriptural expounder, were well
nigh regarded as infalhble, was prostituting
his high and holy calling to pander to a
vitiated public sentiment. Charity alone
prevents us from adding with as mercenary
motive as prompted Judas to betray his
Lord and Master
We have been led into these remarks by
examining the views Of our religious ex-
changes, not one of which affects to under.
stand or approve Of the proceedings of the
Columbus Convention. We had become
nauseated with the affected condemnation
of the administration press with its span
iel-like cringing to the powers that be,
when we took up the Christian Union,
with sigh of relief, saying Well, here's
a change even if Beecher too dis-approves
Of our platform, there viii be something
crisp, original and telling in his views"
But we looked in vain. The infection of
the Upas had reached his pen. Common
place, stereotyped, exploded objections, are
its only characteristics. The man whocould
write intelligently, logically and eloquently
on almost every other topic was completely
at sea, when discussing the all-important
problem of the age.
The assertion that a Labor Party can
not attain Success-because in republic no
antagonism NEED exist between capital and
labor, and that the attempt to make an
" irredeemable currency" money, whatever
that may be, is opposed to ell sound 6nan-
ciAl principles, are arguments 30 puerile, 20
unworthy such q source-that we at once
see the extremity to which our opponents
are driven. g That no antagonism need or
would exist under just, social and none
tary system, we cheerfuily concsde that
it does exist under false one, is self-appar-
ent to everyone of Mr.. Beecher's parishort
ers who earns his living by the sweat Of
his brow. The mission Of the labor Re
form Party il TO REMOVE not to CREATE
that antagonism-Snd those who assert to
the contrary be either knAves or
fools. Let conscience do its work, and tell
us-whAt are thefeelingAof the humble fol-
lever Of the meek and lowly Jesus, a. he
meets Sabbath after Sabbath in the sanctu-
airy, listening the commands of his master
"LOvE ONE ANOTHER, while the man who
RoBs him of the fruits Of his daily labor
claims to follow in his footstepsl Does HE
think there is no antAgonism between cap
ital and labor Does he not believe there
ID something radically wrong in our social,
religious or financial systems, when this
species Of robbery is attempted 10 be jus
tiled BY divine teaching
Mr.. Beecher, don't you'll
The "irredsemable currency fallacy has
been exposed 20 frequently that it is aheer
waste of time TO refer to it again. Those
Who object seem to forget that it was re-
deemed by the blood of every patriot who
..e-;6Dsd his Mfe-and that the sureSt way
70 make it nRRDssMABIR is TO insist on its