Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-04-28
THE CHURCH AND LABOR.
Bishop GilmOur, OF cleveland, on the
Subject of Capital and Labor.


Bishop Gilmour, Of the Catholic church
OF Cleveland, gives the following opinion,
e. cathedya of the rights Of labor and capi-
tai:
Not for 500 years has society been so
restless as at present. The changes Ill the
political world and Gisintegration among
non. Catholics are marked characteristics.
Conservatism is giving place to revolution.
This restlessnesS is occaSioned in many
instances by false conception OF
human equality. All men are not
equal Neither in mind nor in body are
men equal, nor with the same chances will
any two men accomplish the same result.
1t is true that technically before the law it
is assumed that all men are equal, yet in
reality it is well known fact that men are
not equal before the law. Wealth gives
men standing before the law that poverty
has not 1t is untrue to say that men
who have less physical or mental powers
are equals Of those who have more,
or that mems labor, whether men
tai or physical, is to be equally rewarded.
1t is manifest solecism to assert that idle
ness and incapacity are are to be rewarded
equally with labor and talent. Men I'M
questiOnably have right to band together
and agree TO sell their labor at any fair
price within the limits of Christian justice,
and so long as men act freely and conCede
10 others the same freedom they
claim for themselves there Is no
sin in labor banding together for
self-prOteCtiOn. But when men attempt to
force others to work for given price, or
by violence intlct injury, the church will
lend ell its efforts TO crush out all such
conduct. If men are free to band together
and agree to work for less than given
=, lltyf ~
for less or more as they please. All men
have a right to sell their labor at
suLh price as they deem fair,
and no man or union has right to force
another to join the union, or TO work for
the price fixed upon by the union. Here
is where labor unions are liable to fail, and
in which they cannot he sustained. lfione
class of men are free to band together, and
agree not to sell their labor under
given price, so are Others equity
free not to join suca unions, and also
equally free 10 sell their labor at such
prices as they nay determine. Catholics
cannot be partners in any attempt to oerce
others against their just rights, nor can
they by overt or secret acts OF violence do
injury to the person or property OF others.
What one man claims for himself he must
ConCede to another.
"On the other hand capital must be lib
eral toward labor and share justly and
generously of its profits, being mindful OF
the comuaad not to muzZle the OK that
trampetL out the corn, nor to defraui the
lsbOrcr Of his wages. Capital has
no more right to undue reward than is
labor, nor should capital be unduly
protected at the expense Of labor. Capita
ami labor should work hand in hand and
proportionately share the wealth they
have mutually produced. They are de-
pendent on each other and shoull labor
for each others interest, capital rscoSniz.
ing the rights OF labor and labor in turn
recognizing the rights OF capital. The
CatSolic Church is at war with all Mill.
iStic, Com 4uHistic, and SJcialLstic societies,
whose aims are revolution against legiti
mate government. All societies that resort
to such means as the use of dynamite TO de-
stroy and demoiish legitimate government
are forbidden to Catholics-these and all
others of like character, let their names be
what they may"