St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-02-14
LABOR AND THE CHURCH.
The Labor Question Is not a ReIig-
ious nor Moral. but a Social One.

The Labor Question Is not a ReIig-
iOus nor Moral, bur a Social One.
To the Editor of the Globe:
have read the arguments in the columns
OF your paper on the church and its relation
to the labor question, and why the working
men do not attend church more. Not with
out large amount of endurance have OBJ
| served the many wild notions INDUCED in
by the attempted apostles of this idea, and
they have all gone very wide of the mark in
their discussions of it. In your last
issue is the first proper idea.
by your writer under ''St. Paul Time. -
When we view this question from a re-
| ligious standpoint we find ourselves at once
| involved in a sea of obstacles, for many rea-
sons, from the fact that men will not be led
from the path of their own convictions in
these respects. The blood that has marked
the march of the sword has ever attested
this fact. To view it from moral stand
point is to become involved in many serious
difficulties, also, for in attempting TO make
men moral, we have to remove all the vices
that arise as impediments. We can
only view it from a social stand
point 1t is only out OF a
healthy social condition that a healthy
moral condition can hope to arise, and only
out of healthy moral one that we can
expect healthy religious condition, and
while there always was and always will be
unhealthy conditions in politics, yet it fol-
lows that better state of affairs must
arise out of proper morality even i'm poll
tics. The best evidence of good husband
and father is a good citizen. And the best
evidence of a good citizen is good husband
and father.
The fundamental principles upon which
the leading labor organizations of to-day
are based is one that recognizes no creed.
Hence, upon the very face of it. appears the
fact that no creed nor country can be the
basis in any form of the action in the labor
movement. without inquiring into their
country nor creed" is thing that substan-
tlateS the idea that the social and not the
moral is proper solution of the problem.
In no other way could we ever hope to
unite in one band of brotherhood the labor
ing masses of the world. In no other way
can we ever hope to evade the clash of arm
les in the ranks, when we have all nation
alities and kinds to deal with. all views
and all opinions to suit, and a world of
wrong to right. The church may prove
potent factor in aiding the movement. but
it can never lead 1t; for, unlike the slave
question, the labor movement has no in
ROADS 10 the breaking or chains, and the
freeing of subjects for the laborerS of to-
day is as free as any other citizen, as re-
CARDS bis enfranchisement, but he is ser
want of wrong systems, and slave to
usury, BY the same means that
these wrong systems were established
and are tolerated, must they be eradcated.
To attempt the task by the application of
moral remedy is to fail. l am aware that
the clergy can do much, and hope they will,
in the cause of labor, but they may as well
cease attempting to solve the problem by
discussing the relation of the church to
labor. If they would turn their attention
to advancing the social condition of men
they can expect to see good results follow
ing, in a moral ard religious way, but if
they attempt to lead the way there can be
no other effect than dissolution in the ranks.
G. A. LAFAYETTE.