Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-09-26
M. John p. SWAMI on The strnGgIes Of
Labor.

To the EdUOr OF she DtspuicA
II We glance over the history Of TIE
European family Tor the last 500 years,
when The advance Of civilization began
10 take distinct form. We shall be
struck by the varied forms which thai
advHnce assumed and Is assuming.
The vicious state Of the European pop
ulAtion delugIng Europe 10 unceGs1ng
and murderOus WAITS ard conflicts, re-
suited from the vicious state q society
coming from the Ignorance and vice Of
the bodv OF the people. Their mora
and religious sentiments had 70 be Gle
waited before peace. fraternity, and or
der could tLss the place Of these bay
bErouE and bloody striies. Thus was
done by the Church and its teachers,
ard thus the wEy Of progress ano ciylIi-
cation WIS opened 70 man.
Il Is impossible for temporal rulers.
Of y hatever grade or degree, 70 rlsi
above the people ruled II manners Or
morals. Tor they must reflect them.
o. they viii be destroyed or replaced,
From On ignorant and immoral p0pu-
lace will come 8 vicious and violent
ruling class. The Church IT these gen
ertii0ns Was al exception. ono tn
Christian priests and teachers. separated
from and independent both Of the popu-
lace GnL their rulers. and holding chem
under the letters OF superstition.
the result OF their ignorance, USED
that superstition as q means o.
controlling while they we're IL
structing ana snlIshtenlng Them.
In othe. words. the Church bound the
monster il chSins while pouring IL
To his mind and heart the sublime
teachings Of the lowlv Nazarene. and
preparing hin for hIgb and mora life
Under the teaching Of the Church
Christianity Bnd civilization were a.
the tine slowly but surely getting con-
trol Of men. The POpes held the rulers
in fear and II chains while the priests
were snlighteniug the enslaved and de-
graded millions. BY these means Eu-
rope was saved from bzrbArlsm Rnc
prepared for 3 higher civilization than
had been elsewhere attained. In the
F progress Of Christianity and the mora
advancement Of society the great revO-
luton Of England was developed snd
+ the rights Of man tOOE q tremendous
stride. Next comes the great Frenct
revolution and another great stride II
I the rights Of nan. And now society
II Europe and America 10 ready Tor an
/ other great advance, out Of which vii.
come civilization and ADVANCE Of The
/ rights Of man beyond OuT present con-
( prehension. Capitalists, the wel-to-
I DO, and those vho luxuriAte II the good
things and grow fat on the enslsvement
Of labor neeo not fear. They may have
10 give ND some Of their privileges
and high prerocRtives. but they
VIII be more than compensated by
higher order OF morals ana civil
cation al around them. The trench
dous ngitstioDs now going on IN Eu-
rope and America are but rumbllngs OF
movement IN the very bowels Of society.
seeking to adjust the changed order and
condition Of things and place human
society and the rights OF .mRn where
they. with slow but tremendous force.
under the teachings Of the Christian
religion, have been tending for more than
fv. hundred years. Thou shalt not
kill" What Ers aggressive wars but
legRlized murder Thou shalt not
steal. - What are laws that rob the many
Tor the few but rOguery? a. Thou shalt
not bear false witness. - Laws under false
pretences, and for the advancement OF
SOME III the expense OF others
what are they but false Witnesses
Thou shalt love thy neighbor q
tbyseli." AL unjust Legislation if dc
tated By disregard for the rights o
mnny, and hence n violation Of thif
holy commandment. - Thou shslt MOI
commit lewdness." Ssmt years ago
British officer IN high position offered
al indignity 10 q poor sewIng-sirl.
Public opinion bEnished him IN disgrace,
and the Queen dismissed him from the
service. One hundred years ago II
would not have been noticed. +" Thou
shalt earn thy bread IN the sweat OF
thy face" LoEfsrs, vagrants. idlsrs,
they WIN live on thu bread Of others
they who grind the faces Of the poor,
and who take from the lAborsr the just
reward for his labor, are the fagran
viOlstors Of tins law, and against them
the Eveugcr IL new aiming. As long rs
society permits this, and delays TO
bring these people 20 punishment, So
ciety violates this Inv. add Is RESPONSE
ble fnr al Tia suffering aud woe
that grows out of il. The moral
ard religious tone Of the millions who
suffer and feil IN the advance OF tina
lss-msker. and look down IN anger
from higher plain. and nov vigorous
and powerful, Is IN motion. The hume