The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-22
THE INDUSTRIAL SITUATION.
Rev. o. G. McCulloch's Views on the Final
Settlement of the Labor Troubles.

Rev. o. G. McCullOch's Views on the Final
Settlement of the Labor Troubles.
Rev. Oscar G. McCulloch, last evening, spoke
at Plymouth Church on the present Industrial
situation. He regarded the strike on the Gould
system unparalleled in the history of this coun-
try, as illustrative of what is injury to is
an injury TO all It had produced almost a com
plete paralysis of trade. There were other
the country 81, 600 men, and the boycott was be-
ing urged more and more Organized railroad
companies refuse to listen to organized labor
and will only treat with unorganized work
ingmen. He thought the topic one
that belonged appropriately to the pulpit.
for the preacher was the mediator between man
and man. The subject belonged to the church,
for in the church was the home of man., The
present disturbance was not one Of temporary
character. It related to change in the system
of labor a passing from wages to one in which
the workingman will share in the profits
He argued that the Knights of Labor had no
relationship with nihilism, anarchism, commun-
ism or socialism. Anarchism would resort to
violence but the Knights of Labor had indig-
nantly denounced this method. Whatever acts
of violence had been committed were due to
loose elements, not to organized workngmen.
The riots in the coal regions were caused by
Hungarians and Poles imported to replace free
American labor. Communism is dangerous
only through the violent methods it may adopt.
Socialism is old in its ideas, lawful in its means
and phiiosophic In its scheme But
all of these are wide apart from
the purposes of tho Knights of Labor. Their
demand is for shorter hours and an increase of
wages, and also the unemployment of non
union men. The popularity of the organization
lies in its strength and unity, and that terrible
instrument, the boycott. Its chief characteristic
is the ability with which organized workingmen
can enforce their demands. Organized labor
grew out of the old guilds, and from the Chartist
movement followed trades unions These unions
are now federated in the Knights of Labor the
motto Of whose order is, "An injury to one is
an injury to ALL" Had scriptural motto been
sought after it could have been found in Cor
xii, %, 26. The order is powerful, and its meth
DDS peaceful Strikes are looked to as the last
resort, and arbitration is the great fac
tor of settlement Of questions. There, too, is
the boycott deadly weapon, and one too often
foolishly used.
Reviewing the relations of the workingman to
capital, and presenting statistics that are famil-
lar, Mr. McCulloch spoke Of the business of the
demand for increased wages and shorter hours.
In the main, the first was hardly more than
restoration of wages before the general diminu-
ton occurred. All tended to the establishment
of a new SYSTEM nor would. the agitation stop
until that had been attained, first in giving
ownership of tools and machinery to the work
ingman whereby he could receive a share of the
profits in his products. This system was COM
mon in France adopted to some extent in Eng
land, and is to be found here and there in Amer
lea. After this would como cooperation. He
believed these great questions would be finally
settled according to Christs principles of justice