New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-02-16

PROF. RICHMOND NJ. sMlrHANp OTHERS BEFORE Til

PROF. RICHMOND VI. sMlrHAN OTHERS BEFORE THE
CONGREG ATGpNkL CLUB.
Christianity and the Labor Problem was the sub
iect whose discussion aided the digestive organs OF
the Congregational Club after their dinner at Clarks
last evening The Rev. DR.. Lyman ABBOTT presided
an called upon Roswell smith president of the club
to speak first. Mr.. Smith said that the simple app
cation of the PRINCIPLES OF Christianity in the dealings
b, tween man and man. between employer and TN
ployed would solve the so-caled labor problem every
time As mere matter of dollars and cents he had
always found that Christian principles paid. In
handling men he had always found that he got from
them tho same treatment that lac gave
Professor Richmond NJ smith of Columbia College.
handled the subject from the point of view of polit
zeal economist After a graceful introduction. in
which he deplorcd the fact that he neither an
expert in Christianity nor labor matters. and apollo
rizcd for any crudites on the ground Of his short
nouce for preparation he said ha' political economy
taught that man must work. but few wrll-todo
penplc realized what a margin there was To life
for vast majority OF even the most civilized nations
his ignorance due to the lack OF statistics about
incomes and expenses. There sixteen labor
burrau. supported consld rable expense by aS many
states in America aud yet they had thrown no llGht
whatever on the QUE ston. lrusSlh was tne ohy
country that had attempted to gather M rnatlOh huo
the ies.lt at that attempt was astonishing o|4 per
cent of the families OF Prussia lived on less than 500
a year nearly 70 per cent on less than $50. and
q 900 900 persons out of total population OF 20
900. 900 earned less than SluO year apiece. The
average annual income OF an agricultural lIbor'T was
$50 As to the dealing OF Christianity with this harsh
question of labor history showed that III the ancient
De Rod when labor slavery Chslianity had raised
the slave to "a serf and then TO a free man. In the
middle ages of which trade guilds were the leading
feature Christianity had again dignihed labor. The
guilds wcrr essentially Christian organizations and
we're under the protection and adj ice OF the church
But in the modern period the laborer no longer went
to church the spirit of trade unlOnism atheisca
and Christianity had lost ts grip on labor The only
way In which II could REGAIN ts hold was TO take up
as in previous periods the question of quality not 81
quantity not To NEEDLE with the wage question, but
10 fight the idea ttat the lao0rcr was trute or q
machine to generate public opinion that should keep
women and children of the factory aud the ELI.
that should back up the aboring man in his cndeavors
To- shorten his hours OF work and compel the rich man
10 treat his employees fellow and not as senseeSs
factors in a business problem Professor smiths re
marks were closely listened TO and heartily applanded
The Rev L. /. Munger, of New Haven thought the
uresept relations between labor aud capital were an
disqualification OF the kng dom OF this world and that
they would never be strengthened out until the king
dom of God came. The Rev DIR s. W. Duhcd,
formeiy of Altoona spoke of tie railroad phase of the
problem His plan bad been 10 get the laborng man
10 follow the principles of Christianity aud under
Them he had M failed to better his own conditinn
The Rev James H. Ross. of South Norwalk, told the
story OF church interference in the strikes at that