Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-10-07
THE STRUGGLES OF LABOR.
The Subject from n Moral DIN oil We"
and What History Teaches,

Ih6
The Subject from q Moral Point OF View
and What History Teaches,
.Eohn 8 Scam in Richmond Dispatch.
If we glance over the history OF the
European family for the last 500 years,
when the advance of civilization began to
take distinct form, we shall be struck by
the varied forms which that advance as
sumed and is assuming. The vicious
state of the European population deluging
Europe in unceasing and murderous wars
and conflicts, resulted from the vicious
state of society, coming from the lgnor-
ance and vice of the body Of the people.
Their moral and religious sentiments had
TO he elevated before peace, fraternity and
order could take the place OF these BAR
barous and bloody strifes. n was done
BY the church and its teachers, and nus
the way of progress and civilization was
opened to a
It is impossible for temporal rulers, OF
whatever grade or degree, to rise o
the people ruled in n or morals.
For they must reflect them, or they will be
DESTROYED or replaced. From an ignorant
and immoral pOpulace will come a vicious
and violent ruling class. The church IN
these generations was an exception, ana
the Christian priests and teachers, sepa-
rated from and independent both OF the
population and their rulers, and holding
them under the letters Of a superstition,
the result of their Ignorance, used that
superstition as a means OF controlling
while they were iustructlng
and enlightening them. In other
words, the church bound the monster
in chains while pouring in-
to his mind and heart the sublime teach
ings of the lowly Nazarence, and preparing
him tor a high and moral life. Under the
teaching of the Church Christianity and
civilization were all the time slowly but
surely getting control of men. The POpes
held the rulers in fear and IN chains while
the priests were enlightening the enslaVed
and degraded millions. BY these means
Europe was saved from barbarism and pre-
pared for a higher civilization than had
been elsewhere attained. In the progress
of Christianity and the moral advancement
of society the great revolution Of England
was developed and the rights OF
took Il tremendous stride.
Next comes the great French
revolution and another great stride in the
rights of man. And now society i'll Amer
lea and Europe is ready for another great
advance, out of which will come 4 clvill-
zatiOn and advance of the rights of man
beyond our present comprehension. Cap
~italists, the well-tO-do and those who lux
uriate in the good things and grow fat on
the enSlavement of labor, need not fear.
They may have to give up some of their
privileges and high prerOgatiTes, but they
will be more than compensated by a higher
order of morals and civilization all around
them. The tremendous agitItiOns now
going on in Europe and America are
but rumblingS OF a movement IN
the very bowels of society,
seeking to adjust the changed order and
condition of things and place human So
ciety and the rights of man where they,
with slow but tremendous force, under the
teachings of Christian religion, have been
tending for more thar five hundred years.
Thou shalt not kill" What are agrees
siye wars hut legalizad murder? Thou
shalt not steal" What are laws that rob
the many for the few but rOguery? Thou
shalt not bear false witness" Laws under
false pretenses, and for the advancement
of some at the expense of Others-what are
they but false witnesses? Thou shalt
love thy neighbor as thyself. All unjust
legislation is dictated by disregard for the
rights of the many, and hence violation of
this holy commandment. Thou shalt not
lewdness." Some years e 4
British officer in high position offered an
indignity to q poor sewing girl. Public
baniShed him in disgrace, and the
Queen dismissed him from the service.
One hundred years ago it would not have
been noticed. Thou shalt earn thy bread
in the sweat of they face" LOaterS, vag-
rants, idlers, they who live on the bread
of others, they who grind the faces of the
poor, and who take from the labor his just
reward for his labor, are the fragrant viola
tiers of this law, and against them the
avengcr is now aiming. As lOngas society
this, and delays to bring these peO-
pie to punishment, society violates
this law, and is responsible
for all Of the suffering and woe
that grows out of it. The moral and re-
tone of the millions who suffer and
toll in the advance of the law-maker, and
look down in anger from a higher plain,
and now vigorous and powerful, is in mo-
ton. The numerous organizations under
their various and different names are all
in the same direction, and the
church of God, the human church, with
out knowing it, is the great Captain.
That some of these organization will do
violence, and thus somewhat retard the
grand movement, may be expected, hut
the movement is still going on. Like the
rush of the mighty river, Il mere snag or
the lop of tree may change the current
of the flow, but the rush of the river goes
as it sweeps to that great sen of the
rights of man, where our age is moving
with almighty force.
Equality, fraternity, liberty, was the
watchwOrd of the French revolution.
'Give me liberty or give me DEATH" the
watchword and war-cry of the American
revolution. These words are sounding to-
day in the heart of Europe and America.
And what is liberty? This will be better
answered by another generation. Society,
under the teachings of the Church, is i'll
the hands of the vicegerents of God, and
proper moral and religious instruction at
the tireside, in the Church, in the school,
and college, is our hope and anchor.
JOHN s. SWAN.
Charleston, ~. ia.