Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-07-13
CARDINAL GIBBONS ON LABOR.
Views on Its Dignity, Right and Re-
sponsibiiity-Trustsa and Syndicates.

Cardinal Gibbons has prepared for the Co.'S
mopolitan Magazine of New York for the
August number an interesting paper on 1.-THE
Dignity, Right and Responsibility of Labor"
"A contented and happy working class" says
the cardinal sis the best safeguard of the re-
public, while ill-paid and disconnected labor
ers, like the starving and enslaved populace of
Rome in the time of Augustus Cesar, would be
constant menace and reproach to the coun-
try. Labor has its sacred rights as we'll as its
dignity. Paramount among the rights Of the
laboring classes is their privilege to Or
ganize or to form themselves into So
cieties for their mutual protection and
benefit. 1t Is in accordance with nat
ural right that those who have one COM
mon interest should unite together for its pro-
motion. Our modern labor associations are
the legitimate successors Of the ancient guilds
OF England. In our days there is a universal
tendency toward organization in every depart
ment OF trade and business. In union there is
strength in the physical, moral and social
world, and just as the power and majesty OF
our republic are derived from the political
union Of the several states, so do men clearly
perceive that the healthy combination of hui
man forces IN the economic world can accom-
plish results which could not be effected by any
individual efforts. Throughout the United
States and Great Britain there Is to- dav a con-
tnuous network of syndicates and trusts. OF
companies and partnerships, so that every op-
Grafton from the construction of leviathan
steamship to the manufacture of a needle ia
controlled by corporation.
When corporations thus combine it ia quite
natural that mechanics and iaborers should fol-
low their example. 1t would be as unjust to
deny to workingmen the right to band together
because of the abuses incident to such combi-
nations as to withhold the same right from can
itaiists because they sometimes nnwarrantabiv
QalE n RrNG Ia ala.tlrt u
potent reason for encouraging labor unions
suggests itself. Secret societies. lurking in
dark places and plotting the overthrow of ex-
listing governments have been the bane of con-
tinental Europe. The repressive policy of
those governments and their SUSPICION of the
intelligence and virtue of the people have
given rise to those mischievous organizations
for men are apt to conspire in secret il not per-
mitted to express their views openly. The
public recognition of the right to organize
implies confidence in the intelligence and
honesty Of the masses; it affords them an
opportunity Of training themselves in the
school of self-government and in the art of
self-discipllne; it takes away from them everv
excuse and pretext for the formation Of
dangerous societies; it exposes to the light of
public scrutiny the constitution and laws of
the association and the deliberations of the
members; II inspires them with sense of their
responsibility as citizens and with a laudable
desire OF meeting the approval of their fellow
citizens: 1T is better, as Mr.. Matthew Arnold
observes, that the body Of the people, with all
its faults, should act for itself and control its
own affairs than that it should be set aside as
ignorant and incapable, and have its affairs
managed by q so-called superior class
God forbid that the prerogatives which we
are maintaining for the working classes should
be construed as implying the slightest in
vasion OF the rights and autonomy of employ
ers. There should not and need not be any
conflict between capital and labor since both
are necessary for the public good. and one de-
ponds ON the cooperation Of the other. A
contest between the employer and employed ID
unreasonable and hurtful to the social body az
war between the head and hands would be to
the tabled conspiracy on the part Of the men,
bers of the body against the stomach. Who
ever tries to SOW discord between capitalist and
laborer is an enemy of social order"
Tho Connecticut house Of representatives. has
passed bill making women eligible for the