Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1889-07-19
Cardinal Gibbons on Labor,
VIEWS ON ITS DIGNITY, RIGHT AND
RESPONSIBILITY TRUSTS AND
SYNDICATES.

VIEWS ON ITS DIGNITY, RIGHT AND
RESPONSIBILITY AND
sYNDICATEs.
Cardinal Gibbons has prepared for the
Cosmopolitan Magazine of New Y ork, fol
on "The Dignity, Right and Responsibility
of Labor "a contented and happy work
ing class" says the Cardinal, lis the best
safeguard OF the Republic, While ill-paid
and discontinued laborers, like the starving
and enslaved pOpulace Of Rome in the time
of Augustus Caesar, would be a constant
menace and repr0ach to the country. La
Dor has its sacred rights as well as its dig
nifty. Paramount among the rights of the
laboring classes is their privilege to organ
iZe, OF to 10tm themselves into societies.
for their mutual protection and benefit. 1t
is in accordance with natural right that
those who have one common interest should
unite together fol- its promotion. Our
modern labor associations are the legltl-
mate successors Of the ancient guilds Of
England. In our days there is a universal
tendency toward organization in every de-
partment 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 human forces III
the economic world can accomplish results
which could not be effected by any indi-
vidual efforts. Throughout the United
States and Great Britain there is to-day q
continuous network of ayndioates and
trusts, of companies and partnerships, SO
that every operation, from the construction
OF a leviathian steamship to the manufac
ture of a needle, is controlled by Il corpora
ton.
''When corporations thus combine it is
quite natural that mechanics and lahorers
should follow their example. 1t would be
as unjust to deny to Workingmen the RICH,
to band together, because of the abuses in
cident to such combinations, as to with
hold the same right from capitalists, be-
cause they sometimes unwarrantably seek
to crush or absorb weaker rivals. Another
potent leaSOn for encouraging labor unions
suggests itself. Secret societies, lurking in
dark places and plotting the overthrow OF
existing governments, have been the bane
Of continental Europe. The repressive
policy of those governments and their Sus-
picion of the intelligence and virtue Of the
people have given rise to those mischieyous
organizations, for men are apt to cOnSpire
in secret if not permitted to express their
views openly. The public recognition of
the right to organize implies a 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-disci-
pline; it takes away from them every
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 delibera-
tons of the members; it inspires them with
Il sense Of their responsibility as citizens
and with laudable desire of meeting the
approval of their fellow citizens. 1t is
better, as MI; 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 it's
affairs managed by a so-called superior
class.
"God forbid that the prerogatives which
we are maintaining for the working classes
should be construed as implying the Slight
est invasion of the rights and autonomy of
employers. There should hot and need NOT
De any conflict between capital and labor.
since both are necessary FOR the public
good, and one depends on the cooperation
II the other. A contest between the en-
,loyer and employed is unreasonable and
lurtful to the social body as war between
he head and hands would be to tile physical
)ody. Such antagQnism recalls the tabled
on the part of the members of
he body against the stomach. Whoever
ries to sow discord between the capitalist
nd laborer is an enemy OF social Order