The Irish standard., 1890-05-10
THE CHURCH AND LABOR.

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world has witnessed more strikes than
ever before, and during that time what
has been the position of the Catholic
Church towards the strikes, and what
part have her cardinals and bishops
taken in them? The great London
strike, which involved thousands of
families, continued for days without
any hope of settlement until Cardinal
Manning interfered. The church Of
England with all its power and wealth
stood idly BY and apparently took very
little, if any interest at all towards
looking to q settlement. Cardinal Man
nlng, OLD and infrm as he was. did not
hesitate to 20 in and effect settlement.
A few weeks ago the employees Of the
Great Western and Great Northern
railroads In Ireland struck tor an in
crease of wages, and who do we find
most interested in effecting comprom-
Use between the railroads and the strik-
ers? Was 1t the pastors of the nom
Catholic churches there? No; it was
Archbishop Walsh Of Dublin. No
sooner had the men quit work than the
archbishop turned his attention to the
troubles before these half-paid en-
ployes, and lest they might be commit
ted to jail for daring to ask for living
wages, he implored the railroad officials
to arbitrate with the men, and the re-
suit, as we all know, was that happy
was effected. and the men
returned to work. Not forgetting his
duty to the colored people OF the coun-
try, Oh whose color lines have been
drawn all over this country. Archbishop
Ireland last Sunday delivered a power
full sermon in St. Augustine (colored)
Catholic church in Washington on
"Social Equality" He voiced the sem
timents of the Church when he said
that there was no such thing as color
line except in the minds of those whose
intellects were clouded by unjust reason
ing; that the human race irrespective
Of color should look on one another as
members of the same family. children
Of the same God and all living under
the same teachings of religion and vir-
tue; that because of the accident Of
color it did not follow that they should
be treated on different lines, religiously
or socially. He denounced race pre-
JUDGES and said he was ashamed that
such existed in the United States. This
is language that needs no explanation.
1t shows that the Catholic Church is
the friend of the poor and the Outcast,
and that no nationality or color finds
preference within her sacred precincts.
Our own Bishop McGolrick. who is
always ready to defend the d0wntrod-
den, delivered memorable address be-
fore the laboring men of Duluth re-
Gently, in which he advocated the adop-
ton of the eight hour system, and said
many things complimentary Of the Ia
boring classes. It is the same with the
Church the world over She is always
ready to defend the poor, and still there
are people in the United States who
devote all their time and eneagy to vii
lifying her and her ministers. Let che
honest and fair minded study her mis-
sion and they will find that it is peace
and prosperity. While her enemies are
plotting to destroy her, she is work.
ing for the elevation of the human race
Now what position do we find some of
our Protestant ministers occupying on
the eight hour question, Rev. DR..
Thwing of Plymouth church In this city
IN his sermon last Sunday evening dis.
couraged the idea of the eight hour day
and went so far as to express an opinion
that it could not result in any perma-
nent good to the laboring classes. Con
trast the positions Of Bishop Meg olrick
and DR.. Thwing on this matter. 1t is
not right to attribute motives to any
man, but we are forced to confess that
DR.. Thwing evidently knows on which
side his bread is buttered.
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