The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-05-18
CAUSES AND CURE OF STRIKES.
Labor Troubles Diagnosed and Remedy
Of Tempersnce Urged.

Labor Troubles Diagnosed and Remedy
OF Temperance Urged.
A large attendance at the Trinity NJ. T..
church listened 70 Rev 8. Alonxo Brights SER
mon yesterday morning on "Strikes-Theif
Causes and Their Cure
Referring to the present condition Of things
In the social economy he expressed fear OF 9
repetition in this county OF the European sys-
tenn of titled landlordisrn, and took occasion to
deprecate such distinctions being made socially
as "a laboring class" and 80 moneyed
class" The very thing against which WASH
ington fought, and Franklin planned and
jefferson iabored was "classism." But, he said,
when an endeavor is being made to avert a
calamity he believed the capitalist classes 10 be
more tractable than the employed classes Pro-
fessional agitators and demagogucs live by stir
ring up dt ,ards and magnifying evils among
the rkix.Easen-9yiug to deceive them into
the fAhacy that ~reat principle is involved in
the economic coss i1tbz eemsgogues dupe
them into believing rat hsS%have grievances
against their employer hsn slavery to strong
drink was the great canss II tbs prevailing con-
dftions OF suffering.
.Now believe this" sale tho preach II, "that
when any set OF men have real grievance, and
have fully justified themselves and their course
before the public and demonstrated the justice of
their cause and their helplessness that society
viii see their wrongs righted. Proceeding, now,
upon this theory, ! believe American toilers
have grievances. I do not believe they have
purged themselves OF injustice. ! do not
believe they are helpless. ! do not
believe American workingmen have ex-
hausted all resources in their power.
The question which concerns me as a student OF
the problem is what will American workingmen
do? win they employ force? Before you do,
remember the LIST OF May, 1891, In Europe. The
armies of Europe were equipped for battle, and
the workingmen were the objects. The soldiers
furnished the powder and bail and the working
men the blood. So with the coke regions OF
Pennsylvania, where the laboring population
has changed, Americans having been replaced
by the i'm migrants OF Europe-you know the re-
suits II you do not, you can read It in the fresh
turned sod of new-made graves in the Keystone
state. Force is always met with force-beware
of its consequences.
According to reliable returns there is spent
in this country for strong drink $500 ,OOo, 600.
There are many times more people who toll
than who do not. This vast sum is spent largely
In fractional currency. Laboring men spend
twothirds of the amount, say $500, 600 900 per
year. Yet the production of strong drink en-
ploys fewer men than almost any other In
dustry. Now surprising we would take this
5000 10000 and put 1t into shoes, clothing, dry
goods. groceries, furniture, books, periodicals
how the grievances would soon disappear, and
the wheels OF industry all over the land would
sing an anthem OF prosperity
suppose the trades unions Of this city instead
OF ordering men to walk out who are getting
good wages, would come to their employers and
say, Here are q, 900 tolers of Seattle. who want
homes. Every man OF US has sworn before high
heaven to leave the accused stuff alone, and
the money which has heretofore gone to de.
bauch and beastialise ourselves and families we
propose to use in providing ourselves with
homes and home eomforts'-how many hours
would 1t be before there would be such a boom
in Seattle as she never dreamed of pa boom from
which lasting benefits for generations would &C
rue9"
A strong plea for temperance, union with the
churches, helpfulness and self-sacritcs com.
pleted the exhortation.