The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1891-12-25
A VOICE
From the Legal fraternity on the
Labor Question.
A Synopsis Of the Discourse Of
Francis II. Clarke,
Delivered by Invitation Of the
K, Of L, December 10,

think the problem OF labor is second
in importance only to the problem OF
life. The two, indeed, are so mingled
that it is, in most instances, impossible
to separate them, and they must then
be considered together. Suchisthe case,
as it seems to me with the religious
phases nf both, for, | believe, that il
tnet, b, any religious phase to the
problem of lie, so also there IS to the
problem of labor. 1t is not my purpose
to discuss the subject OF labor from Il
religious point OF view, but | am I'M
PEELED by the near approach OF Christ
mas to preface what | shall say with IL
few suggestions OF that nature. I wish
the day, which is celebrated throughout
C~hristendom, as the anniversary Of the
development OF the saving principle OF
our civilization, could be for all man.
kind a merry Christmas. | wish that
the picture OF human charity tcnderly
ministcrlng to the needs OF suffering
poverty, could be exchanged on Christ
mas day for a pictura OF Christian love
admitting all ilsanlki ind to AN equal
share in the opport mites INC bountles
eof nature. I wish Ee picture. which in
my boyhood, alTl .nnn,od r. s,roost
Christmas more -
If J, c,tv st,eaefyJ5sorcibly than amy other,
~anu eysrytb4re5t, great flakes OF falling
snow, a little ragged girl in front OF a
mansion, another girlish face bcamins
from a window, might be dispellcd, and
that instead, there might be two happy
little ones enjoying alike the comforts Of
a Christian world. | wish that religion,
c~easing to strain after an invisiblecrown
in an unknown sphere, might accept Tor
it's Heaven-born mission, the solution
of the problem OF labor as well as that
OF life, and perhaps then Christmas
would come merrily to more and SORROW
fully to fewer, mortals.
This gear Christmas will dawn upon a
sad and unfortunate world-upon
Russia with eighty million people,
whose government has expelled Il Dor
ton from their homes--has fostcrcd
drunkenness among most-has offered
partial security only to the ignorant,
the humble and the vicious, upon Ger
many whose laborers bear the burden
OF a great standing army, whose young
emporer seems ready to send thousands
OF them at the slightest notice to be
butchered on the field OF battle. Upon
Europe filled with paupers who seem
not, by any law, to be entitled to
enough OF the carth's surface to stand
80 ,,rr, ,p1 ,rl,T boXo M 1Eiulf To 1D hon.
except for others. Upon the United
States OF America, where, it Is, autliori-
tatively stated, million la borers are SUI
cring from enforced idleness. Unhappy
Christmas! Yet were.tbe means OF grace
of (which religion teaches, and which
/ take to be the means OF comfortable
life, placed within the reach Of all these
people, this coming Christmas would
hear the whole earth resound with the
religious expressions of sincere thanks
giving and praise to the saving princi-
pie OF religion.
Yet there are, amid all the gloom OF
earth, many things for which we might
well be thankful on Christmas day, ii we
knew how to use them and we're per
rnitted to do so. First, we might be
thankful for the earth itself. What a
beautiful, rich and productive earth it
is! The sea is full OF fish and infinite va
rieties OF useful wealth. The mountains
are Weighted with gold and silver, and
bound with iron. There are fields o.
coal and limitless forests. The gardens
are bounteous and the orchards o.
fruit groan year BY year, with their de
licious burdens.
Second. we might be thankful Tor the
force, the power, which enables us to til
the soil, to gather tile product OF garden
and mine, to carry burdens, to exchange
blessings, to furnish shelter, food, light
ma I'LL that men need. We might bt
Thankful for the strength aud skill Q
the buInan hand, for the fruitful inge'
nuity 81 tile human mind, ion the power
ofsthe wind that blows, OF the waterfall
runs. and Tor the forces Of nature,
ii these two blessings could be com
bSned and made to work as they should,
there would be enough Tor all 2 zone
would ever want.
Bull hesearth, for some reason, does
not produce all II lean, and much that y
nrsYducedi III wastAd Moreover, only z
35SGE TZA H+I,a fnipp and skill