Telegram-herald., 1891-06-15
MAJESTY Or THU LAW
The Law Is Good il q Nan Use II
Lawfully.
SILENCE EVIDENCE OF COWARDICE
The Railway companyS Aistake-Lsw
Must BE Respeeted-PerPetrater of
Violence 10 he Punished
Good Counsel.

FOUNTAIN Ctictt Dalitot sHtiSAAt t1nA
for hls subject, II he Majesty Of the
Law" He read n Bible text from l.
Timothy, H., s, 8: "But we know that
the law is good, if man use it law
fully" etc. The discourse WAS = dis
cusslon of recent events in this city,
connected with the street car trouble.
Said he: There are times when silence
IS good thing. anu there are times
when silence is an evidence OF coward
ice. 1t Is a very difficult thing, some
times, to know just when aud how TO
speak. We, as citizens of Grand Rap
ids, have been IN a state of great anx-
lety for the last five weeks, from the
trouble growing out of the street car
strike. We have all been hoping for n
reconciliation of the street car company
and its employees, but IT appears now
that the obligation has come upon every
one of US TO speak upon the
present condition OF affairs in no
uncertain tones. | want the laboring
classes TO understand that my instincts
are with them and that | am ever
ready TO do anything for their good.
There has never been time when We
were more ANXIOUS TO have this diff
Guilty settled that now. Now. l hon.
estly believe that
The Company Made q Mistake
when it added tine last clause to its
contract, refusing to employ members
OF labor unions. IL has proven TO be
red flag IN the bull pen. We, as free
American citizens, must recognize the
right of corporation or business firm
TO employ whom 1t pleases, and the
kind and class of labor of its choice,
and that it has no right to cOerce lobor
to renounce the right to organize. IL
this law had been recognized the pres
ent difficulty would have ended long
ago. The recognized supremacy of the
law will produce peace and harmony
amongturbulentfac IA ctions. Some mayask
what right the pulpit has to interfere
with these questions. / reply that it is
needful for the pulpit to say something
in defense of the law, the law must he
supreme In the world. II is necessary
to herald this throughout the world in
strong terms. To pass by the violation
of law without censure is the heart of
nihillsm, and that person who sanctions
it can be
Ciassed as n NihiIist
and as one who puts his country in
danger. Laws are enacted for the pro-
lection of property and life, and as we
have laws it is our duty to see that they
are obeyed. If any lnhabitant tries to
help cause by disobeying the law of
bis country he should he summary
dealt with. There is no possible reason
for labor to break the laws of this land
to get proper recognition, for the ad-
vantages possessed by the laboripg
classes of Amerca are far better than
in any other part Of the world,
and If they are not satisfied they
have the privilege of peaceably retiring
to some other country. or they can try
to bring about a change by honorable
combat. One thing must be learned,
and that is. the true recognition Of
property and its correct value. Every
dollar represents some mans labor and
if a man spends his money in saloons
and otherwise foolishly ne has no right
to destroy the savings of others. Men
have a lawful right to accumulate
property and to be protected in their
efforts to save it. No one has right
to touch property belonging to another
with the intention of destroying it, and
he who does must be classcd as a thief
which he surely is. When we see that
wllful destruction of property is about
to take place 1t is our duty TO arise as
one man and say this must not be done
and
The Perpetrators Must be Condemned
and punished. When they understand
this they will cease their lawless depre-
dation. ] have thought during the past
four or five weeks that we have all been
too afraid to express our opinions con-
cernlng this matter and to enforce the
law. If we have occasion to oppose
any measure let us fight like brave
men. and not countenance men who
strike at their adversary i'm the dark
Men who destroy property in the Silly
night are towards and meet with the
Just Indignation of every true citizen.
Take the example of j. Wilkes Booth,
| who steaithlly sueaked into the box oc-
cupled by President Lincoln, under
cover of the night. His case was alto
gether different than that of Robert r.
Lee, who coutended openly on the field
of battle for the perpetuation of his
principles. Now, who was the cause of
this recent attempt to bring about de-
struction of life and property The
guilty parties should he brought TO
justice, and the pulpit should use its
influence to put down crime. We don't
know who was the cause of this recent
outbreak, but If it was the friends of
the strikers who are svmpathizers with
them, the laborlng classes should DIS
countenance their methods, because no
one Is to be more greatly harmed by
these outrages than the lshoring man.
think the American laboring men are
not IN sympathy with crime or mob
law, and they should use every effort
in times ike the present. to convince
the world that thew are not. 1t is time
for all citizens of Grand Rapids 20 say
there must be peace, and to make some
effort to pre- serve II. Contrary to the
belief OF some, | contend ths,
Labor and Capital Are Not Enemies.
but that they work hand m hand la
bor needs the employment afforded by
corporations and corporations cannot
exist thout the cooperation OF labor,
consequently they should not be at
vaTlauce. We must have corporations
to keep mp the Ife OF business and tbss
company has come here 70 accompany
IA. and let rs protect Il. Let Bs not be
AFRAID to let tae people know how We
stand on this question. 1t = lYv con
ducung ourselves wisely that this diffi-
cuitv can he adjusted. and let vs. find
out Who a at the root ~ this trouble
and labor with the guilty parties, and
4 possible have law and ORDER
re rfr.i, rrefes~snnai Wen