St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-07-11
THE CARNEGIE RIOT
Interestingly Discussed in a
Sermon Yesterday by
DR.. Smith.
Manufacturers Always Will.
ing to Divide Poor Years
With Labor,
But When Did Carnegie Offer
= to Divide Up His
= - Profits ?

to Divide Up His
. - Profits ?
| Politics Aside, What Can We
Look to as the Rem
-e edy ?
~. From the text. taken from the we'll
known Scripturai quotation: "On earth,
peace" Rev. s. q. Smith, of the Peo-
pies church, preached an interesting
ana Instructive sermon yesterday on
the labor trouble at Homestead. He
eliminated all such questions as the
tariff andits political bearing, and dis
cussed the subject from a purely eco:
ilomic standpoint. In substance he
said: .....s.
1t is not needful to recall, with any
attempt at vividness, the scenes and in
cIdents of the great riot during the past
week at MIR. Carnegie's mills. As a
picturesque aud sensational affair. 1t is
not so much a theme for the pulpit as it
Is material for the newspapers. 1t is
enough to speak simply and briefly of
the recognized facts. The wages of part
OF the men were cut down. The new
scale was not acceptable. Organized
labor was preparing for strike. and or
ganized capital shut down the mills. The
property had already been converted by
means OF barricade, electricity. and other
appliances into fairly satisfactory fort,
lfit could once-be filled with defenders.
INs,vf fni, ktn
watchinen were met by an angry con-
course of thousands of unemployed
worklngmen. Perhaps only judicial in
curry can settle the question as to who
fired the first shot. But the dead are
buried, and the wounded still lie on beds
of pain. The PinkertOnS were COM
PEELED to surrender, and were marched
unarmed between files of angry men,
women and children, who pelted them
with clubs and stones until they reached
a temporary Jail, from which, in short
time, they were released by the authors
| ties. So much for the facts.
We,will not discuss the question as to
| its effect upon the fortunes of political
parties and coming elections. Those
are themes for the politician and the
stump. 1t is all event which will affect
and influence the money market and
! the business world, but from that point
of view it is a question for the tinancier.
This event, however, at Homestead
has its profound relations to American
life. American morals, and American
society. 1t is, therefore. topic for the
pulpit and the preacher. For our
better understanding of the problem,
it is very fortunate that the event
occurred in connection with Mr..
Carnegie, for he is not simply
a nameless manufacturer, but we'll
known Scotch-American citizen, pro-
fesSiOnal philanthropist. and in his way
man of letters. 1t is very fortunate
that we know so much about him, for it
will help us I'M
Solution OF the Questions
hat must arise. | remember him very
we'll as hepaced the Geek of the steam
ship Columbia" on journey across
the Atlantic two years ago. A little
man, with closely trimmed iron-gray
hair and beard, a keen gray-bIue eve,
and q face as weather beaten as a pilots.
At least, so ne looked, pacing
the deck in suit of closely
hitting dark blue clothes with cap to
match. The vigOr in his stride
if he could have sbeen wholly uncon-
''swing of conquest" but, as it was, the
little man stood so preternaturally
straight that he impaired little nerv-
Gus hitch to his gait. and you could not
help feeling that the great manufacturer
was continually trying to nullify the
Scripture, which declares it to be i'm
possible for any man to add cubit to
his stature.
About midway between the Pittsburg
railroad riots of III and the present riot
at Homestead, MIR. Carnegie published
h &c fNnra lad Grt,
Ocracy." This book deals with the rise
OF American institutions. especially in
their relation to commercial prosperity,
ana in it the author tells the story of
American triumphs, social and politi-
cal, as well as in the pursuit of agri-
culture, mining and manufacture. The
book is study of the United States
census set to rhetoric and gratiied
American pride as much as it disturbed
our English cousins. In this book Mr..
Carnegie has a good deal to say about
the social and political respect in which
labor is held, and speaks about the
American value Of manhood with that
peculiar flavor which belongs TO the
Fourth of July Grafton. 1t is because
of his social and polit ical equal
ity that the American workman
is so contented. Mr.. Carnegie uses
these words: 1.-The reign of the Democ-
racy means ultimately no less than the
reign of peace on earth, among men
good WILL" Mr.. Carnegie had forgotten
the PittSburg riots: he could not foresee
the Homestead outbreak. and yet have
no doubt that our unconscious prophet
wrote wiser than he knew. There is a
great deal in this book about the in
crease In manufactures and the in
creased power and value of improved
machinery. For instance, we are told
that in one line of manufacture the
product increased in the decade be-
tween 10 and 80 Az per cent, while
the number of hands increased only
214 yer cent, while the capital increased
434 per cent. Mr.. Carnegie does not
tell us what was the percentage of i'll
crease in the wages of the wcrkmen.
This omission is significant.
Beside this book, Mr.. Carnegie has
appeared in pamphlets and magazine
articles as an authority on both the ad-
vantageS of poverty and the uses of
wealth. In his discussion of the uses of
wealth he reads vulgar and rich men
consumed by their own selfshness a
very severe lecture. He says there are
three ways of disposing of surplus
wealth. 1t may be left to the family,
left to the public, OF, thirdly, given
away during life. With some very
severe comments upon the two former
methods, Mr.. Carnegie asserts that a
wealthy man should give away his
money during life.
This Is Gospel
which his bitterest critics will be COM
PEELED to say Mr.. Carnegie has not only
preached, but, considering his years.
| since he is by no means an old man, lie
has already very largely practiced: for
the libraries which he has founded, the
| arts which he has encouraged and his
various public benefactions are well
known on both sides of the Atlantic
| Mr.. Carnegie asserts that the million
| aire is natural and necessary product
| of modern civilization. We cannot get
| along without him. 1t is the survival of
| the fittest in trade. The concentration
| of capital will go on. Its only limit
is -tha Iaana mi Iaec h.ain 4Lso