The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-08-29

/ by the principles OF lustlce anu VI Ptu
dence, and their actions are confined
within the bounds prescribed by the
laws Of God and our country, they
never faiI TO enlist public opinion IN
their favor. The great masses Of the
people in every country are the tollers
engaged in skilled or unskilled labor
and there is no -question but that theil
| interests, which are the interests OF the
country at large, are best subseryed BY
wise combinations. The right OF thus
banding together for mutual protection
and cooperation, no one would thlni
OF denying. .
Labor" already referred to, the Pope
says expressly that this right to entel
into such unions sis the natural right
Of man; and the state must protect
natural rights, not destroy them; and
ifit forbids its citizens to form assocla'
tons, it contradicts the very principle
OF its own existence; for both they and
il exist in virtue OF the same principle,
viz: the natural propensity Of mon to
live in society,"" As this encyclical OF
the Pope contains most luminous eX-
position Of this whole subject, have
placed some copies Of 1t in the hands OF
the president OF the local division Tor
any who may wish to read it.
But in Justly claiming the right to
fair compensation for their work; the
right to choose their work and their
employers; the right to use all lawful
means to redress their grievances and
to organize themselves for mutual sup
port and protection, workingmen must
not forget
THE DUTIES OF LABOR.
Inequalityin the possession of worldly
goods is condition OF society that has
always existed and that cannot be
eliminated. Indeed there are many
evident reasons why, in the economy OF
Divine Providence, this inequality
should exist. The hardships it i'm
poses may be more than outweighed by
the blessings it confers. AS reasonable
beings, we must deal with the
inevitable facts of human lie and not
suffer ourselves to be deiuded by
Utopian dreams which will never be
realized. As members OF society We
must live in mutual dependence on one
another, the poor upon the rich, and
the rich upon the poor II capital
needs labor, labor also needs capital.
Both have unquestionable rights as also
correlative obligations.
A fair compensation for labor having
been determined, tho workman lsbound
in honor and conscience to perform the
work agreed upon. The task he con-
tracts to fulfill, must be such in quality
and quantitp as the terms OF his con-
tract demand; otherwise he does not
render to his employer an equivalent
for the compensation received, and he
Is guilty OF on injustice. OF every
honest man, it must be truthtully said:
His word is as good as his bond"
Again, when employees bargain to
work at certain fair price for fixed
time, they are bound, in Justice as well
as in honor, to keep their engagement,
if failure on their part entails loss on
their employers:
Moreover, whilst theright OF workmen
to strike or discontinue work, unless in
so doing they are violating engagements
binding upon them, is conceded by all,
the exercise OF this right cannot be en-.
forced by any means that are unlawful
or unjust. They must not presume to
take the law into their own hands, for
no government can toleratesuch usuEpa-
ton. They must abstain from violence
and from all malicious injury to the
property OF others.
Whilst claiming the right to work or
not to work themselves, they must grant
the same right to their fellow-workmen.
They are not permitted to accomplish
by violent measures what their employ
ers' sense Of injustice and public opin-
ion, and the laws OF the land cannot
procure them. It is their duty, as it is
the duty OF all good citizens, to make
any needed sacrifices in the interests OF
law aud order and the peace OF society.
If we have witnessed scenes OF yio-
lence enacted in connection with labor
strikes" we have seen also most COM
mendable spirit of self.control and re-
spect for law shown by our working
classes undermos trying circumstances.
All the acts OF lawlessness committed in
the excitement inseparable from such
abnormal conditions, cannot be justly
charged to the men most interested in
the outcome OF such movements. In
every large city, especially, will necessa-
rily be found an element delighting in
disorder and anarchy, and to this class
may be attributed in great measure the
troubles created at the time Of strikes.
These troubles can only be ayerted by
the workmen themselves cooperating
actively, under cool and prudent lead
ers, in maintaining the peace and re-
pressing violent outbreaks. This is
their duty, and its faithful discharge
will always add strength to every just
cause in which they may be engaged.
That such will be your course in the
future as it has been in the past, l am
firmly convinced-as long at least as
you follow the wise counsels OF leader
as clear-sighted, as far-seeing, as just
and prudent as is the present grand
chief OF your Brotherhood.
THANK you, gentlemen, for the close
attention you have given to the words
Of advice which / have presumed to
offer you"
THE CLOSE OF THE MEETING.
NS,k AIInP tbo Snno ava nm tI,a Prowrnmmo