The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-09-04

III ti-4S 1dl1lOus t1CNCllCsiL on AaDOT
Leo XIII. proclaims that the elements
of conflict are unmistalable The mo
mentous seriousness Of the present
state of things"-vlA, the conflict be-
tween capital and labor-fills every
mind with painful apprehension; wise
men discuss It; practical men propose
schemes; popular meetings. legislatures
and sovereign princes all are occupied
with it-and there is nothing which has
a deeper hold on public attention OF
course there Is nothing which has a
deeper hold on public attention. Prop
er understanding OF the rights Of class
and mass, of the obligations Of
capital and the Just rights Of honest
labor means the peace, order and per
petuity of governments, be they the gov
eminent of empires, kingdoms or repub-
lies Wisely, then, has Leo NH
thought It useful to speak on the
conditions of labor. He sees. clear
" that it is not easy 20 define the rela-
tive rights and mutual duties of wealth
and labor, but he recognizes that we
are face 10 face with the condition all
over the world, and he insists that all
good, just and wise men agree that
there can be no Question whatever
that some remedy must be found for
the misery and Indebtedness which
press SO heavily at this moment on the
large majority of the poor. The SOW
ereign pOntiff further sees that the
contract system of labor is radically
defective and that the concentration
of so many branches of trade in the
hands of few individuals is radically
wrong, for such systems create corrupt
ing monopolies and trusts by concen-
trating with the small number CT
tho very rich great powers of oppres-
sion that enable them to practice In
justice and may, through the agency
OF corrupt Legislation, lay upon the
masses of the poor q yoke little better
than slavery itself would say, with
all due respect to the holy fathers
words, a yoke worse than slavery
which was known in this country
before the famous emancipation
proclamation Of Abraham Lincoln.
The industrial slavery of to-day IS IN
many respects more heinous crime
against the law of God than was tho
chattle slavery of the south. The
master in slave days looked after hts
chattle servant very much II the same
way that the rich, dishonest, Legal
robber Of the trust and monopoly |
looks after his valuable horse IL cost |
him so much money. il must be cared |
for, fed and housed, that il may give I
pleasure and create other beings 70 /
add TO the pleasure and luxury Of 4
the master The trust and mo- !
nopoly robber of to-day who will /
give twenty thousand dollars and /
more for fast horse would 1
not dream Of giving ten thousand dol
lars for human being endowed with 4
int diligence, willing and able 20 labor,
possessed Of an immortal soul that
bears the image and Likeness Of God
On the contrary, be believes IN the few
hiring brain and muscle at the lowest
possible figure and using the creatures
life blood for his own security and iux-
urious indulgence. II Is this system
and scts like these that make the holy
father, Leo Kill, say: Therefore those
whom fortune favors are warned that
freedom from sorrow, and Abundance
of earthly riches, are no guarantee OF
the beatitude that shall never end, but
rather the contrary; that the rich
should trembls at the threatening Of
Jesus Christ, threatening so STANCE ia
the mouth Of cur Lord; and that most
strict account should be given % the
Supreme Judge Of all we possess"
You have here facts and sentiments
coming from the mind and heart Of The
head OF The Catholic church, appealing
70 the clergy and lately throughout
the world 70 take ? deep interest IN the
greatest question OF the hour for the
safety Of society-the labor question
Leo XIII says Every minister Of The
holy religion must throw into this con
iict Of capital and labor al the energy
q his mind. all the strength Of bis sn-
throughout the church that they
,hould be the leaders ia this move
nent; that he priest, supported by the
% the bishops and snco1r-
aged By their example, shogld never
ease % urge UPON men o. al classes.
Ipon the high "a well as the lovly.
the Gospel doctrines Of Christian life.
Ind By every means in Their power
strive "a bring about the kingdom q
rod s justice Upon earth, and
eek 20 have Gods VII done
n justice n the raic4: Of
nen- Wow there are, think,
yer ten thousand p-ies.S "A
he United States II all thsse u,en,
81 By tbs bishops sounded this var
- OF TIE holy father ali along -
me. do roc not s5ink thsy EouA r-a-le
be sagar trusts and ~ EhlslCy tr1s.s
nd a. he other trusts Htterly I'd :
worthy q being truEsesi2 And 20 rat
er how rnuch nsonev ~ sugzT roor-
-ers nigh. hare. when they EczHozI-
dge - afr = - Ma:hiess-r one %
be PRINCIPAL p-prnoterN 81 the sgrz-
-uss-fo- = number q T-a-s I hare
az6e two hEndred p~r csn1 - Least
pm the zraount e zsF InTesszaezts.
.ercx - en- a 3. i Ls.srzr ~ 81 - :