The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1894-11-02
THE CHURCH AND LABOR.

Mr. A. q. Fletcher, editor OF the Lor
) don Daily Chronicle, delivered an intel
estiDg address at the reunion confer
; ence at Grindelwald, Ing. on the sub
ject "The church and its relation I
labor" While his ideas advanced ap
ply directly to the social conditions o
England, yet the general spirit o
them will apply with equal force ii
this country.
He considers the present labor move
ment to be, not an independent move
ment, but rather a part Of the transi
tion from individualism to altruism, or
IN other words, from selfshness tc
brotherliness. which has been the mark
ed feature Of recent ethical and polltica
movements.
Although 1t would seem to us he II
mistaken when 1t comes to practical
application, yet he maintains that the
struggle is not merely a question OF
wages, but an effort on the part of
the masses to improve their material
condition so as to remove obstacles in
the way Of moral progress.
In regard to the political Economy
OF the Gospel" he says: "You ask me
to define living wage. 1 frankly tell
you cannot The living wage to me is
a living principle, which is-that wages
shall govern contracts, and not con-
FRO ota mo oao That 4t,a oo,tto1t.te ct,o1i
not be allowed to enter into cut-throat
competition with the assumption that
they can recoup themselves from loss
by taking 1t out of wages"
1--WE are told that this principle is
contrary to political economy. 1t is
not contrary to the political economy
Of the New Testament, which is quite
good enough for me, and I am pre-
pared to say quite good enough for the
greatest and most scientific of political
economists, John Ruskin."
The unemployed he divided into two
classes-the wealthy, or those engaged
in non-producing employmerts, who, he
says, are paid into idleness; and the
poor, who are forced into idleness. In
regard to the former class, the sta
tistics show that England pays an
nually about $4O,OOO,OO for keeping peo-
pie in idleness.
1t is useless for the unemployed to
direct their attention to agriculture, as
agriculture is depressed owing to a
reversal of the land policy of Jesus:
Jesus said: BLESSED are the meek,
for they shall inherit the EARTH" but
in England we say, BLESSED are the
proud, for they shall inherit the EARTH"
Mr.. Fletcher suggests that the 26,OOO,-
900 acres of waste land could be util-
lied in growing timber, whereby Eng
land could produce all the timber she
now imports at a cost of $3O,OOO,OOO per
year. and in so doing give employment |
to 10000 men for forty years.
Concerning the duty of the church,
he says: "Why should not the church
insist upon the Importance of the gov
ernment taking up some such scheme
as the above?
Why should not the church start an
experiment in farming? Even If 1t
cost money 1t Is better than chucking
It away in doles. The churches have
IN immense power OF raising money.
II some of the large sums raised by
The churches from motives of great
were devoted to expert
mental agriculture, 1t would do much
10 solve the question Of the unemploy-
ID"
We in America would not think of the
ihurch experimenting in agriculture,
yet this suggestion concerning the use
# waste lands in England may lead
Is to consider the same question on this
ide Of the Atlantic.
MARIE TEMPLETON.