The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-02-01
the TIVE, BIsaENTS.

We find the following olitorial article
in the Southern Churchmen:
To what extent the clergy should as
cuss social questions, "ficE are very
prominent in modern civilization, no one
can give answer. Taking for granted thdt
they understand what they are 70 SPEAK
about. these questions 20 down deep INTO
morals. and morals are part OF Chrls-
tfanitv. 4 series of Advent sermons was
preached by Rev. Mr.. Eide. rec'0i OF
Cateehcad-on-Tyne England, lie taking
for his subject Christ and the Claims OF
Labor" lie showed that these social
problems have their origin in competition
and mechanical Inventions, which have
revolutionlzed the methods Of production
which. If We do not consider now, II IS
because we have discussel them In part
in leading article on another page.
What NJ. Eide testified 10 were The
Claims of Labor TO a Living Wage TO
Proper Dwellings" anu "ro Shorter
Hours" Surely any Christian minister
ought to be able to understand that II
men do not eacn wages sufficient to sup
port themselves and family in dccency
there is something wrong either IN the
employer or in the system. These matters
are not mere questions of Political econ
omy. but questions Of righteousness. las
any man the right to employ his brother
man at wages by which he can by no pos
sibility live "A respectable life? one sees
when the question Is thus presented. II
has gotten away from politics and pollcy
into the region Of righteousness. heiher
there will be or can be any end to com
petition BY the competitors themselves
we do not think likely. That the Govern
pent. i'm some wise way will have 10 rule
"a OF
There should be not party politicians,
there should be wise legislators, capable
of solving these problems. mat are they
for-ve do not mean what are politicians
for: that is plain cnOugh-but what mas
God made legislators for IL they cannot
get these social questions out OF the
mouths of politicians and stump orators
and make them 30 plain that people can
act as humane people.
We have met with no article in any
Populist or labor journal from which we
more distinctly and cmphaticaly dissent
than we do from the teachings Of this
article If the Churchman meant no
more than that it is the duty Of minis
ters of the Gospel to preach justice, mer-
cy and generosity to men, in the hope that
such teachings would incline their minds
and hearts TO that kindly feeling that en-
sures consderate treatment by employers
Of their employees, We should have moth
ing but words Of approval for 1t. But
that is not what the Churchman means
When it talks of the claims OF labor
to living wage. TO proper dwellings and
to shorter hours" and then adds that
the Government, in some wise way viii
have to rule these subjects seems
to grow palmer. There should
be wise legislators capable Of
solving these problems" it means
that the relations between employ
er and employe. the hours of labor
and the price to be paid for it should be
regulated and determined by the law
making power of the land.
Now this proposition, which is the propo-
sition of the Socialist in government. is
diametrically opposed to every tenet that
The Times holds ana advocates. The
Times insists that a mans labor is a
thing which he mas TO sell, and that it
must fan under the same law That gov
ems in any other case when one has
ANYTHING TO sell, and that is that he
is 10 get for it what some other man
is willing to pay. The price of labor can
no more ne fixed by legislation than the
price of wheat or turnips or bedsteads
1t is not worth any more than the market
price. and it is beyond The power of any
human law TO add one silver more to the
value of it, We have so frequently and
so elaborately argued this point that we
see no occasion 10 so over the ground
again. We content ourselves At this
time therefore. with entering the most
energetic protest against the Churchman' 5
doctrine that we can make.