Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-20
LABOR PHILOSOPHY.
Bishop Keune, Mcssrs. Wright, Har-
rfs and McAllister Discuss II.

bishop keune, Mcssrs. Wright, HRr.
rfs and McAllister Discuss II.
The School of Ethics yesterday witnessed
one of the most interesting discussions It
has enjoyed during the present course.
The theme was 1.-THE Relation of the Uni
versity to the Labor Question:" and the
debate was participated in by Bishop
Keane. rector of the Catholic University;
Carroll D. Wright, United States commits
sioner of labor: w. T. Harris, United
states commissioner Of education, and
Prof. James McAllister. principal of Drexel
Institute.
Bishop Keane presided, and opened the
session with a brief review and commen-
dation Of the lecture by Prof. Adams Of
velopment of the labor question was the
development of a philosophy.
Eishop keane maintained that the con-
troll OF human contracts was necessary.
ana that the state should have the power
to execute the moral and ethical features
of such contracts, without granting too
much to the Caesar of authority. In order
to popularize the true philosophy the
public mind must be imbued with its truth
and that is the function of university,
rather than of schools of technology or
other specia- departmental schools. The
university teaches men who are to think
fer the world, for education begins at the
top. and thence reaches the masses The
DUTY OF the university is first to send forth
teachers who will hold to a true phil
osophy. and who will not be mystified by
contradictory. agnostic or skeptical themes,
thus making race of skeptics and ag-
nostics.
They must teach not only phenomena.
but ethical principles. 1t is for man to
direct cosmic forces and not to be gov
erred ny them They must repudiate the
supremacy of the serial contract. The
state has a right to demand that its
money shall not support institutions which
teach phiiosoph.es which experience has
shown to be failures.
Suggestions to Doctrinaires.
Commissioner Harris Endorsed the views
set forth by Bishop Keane. He agreed
with the thought that the university was
the fountain of true knowledge, and he
regretted that there were SO many politi-
cal economists who were teaching false
doctrines as to causes and effects on the
labor question. They were teaching false
notions as to wealth and its relations to
the individual. They would be well en-
picyed If tf'V spent their time investigat-
ing and EXP ding useless theories. They
should find cut the facts in the cases Of
these who contend that they are insufTi-
gently paid by comparing wages with pro-
ducton, actual and relative value of lands,
and assessments. total production, and
ratio of wages. Industrial. agricultural and
commercial.
Commissioner Wright called attention to
the fact that there has been a lack of
sympathy between the laboring man and
the universities. This has been much
changed within recent years. The GOODNESS
between the people and the universities
he deemed TO be due to the professors of
political economy, who taught abstrac-
tons and ignored human relations The
universities are low putting themselves in
direct relation to the people.
Educate the Masaes.
DR.. James McAllister held that the true
solution lay in the education of the
masses. He referred to the long distance
between the laboring man and the uni
versity. Man must be educated, because
he is man. We are succeeding in universal
education so far as elementary education
is concerned. The states are further Civ
ing education, not only in the elementary
schools, but also secondary schools. the
link connecting them with the university.
cambridge and oxford have realized that
the privileges of the university belong TO
the masses of the people, and not only to
me privileged classes. He believed that in
the evolution of society distinctions he
tween man and man would disappear SO
1ar as privileges or opportunities are con-
Cerned