The Progress. (Shreveport, La.) 1892-1900, 1896-08-27

A PLEA FOR LABOR.
A Sr LOUIS ClERGYMAN'S STRONG
APPEAL TO THE MASTERS.

Society Owes Heavy Debt t." the Toilcrs,
tho Delivers and Diggers-A Burning
: Protest Against the Madness Bred I'm
( der the Rule OF Mammon.
Rev. Frank Tyrrcll delivered the first
of his series Of lectures on Labor and
Capital" at the Central Christian
church, Finney avenue, st. Louis. re
Gently. He took for his subject "a Plea
For the Employee. his text being,
"Mastcrs. render unto your servants
that which is just and equal, knowing
that yc also have Master in heaven
(Colossians iv, u. He delivered several
side thrusts at the attitude adopted
toward the working classes and closed
his lecture with an earnest plea Tor the
Saturday half holiday and Sabbath holi-
day.
Mr.. Tyrrell's remarks in brief were
as follows: Tho employed classes are
so numerous that the individual IS over
looked Tie proprietor OF a great store
we treat with Difference, but the clerk
we tax to the very limit Of his or her
endurance and whisk away without even
a kind glance at tie pale face Of the
tired worker We take the existence OF
clerks, servants and labOrcrs very much
as we do pieces Of furniture. Even
clerks themselves when they 90 shop
ping are apt T. be unk1nd. Now the
prosperity Of the community to great
extent depends upon the employees.
They earn interest dividends and profits;
the employees can easier dispense with
the employer than he with them, and
this they do in cooperative establish
mcnts. We should realize our indebted
ness to these classes The hrawny fell
lows who dig our sewers and keep them
in repair are making a heavy cOntlihu-
ton to the public health and happiness.
When You cross the threshold OF your
home, remember that its creation IS as
much the work of the hod carriers as OF
the artist whose masterpieces adorn It's
walls
"Lct us in the first place cultivate a
feeling of respect for the great indus
trial army. | mean particularly those
who are employed III some subordinate
, capacity-thc clerks who have to bear
with CapriciOus customers and dlctatO-
, rial managers, the bookkccpcr pcrched
, ON his futurclcss stool, the stenographer
, clicking out volumes of correspondence,
, the factory hand, as automatic as the
, nerveless Instruments around him
these and all like them are the people
| to whom we are indebted and for whom
, we should entertain profound re-
, spect. These toilers are willing to plod
, and they count their gains by the slow
gathering of Titles. They are willing
/ to work until the fingers ache, the head
, swims and the feet stumble and say
all honor to them.
{ Society owes it to these toilers that
they have helpful, CHEEKY surroundings.
1t is well known fact that health and
morals are closely related, and then, be-
sides, human life is sacred. We seem to
, have come upon time Of cruel and
fendiSh malignity when property rights
, are esteemed above human rights. A
greedy corporation stretches its light
. ming laden wires above our heads the
( air is filled with web Of death and we
, cry put the wires underground in vain,
: Men and women are often permitted to
toll with dangerous machinery, I'M.
guarded, or the buildings are close,
crowded and sitting with poor ventlla'
{ ton or none. This arouses craving for
stimulants. Buildings should be erected
? with due regard to ventilation. Where
3 clerks are net busy all the time seats
| should be provided for an occasional
rest We demand equal wages for equal
+ work, with no distinction on account OF
age and sex. Sometimes yOungster is
, found doing mans work, but he does
it for boys wages. This is downright
injustice and if possible more cruel
, forms of this injustice are seen when
women doing the same work that men
Q do are paid less. 1t Is infamous to rob
9 any one, young or DID, but it is the eli
max Of devilish ingenuity to defrau'
and Cypress widows and orphans.
1.-THE manhood Of the commonwealth
{ ought to speak out on this subject, not
3 simply from ChiyalrOus regard for
9 woman, but because justice demands it.
: 1.-The rigid enforcement Of the Sun"
0 day law and permanent Saturday half
. holiday are demanded by the exigencies
of modern life. We are entering on the
age of electricity. Men are hurried at
business and hurried at home hurried
D in their work and hurried in their play
Q and hurried finally to their graves. The
. church is caught up in the mad whir|
Q and the choir must hurry and the
l preacher must hurry through his sermon
, and say amen III the middle of bis
t prayer.
} Zone day last week we had four sui,
cides. Is it any wonder? In the name OF
toiling, suffering men / protest against
| this madness We are living too fast.
We need quiet Sabbaths. We ought to
: have $,arof Sabbath days like the an
cient j..bilce Of the Hebrews. but we a,
r least have our weekly rest days. Build