The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1896-07-09
STRONG TALK
IN A SERMON DELIVERED BY
MGR. THROPE
At the Funeral of a Striker Who Was
Killed During Riot In Cleveland
Canton People Attend the Fu-
neral Sunday Afternoon.

| Cleveland papers pronounce the funefal
of william Rettger the striker who was
killed by non-unioD lahorer, rs he be-
lieved, in elf-defense, as the largest ever
held in Cleveland before and since the
funeral of President James A. Garfield.
All the labor unions were out In force
and many delegations from cities outside
of Cleveland were in attendance. Canton
sent a number Of men from the Trades
Assembly and Typographical Union, and
other unions were also represented.
The services were held at the Church of
the Immaculate Conception, and the SER
mon was preached by Mgr. Thorpe, who
is well known in Canton. His sermon was
remarkable one, a nd he touched upon the
issues between capital and labor in terms
that could not be misunderstood. Among
other things Mgr. Thorpe said:
"God has decreed that man shall earn
his bread In the sweat Of his brow, or that
he shall always labor. There are three
kinds of men who live in the world.
There is class which, by virtue Of inher-
itance, or in other ways, lives in ease and
lsziness. They are the drones of society,
and however, much we may condemn
them you will concede with me that they
have a right to the enjoyment Of what
they possess. The other two Glasses are
capital and labor. active capital, placed
inso an industry or manufacturing enter
prise or the sciences, or used to stimulate
invention, is one class. The other is labor,
and without 1t the world could not get
along. When a man places his money in
savings hank he has right to the inter.
est it brings him. This you will concede
When he places 1t In an enterprise he has
right to the income, and has also right
to the management. Because Of the risk
In an enterprise he is entitled to greater
return than IL he had his money In a saw
ings bank. He has right to the intel
lecutal direction of the enterprise, and IL
he sometimes oversteps this right there is
no Law except that of the, Eternal to pre-
vent him. know very we'll that these
men often do forget their laborers. speak
Catholics, as brothers as wage-earners
whom have an interest In second only
to the interest have in my immortal
soul.
"There are very often differences be-
tween employer and employe, and the
only tribunal is public sentiment. This
is at best a very unstable one, but we
must do with it until we have better.
God has so arranged it that men are al
ways to work. That they have the right
to make terms as favorable as possible
no one can deny. They would be untrue
to themselves II they did otherwise. When
the employer is making larger profits
than usual, you have the right to demand
higher wages. That is your right He
may not Loncede to the demand, and sus-
tained by the law, we cannot touch him
in this position. You have the right to
band together If you wish tc secure your
rights. Then there is another class of men
who for some reason of their own, don't
desire to band with you, thinking per-
haps, that they can get along better alone
by themselves. That is their right You
know, my dear friends, to your sorrow,
of the scenes OF bloodshed and riot that
have occurred In the last few days. Your
employer may have been unreasonable,
yet he is sustained by law, and you can
gain nothing by violence. My advice to
you is to stand in the grandeur of labur
and demand your rights. But don't use
violence or foul epithets. Use moral
suassion, if you wish, against those who
see fit to take your places, but remember
they have rights co-equal with your own.
My advice tn you Is to be calm, and by
your manly forbearance appeal to the
Judgment of public sentiment. Firmly
approach your employer as man. Let
the thing be settled between man and
man. Go either as a committee, or II net
acceptable as committee, go as indivi-
duals. Don't say to me that this Is not In
accordance with orgaL lied labor. have
for many years thought that the men
who were members of labor unions did
not have enough individuality, nor have
they done enough thinking for themselves.
Too often have they allowed others to do
their thinking for them and to bring
them into trouble.
American labor is the most dignifled
on the face of the earth. Here, in this
land of the free, the artisan Is as good as
the capitalist. Your brother lost his life
in your cause, in the cause Of labor. For
you he came within the range of the fatal
bullet. You should demand of the state
that it furnish a tribunal where all dis
putes can be settled between employer
and employe, You should pay no atten-
tion to the thoughtless labor agitator or
to the Anarchist or Communist who come
to this country preaching socialism and
other pernicious doctrines.
"Don't believe any man when he tells
you that capital is labor's enemy. Cap
ital is not labor's enemy, During the past
week there have been many incendiary-
speeches by certain labor agitators. Be-
ware of them and then men who come
from the slums of Europe where men are
not men, who, with fine language, inoite
you to deeds of violence am glad TO
know from your officers that violence is
mono OF your weapons. You must remem-