The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-03-21
THE LABOR QUESTION.
Some of Its Aspects as Discussed By
 Dr. Philip Moxom.

some or US ASpeCtS dS DiSSuSScu DS
 Dr. Philip Moxom.
 A large congregation was present at the United church last evening to hear the Rev. Philip s. Moxom, D. D., of Springfield, Mass, discuss Some Aspects of the Labor Problem" He said, in part: 'It is impossible for us to consider the labor question in any other way than by considering it's re- lations to other questions. The laissez faire principle of economies over- turns the foundations of all the moral law of the community. It has been said that Cain was the first to lay down the laissez faire principle when he uttered the inquiry: Am I my brothers keeper?" You will see that I believe that as far as he goes Jesus Christ is a teacher in politics and in society as we'll as in religion. There is a higher principle than that which says that the weaker must be driven to the wall. On the other hand, it is foolish for people to say that the teachings of Christianity will settle all the labor questions.
 'The demands made by laboring men to-day are produced by a higher motive than an increase of wages. The great army of laborers is awakening to higher ideals of life than that which they now enjoy. It is the logical de- velopment of democratic principles It is to these high ideals that we must arbitrate the labor strikes In this country and England which otherwise would be inexplcable. The laborers who suffered and evidenced hardships in these fruitless struggles did it with | the higher ideals for society in view. | They were martyrs for the cause of l better condition for the labor classes" Dr. Moxom said that the more in- | telligent of the laboring classes real | ized that the ends they, desire cannot i be reached by any arbitrary distribu- ton of wealth. The better class are not for the division of wealth, but for equal opportunity for acquiring wealth l and obtaining happiness It is sur- | prising that on the whole the awak- ening to their condition by the labor i irg classes has been so gradual. They l have feeling to-day that they have been sinned against. There Is a feel l ing that the relation of employer and | employe should be on something more than 8 cash basis. The workingnan' s 1 labor is not alone to be reckoned as capital; it is his life. There is feel ing also that there is a great amount of labor unpaid.
 | The combination of capital in our
 time into large corporations has intro- | duced a non-conductor between the employees and the employe. It has 1 also reduced the number of the en-
 ployers in relations to the number of employed.
 It is often said by business men that 1t is more difficult for a young man | to-day to get a foothold than 1t was | years ago. The working classes are aroused to the unjust inequalities
 which exist for the enjoyment of life. Dr. Moxom said that the dangers to
 be anticipated were not from the
 threats of the maudlin drunkard, but
 from men who realized the true con-
 dition of affairs. And those of the
 well-to-do class who while hearing the
 groans of the oppressed are indiffer-
 ent to it or those who have given I then1seivesg over to the wrongs which
 exist. Never, he said, was there a greater need of a pure and undefiled
 religion.