The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1900-09-15
RIGHTS AND DUTIES OF LABOR
BY CARDINAL GIBBONS.


say labor contributes to the pros
perity of the country, and whatever
contributes to a nations welfare is
worthy Of commentator. It is not the
office or occupation that disnifies the
man, but it is the man that dignifies
the Office
: Honor and shame from no condition rise;
Act well your part-there all the honor
lies"
Cincinnatus lent dignity to agricul-
ture by working at the pillow!
Caligula by an infamous life degraded
his crown and imperial purple.
De TocqueviIle could not pay juster
and more beautiful tribute of praise
to the genius of our country than when
the wrote, in 1885, that every honest oc-
cupation il the United States was hon
orable
The honest Industrious man is hon
ored among us whether he work with
his hands or with his brains, because
he is an Indispensable factor in the ma
tons progress. He is the bee in the
social hive: he is the benefactor of his
race, because he is always producing
! something for the commonwealth.
Our sympathies for those in our en-
ploy, whether in the household, the
mines or the factory, are wonderfully
quickened by putting ourselves in their
! place and asking ourselves how we
would wish to be treated under the
/ circumstances.
We should remember that they are |
orr fellow haingS. tba+ tba,y hove fool
ings like ourselves; that they are stung
by sense of injustice, repealed by an /
overbearing spirit and softened by |
kindness. and that it largely rests with /
us whether our hearts and homes are
to be clouded with sorrow or radiant
with ioy
Surely men do not amass wealth for
the sole pleasure of counting their
bonds and of contemplating their gold
in secret. No. they acquire it in the
hope that it will contribute to their ra-
tional comfort and happiness. Now,
there is no enjoyment in life so pure
and so substantial as that which
springs from the reflection that others
are made content and happy by our be-
nevolence. And l am speaking here
not of the benevolence of gratuitous
bounty but of fair dealing, tempered (
with benignity.
1t dr0ppeth as the gentle rain from {
Upon the place beneath; it is twice
bless d: t
1t blessed him that gives, and him that !
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it be- $
comes g
The throned monarch better than his q
crown. I
While applauding the tender feelings
and magnanimitv of any capitalist. 1 I
am constrained in the interest of truth,
and religion to protest
against the heartless cvonduct of S
others, whose number. for the honor of
our country, is. 1 hope comparatively |
small. 7
No friend of his race can contemplate d
without painful emotions those heart II
ess monopolists exhibiting a grasping d
lvarice, which has dried up every SEN =
iment of sympathy, and a sordid sell :,
ishness which is deaf to the cries Of =,
distress. Their sole aim is to realize :;
arge dividends, without regard to the :.
paramount claims of justice and Chris :,
ian charity. These trusts and monop- ),
lies, like the car of juggernaut, crush D
very obstacle that stands in their way. /,
They endeavor. not always, it is al -
eyed. without success. to corrupt our :,
ational and state legislatures and mu- =,
icipal councils. They are so intoler- "
mt of honest rivalry as to use unlaw- u
vi means in driving from the market
IL copeting industries. They compel :.
heir operatives to work for starving =,
wages, especially in mining districts - =,
nd factories, where protests have but -
feeble echo and are easily stiled by -
~
In many places the corporations are -
aid to have the monopoly of stores Of ai
upply. where exorbitant prices are
harged for the necessaries of life: bills di
re contracted which the workmen are -
nable to pay from their scanty wages u
nd their forced insolvency places
hem entirely at the mercy of their m n
administers. Wv