The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1900-05-25
DIR. TALMAGE'S SERMON.
SUNDAYS DISCOURSE BY THE NOTED
DIVINE.
Subject; Labor strikes-A Question a.
Present Import Treated In - Way
Aimed to Bring About "a Better Feeling
Between Employer and EmpIoye.

Subject; Labor StrIkes-A Question al
Present Import Treated In "a Way
Aimed to Bring About Better Feeling
Between Employer and EnpIoye.
copyright 1901
WAsHINGToN, ID. Cat time when IN
various districts labor troubles arc exist.
ing or impending the efforts DR.. Talmagt
makes In this discourse to bring about q
better feeling between both sides OF this
difficult question is well timed; texts, Gala.
tians, ", IS, "But II ye bite and devour one
another, take heed that ye bo not con.
sumed ono OF another" and Philippians
H., 4, Look not every man on his own
things, but every man also on tho things
OF others"
About every six months there is n gront
labor agitation. There arc violent ques
tions now In discussion between employers
and en- poyos. The present STRIKES" will
go into tho past. or course the damage
done cannot Immediately bo repaired.
Wages will not bo 80 high ns they were
Spasmodically thoy mny be higher, but
they will drop lower. Strikes, whether
right or wrong, always inJuro ihbOrers NJ
well as capitalists. You will sec this IN
the starvation OF next winter. BOycotting
and violence and murder never pay. They
are different stages OF anarchy. God never
blessed murder. Tho worst uso you can
put "A man to Is TO kill him.
Tho worst enemies OF tho working classes
In the United States and Ireland are their
domented coadjutors. Years ngo assas-
snatlon-the assassination OF Lord Fred
erick Cavendlsh and Mr.. Burke In Phoenix
Park, Dublin, In tho attempt to aysnge the
wrongs OF Ireland, only turned away from
that afflicted people millions OF sympathlz.
ers. The attempts TO blow up tho house OF
common, In London, had only this effect
to throw out or employment tens of
thousands OF innocent Irish people I'm
England. In this country tho torch put 10
the factories that have discharged hands
for good or bad reason, distractions on
the rail trncks In front OF midnight express
trains because tho offenders do not like
the president OF the company, strikes on
shipbonrd the hour they were going 10
sail, or in printing Offices tho hour the
paper wns to go TO press, or In tho mines
tho day the coal was TO be delivered, or on
house scaffoldings 80 tho builder fails In
keeping his contract-nll these are only
hard blow on the head o; American labor
and cripple its arms and lame It's feet and
pierce It's heart. Traps sprung suddenly
upon employers and violence never took
one knot out OF the knuokles OF toll or put
iarthiDg OF wages into calous palm
Frederick tho Great admired some land
near his palace Rt Potsdam, aud ho re.
solved TO get II. IL was owned by n miller
He offered tho miller threo times tho ynlue
take It because II was the old homestead
and he felt about as Naboth felt about his
vineyard when Ahab wanted IT, Frederick
the Grent was rough and terrible man
and he ordered tho miller into his pres.
ence, aud the king, with stick IN his hnnd
"A stick with which he sometimes struck
the officers of state--said TO tho miller.
"Now, have offered ,you three times the
value Of that property, and IL you Won't
sell 1t I'll take 1t anyhow" Tue miller said,
Your majesty you won't "Nes." said
the king; II will take it," "Theu " said
the miller, III your majesty does take Il
will sue you In the chancery court" At
that threat Frederick the Great yielded his
Infamous demand, And tho most imperl.
Gus outrage against tho working classes
will yet cover before tho law. Violence and
defiance OF the law will never accomplish
anything, but righteousness and slhImis.
sion TO the law will accomplish IL.
But gradually the damages done tho
laborer by tho strikes will bo repaired. and
some important things ought now 10 be
snid. The whole tendency OF our times, as
you have noticed, Is TO mako the chasm
between employer and emplove wider and
wider. In olden time tho head man OF the
factory. the master builder, tho capitalist.
the head man OF the firm, worked side h,
side with their employees, working some.
times at the same bench, dining nj IN,
can remember tho time when the clerks of
large commercial establishments were nc.
customed TO board with the head men OF
the firm.
All that Is changed, and the tendency Is
10 make the distance between employer
and employe wider and wider. The ten
dency Is TO make the employe feel that ht
Is wronged by the success OF the capitalist
and to make the capitalist feel "Now. my
laborers are only beusts OF burden. must
give so much money for 80 much drudgery
Just so many pieces of silver for so many
bends OF sweat" In other words, tn,
bridge OF sympathy is broken down at both
ends.
That feeling was we'll described by
Thomas Carlyle when he said: "plugson
of st. Dolly Undershot, buccanecrlike,
says to his mem Noble spnners, this T.
the hundredth thousand we have gained
wherein / mean to dwell and plant my
vineyards. The hundred thousand pound
Is mine; the daily wago was yours. Adieu
noble spinnersl Drink my health with this
groat each, which j give you over and
above"
Now what we want Il to rebuild that
bridge OF sympathy, and l put the trowcl
TO one OF the abutments to-day, and
preach more especially TO employers ~
such, although what ! have TO Say will be
appropriate to both employers and em.
Tne behavior OF n muL .itude OF laborera
toward their employers during the last
three months may have induced some en-
ployers TO neglect the real Christian duties
that they owe to those whom they employ.
Therefore | want TO say TO you whom I
coniron, face TO face and those TO whom
these words may come that all shipownefs.
nll capitalists. all commercial firms. all
master builders, all house wives, are bound
TO be Interested In the entire welfare O.
their subordinates.
Years ago some one gave three prescrlp.
lions Tor becoming n millionaire: "First,
spend your life In getting and keeping the
earnings OF other people; secondly, have
no anxiety about the worriments, tn
tosses, the dsappointments OF Others:
thirdly. do not mind tho fact that your
vast wealth implies the poverty OF grea;
many people"
Now. there is not man here who would
consent 10 60 into life with those threo
principles 10 earn a fortune. IL IL your de
sire 10 DO your whole duty to the men aud
women in your service.
First OF all. then. pay ne large wages -
are reasonable and ne your business will
anor5 not necessarily what others pay.