Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-04-03


my money in a case like this7 seem
to be rs helpless us either of you"
mo, you're not. You can relieve a
goat deal of distress. Money Is a
great power in that way"
But look here, Eric. Isn't this the
situation? Here are 5000 men out On a
strike. A thousand Of them have been
offered their demands. They have re-
fused out Of sympathy for the rest,
who will never get what they ask, for
can't compel the other companies to
DO what I think Is the right thing.
Now, then, these men are faced with
starvation or at least with great suf-
fering this winter. Shall say to them
practically: Never mind; have mon-
ey. will take care Of you indefinite
" or until the money is gomez It
seems to me that the thousand men
ought to go to work II they have an
offer at their own terms What do you
think, Andrew"
II think as you do. regard the
strike as n disaster. AT the same time
the men are doing us thousands of men
lAtC uOlAC aluu MlA COllllAuc W uO uALlA
we have better system than we have
Mt prescntsof settling the differences
between men who labor with the brain
and those who labor with the hand.
Would 1t be possible to provide the
men with work of any kind, SO that
they would not be fed In idlenessY'
why, what can miners do except
their own kind Of work. WHO can
manufacture work In a country Hike,
this, where the whole industry re-
wolves about one thing? Besides-well,
go on, Eric, II you want to Speak"
said Stuart. who saw Eric impatiently
biting his lips and nervously clinch-
| ing his hands.
81 don't know what to say!" burst
out Eric. 1.-THE whole situation Is
maddening. The men are right, and
the men are wrong. II their methods
of getting justice are at fault; the de-,
mand itself for Justice, believe, is
right. But what can you expect? Who
for all these years has paid any atten-
ton to the human end of this ORE pro-
ducing business? What care do the
men at Cleveland have for the souls or
the development of the souls OF these
men who dig the stuff out of the
ground that helps buy other men cost
" luxuries and fine clothes and houses,
travel, education, pleasures and beau
ties of all sorts? What are we reaping
now but the fruits of a great sowing
OF .selfishness In the one great passion
for money and what 1t will bring? I
ask you two men, who have been rear
ed In finer atmosphere than mine, II
tits not true that the wageworkers of
the world, ignorant or mistaken or
wrong and even vicious though at
times they may have been and are.
still have sinned according TO their
light less deeply or less wholly than
the men of great wealth and education
and social power. am not saying
that we are perfect or never make mis-
takes or that the sellshness, is all on
one side, but l do say that this present
condition would. not now be on US here
II the men who have made their for
tunes by the toll of the miners had act
ed like Christian men. How many Of
the mine owners have got together and
prayed for wisdom to settle this mat
ter right! Not one of them except
Stuart here. And yet-well, when 1
get started feel as IL could break
all bounds. There Is {. fire in my bones
over this problem. don't believe
there is d man living who can devise
a thorough remedy. II he can, he
stands guilty before God for keeping
silent. And this much Is certain: No
man or nation or form Of government
known to civilization is FREQ from these
differences between the men of mus
Gle md the men Of money. Why, only
this morning the papers had telegraph
ic dispatches announcing tremendous
strikes In five different countries
England, France. Germany, Australia
and the United States. There arc
more thnn 100000 men out on strikes
this very minute. 1 know there is
great discomfort, md men say great
foolishness. on the part Of the men of
labor. Grant 1t. The fact Is we live
in an age Of unrest. But ut the bot
tom the whole secret of the trouble lies
In disregard Of humanity In passion
for getting wealth first of all. The
love OF money has wrecked empires,
and II will smash our civilization I'M
less"- Eric stopped abruptly and
buried his face in his hands.
Stuart stepped up to him and laid his
hand on Eric's shoulder. "Well, Eric, -
he said simply. "God will triumph in
the end Let's hold fast to the great
truths that have always been true"
There is no solution of these difficult
ties ]. am sure" said Andrew after a
moment Of quiet In the room. Except
as 1t comes along the religious lines. l
believe the next great factor in what is
called the labor question will be the re.
ligious factor. see no possible hope
for a better condition unless 1t is
brought about by the appeal to and q
belief in Christianity as the real source
of final adjustment of mems relation
with one another In the social compact.
In reality the problem consists in get
ting men on both sides to act like
Christians. There could be no possible
clash. for instance, between you two
men II either one worked for the other,
because You love each other. Love for
one another, therefore, is, after all, the
greatest thing In the world, because II
Is the great and final adjuster of all
social problems and differences"
81 believe that. too" said Stuart, pac.
ing up and down the little room. II
don't question the final triumph of love
and right. But we don't live in the mil.
lennium yet. And we have our own
questions local to us right here and
now"
"Therc can't be any doubt about our
duty to the suffering women and chill
dren," said Andrew. "And can tell
you there's lot of 1t beginning. One
of the worst things about 1t all is the
way the men nre beginning to drink.
What little savings many of them had
are going this way"
Curse the saloon! Oh, curse that
hell on enrth!" cried Eric suddenly.
Stuart and Andrew started at the We.
hemence of his tone. eve go into our