The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-07-22
SAGE WORDS
FROM PULPIT
DELIVERED BY REV. ALBERT
HATCHER SMITH.
This Country Passing Through It's
Fourth Great Test-Goal of the
Present Struggle Between Employ
er and Employe Is the Sharing of
Profits-Principle of Strikes Is
Wrong-There Are but Rare occas-
ions When They Can Be Justified.
Strikers Often Forget.

strikers OFTEN Forget.
Rev. Albert Hatcher Smith, the new
pastor of the North Main Avenue
Baptist church, presented some inter-
osting views on the labor question last
night in a sermon preached in the tenn
porary tabernacle located at the cor
ner of Oak street and North Main ave-
nue..
Rev. Mr.. Smith began his remarks by
announcing that the industrial work.
ers are the real power i'm this country
today. The average workingman, ac-
cording to statistics, he said, earns
more money yearly In this country
than does the clergyman or the law
yer. The industrial workers, he said,
had the advantage over the profession
al man of being in direct line to re-
ceive promotion to the highest salared
positions in the world.
This country of ours" said he, "is
just passing through it's fourth great
test. The first test was when the Rev
olutonary war was in progress and the
question at issue then was whether a
nation could assert its freedom and
maintain 1t.
THE second test came in 1912 when
the question at stake was whether or
not nation politically free could
maintain its freedom. The third test
came In 1881 when the question at is
sue was whether a free nation could
stand placidly by and watch the strug-
gle of the slave for freedom. The
fourth test we are now passing
through and the question at stake Is
whether or not a nation politically free
can remain industrially secure.
THE GOAL IN VIEW.
The goal of the great labor strug-
gle which Is now going on in all parts
of this country is to my mind, the
sharing of profits by the employer with
the employees. This plan has been
tried successfully in England in sew
eral instances. 1t is as yet in its in
fancy, but as surely as I stand upon
this platform tonight the time will
come when the man who works will
receive part of his employers income.
This. to my mind, will be the highest
expression of the divine law of love
your neighbor as yourself
In the application of the law of
Christ to the Industrial problem it
must always be remembered that all
men are not made equal. There never
was more foolish saying than 'all men
are created equal They are not ere
ated equal. one man may be born
with only one talent while another
man may be born with ten. The
average man by careful application
should be able between the ages of
20 and 40 years to multiply his ef-
ficiency to his home, to his family and
to his employer by four. Do you dare
to tell me that the man who does this
is not entitled to more salary than the
man who does not do it?
1--WE criticize labor unions and we
criticize trusts. but we forget alto
gether that it is the attitude of labor
toward capital that has caused trusts
to be organized and that the attitude
of the large corporations toward labor
that has caused labor unions to be
formed.
ABOUT THE STRIKERS.
What shall I say of the strikes
which have been so prevalent in all
parts of the country of late? Shall I
call them crimes, or blunders. or un-
fortunate circumstances? | am afraid
that all three terms could be applied
to them with equal force. Have YOU
ever thought of the thousands of peo-
pie who are discouraged in their effort
to secure "A little home by the loss of
months pay through a strike? Have
you ever seriously thought of the men
who have been driven to suicide and
| to drink by strikes?
THE principle of strikes is wrong.
but there are rare occasions when
they can be Justified Only rare, how
ever, mark you. In the strikes of our
present day there is too much inter-
| fering with the rights of men who
| take the strikers places. The strik-
ers too often forget that a man has,
to use his talents, his industry and
| his inheritance as he will.
What are we coming to in this land
| of liberty. I say when a man wants
| to go to work, but is afraid, as a man
told me n short time ago. 4 need to
work, | want to work. but I'm afraid
| If do I'll get bullet in my brain
| I'll tell you what Wen do If this sort
| of thing continues. Wen drift into ty-
fanny and anarchy The anarchists
| doctrine that he has the right to kill
! anybody and that anybody has the
right to kill him will come into exist
enCe.
GOOD MEN MUST RULE.
II do not advise laboring men not to
| join labor unions because unionism is
| the spirit of the times, but I do say
that these unions must he ruled by
| good men anf by men of judgment and
sense and not by a lot of hot-headed
| agitators. Unions make a mistake
| when they insist that all men i'm a
| certain class of employment should be
| paid an equal salary. This is neither
right or just. 1t is absurd and it Is
an injustice to force any employer 10
| do it. 1t is neither right or proper
! that the lazy man who won't train
| his efficiency should be paid the same
| wage as the Industrious man who