Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1902-09-17
YOUNG MEN AND LABOR.
BY Rev. Spencer $. Roche,


God. Let US start w. III solid truth on the
main facts. Let us speak Of labor.
superficial view pronounces it a
source of misery. insisting that it cur
tails relaxation, that j. holds the most Of
men down to ceaseless manual toll; that
1t hardens the hand and broadens the foot
and stretches the limb and knots the sin
ewS and breaks down the body, even lay
ing its iron grasp on the soul, weighing
down the nature with care, anxiety and
dread.
Then there is an Intelligent view, de-
claring that toll impresses the mind with
an exalting sense OF strength worthily
directed, that it affects the soul with per-
ception of the harmonious operation Of
noble faculties, that it charms mankind
with the precious results that wait on
wise exertion.
1.-The Man with the Hoe" presents, in
popular form, the false conception. Let
us rather conceive of toll as one of the
Almighty's great methods for exalting
men--it being Gods will that man should
rejoice in his laboT-so leading us from
the lowest earthly condition TO the high
est level of gracious privilege and spir-
itual excellence.
Nothing is more wonderful in all the
range of social studies than the abundant,
Overlooking emoluments of very success
full workers; and scarcely anything Is
more mournful than the terrific antagon-
ism experienced by those who, by their
own fault or by the fault of others. are
left to labor on the lowest plane of man
ual effort, to labor on the hardest labor
say the mining of coal in darkness and
heat in the bowels of the earth-and who
for this toll will get only pittance. The
artist, with a group of carefully dressed
persons represented on his canvas, will
be paid at the rate Of $500 10 $1,000 a
figure.
labor offers its immediate and immense
rewards to industry, reflection, invention
analytical acumen to the generalizing
faculty, to the power of command. The
simple demand is for the man who works
best, in primeval forest or on the floor of
the modern exchange. knowledge must
rise above ignorance, forethought above
careiessness, tact above dullness, facility
above awkwardness. ability above stupid
ity. The successful ones will be lifted
out of multitude of difficulties and start
ed afresh on higher plane; the dnsuc-
cessful will be ground by forces that to
the superficial seem brutal, blind and pitt
less. So, in a sense, they are, but Jeho-
yah has adapted them to those that they
are meant to incite The mercy of it all
is seen in this. that men IN this life can
never fall so low that an ih'ucement to
progress and growth and eXaltatIo" IS not
always before them.
In the seeming impossibihty of the alb
solute doing away with the law Of cCmpe-
tition, and yet with this purpose Of God
that the lahorer should rejoice in his toll,
what becomes the duty of young men? 4
yoang man will best discharge his duties
in the labor agitations of the present dGy
by having just ideas of labor and very
tender regard for his fellow men.
Endeavor by all the means in your
power, while you give yourself with the
greatest energy to the highest form of
toll Of which your nature is capable, to
secure the rights of the weak, the OPP
pressed, the humble. Guard the interests
of the poor: have a care especially for
all women that work; with all the
strength that God has given you, fight
iniquitous conditions of labor, like the
sweat shop. Keep your heart near the
common people.
The party in power will make a great
mistake if it imagines the country at
large will long view with fave any policy
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eSts % 'He pooi' 'ne l"ooiln7, tiIoSe 'na :
ele 10" u, are ~ ut'i'st " 80 -.
neeu 70 tie o W. w. wy tne
upper 1'oVo''0o' "e PIoP09.''VIi 'h'
trusts are !ne'l'"oie anu peilencen1 may
De correct IN an ac"ueAllc SENSE put me
pe"p'e ""hS u sec 'n"1 p'0l'9Ht'iOH -,
operation Ho'tusI u poP"i"l Iis''S anu
Chnsnan charltE' Let NOT the relhs AeId
py pluIocraey over tht MASSES pecoihe
stronger nor the Nn!pi9sh sharper. nor
the yoke resting on AlreHhss more Ihloi-
eraDie'
Let no man be deceived by the pres
ent prosperity. All our history has taught
us to expect seasons Of imitation, alter
mating with seasons Of depression. It
day, boom; tomorrow. panic. Once and
again has this country been reused from
the slumber Of peace and from goldeH
dreams of wealth, to lind that il held in
its vaults worthless securities and 1ou-
pons. valueless as dried leaves.
Endeavor to promote amlcable 1cla-
tons between labor and capital. Empha-
size the necessity in policy and morals for
every rich man to Keep himself In body
and spirit among the workers. We ought
to deal not only honestly. but generously,
with the labOring. We ought to avert