The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1903-07-24
CARDINAL GIBBONS ON LABOR.

Now that Cardinal Gibbons is prom
| inently before the world as one OF the
chief factors in the election of sue
cessor to the late pope, Leo XIII, his
views ON all public questions are OF
unusual interest. He is said to favor
a change of policy at the vatican and
| for that reason is opposed to the
election of either Cardinal Rampolla
or Oreglia. AS the new pope will no
doubt have great influence in the ad-
| iustment of relations between capital
and labor throughout the world, the
views of Cardinal Gibbons on the
labor question will be of interest. Not
long ago he said:
The struggle between capital and
labor in the United States is a source
of great sorrow and uneasiness to me
just now. 1t is not only a
serious interruption of productive
energies of the country, but it is a
profound social unheaval-it is con-
fusing our life Here we are on this
continent engaged in the supreme ex-
pertinent of free government in the
presence of the whole world, in the
presence of history. The enemies
of our institutions can snap their
fingers at the republic if we show that
We cannot govern ourselves reason
ably. We claim that we have liberty
without license and authority, without
despOtism. | do not want to live to
see that claim discredited. The
workingmen of America should realize
now deeply and directly they are in
terested in preserving from injury the
reputation of the United States as a
land where liberty and law go hand
in hand. The corporations, the en-
plOyers, are powerful and united.
They have the government behind
them to protect their rights. This is
have formed unions for mutual i'm
provement and protection. They are
as much entitled to combine for bust
ness purposes as are their employers.
The fact is undeniable They are
equally entitled to have their rights
defended by the government
The third factor in this situation
IS the non union workingman. He.
too, has his rights, which must be
maintained. He has the right to enter
a union or stay out of it; to sell his
labor when and where and for what
labor man denies that right he denies
a liberty which he claims for himself.
The union men say they cannot sue
coed in their struggle for good wages
and better conditions so long as there
are WOrkingmen outside of their or
ganizallOn who can be used by en-
ployers to break strikes-that the I'M
ions are for the benefit of all who
toll. Then they should give non-union
men an opportunity to freely choose
They should get members by attrac-
ton and not by cOmpulsion. The very
fact that a man feels that he is not
tree to enter or stay out of a union
may be enough to repel him.
The American workingman loves
his freedom better than anything else.
That is one of his finest traits. He
resents anything that means restric-
ton OF his rights. 1t is time for
thoughtful labor union men to recog-
nize this fact. | am strongly opposed
to the boycott and TO every other form
Of oppression employed against free
labor. The whole force of organized
society, all the powers Of government,
should be employed to insure to every
man in this country his right to toll
IN his own way and under conditions
OF his own choice. II is difficult to
indicate solution of the labor ques-
ton. Arbitration is one way, and a
good way. But whatever the solution
may be, it must be one which will
recognize individual liberty. No man
+ must be allowed to Cypress another
man in this country"