The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1903-05-16
MAE MURPHY, Chairman,
MRS. NJ. KELLEHER,
MRS. M. BROWN,
Committee.
BISHOP sPALDING'S VIEWS,
Peoria prelate Believes in the Princi-
pie of Unionism.


pie of Unionism.
Upon his return to his home in Pc
oria, Bishop Spalding gave out an in
terview in regard to the question a
present of paramount interest-th
relation of the employer and the EN-
ploye-in the course Of which he spoke
informingly of Industrial problems. He
said at one point: 1--WE need not so
much new measures, but a new heart.
In our labor difficulties the moraliZa-
ton of both employers and employees is
an indispensable condition in the bring
ing about Of better state Of things.
And since the employers are fewer in
number and presumably more intelli-
gent than the laborers, the chief effort
should be to give them new minds.and
new hearts. that they may understand
that they are trustees not less of pub
lie interests than of private interests
and that the rights of workers, to say
the least, are as sacred as are the rights
Ol llle OWHcIS. lItpoi anu SapilhA t'ho
allied forces, and workers and owners
therefore should live at peace and work
in cooperation. When disagreements
arise. they should be settled by system
atic arbitration, in accordance with
joint agreements between the employers
and the employed, involving the recog-
nitions of unions. For the union move
mcnt has been for good always; here
and there it has destroyed the indt-
vidral in his marked capacity above
other men. but in the equilibrium es-
tahlished by union forces the best in
tcrcsts Of the greatest number nave
liccn conserved Therefore. l believe
that anything which will work to the
fuller recognition of the union principle
on the part of the capital of the coun-
try will be of far more significance
than will the mere patching up of a
forced agreement for a fixed period.
Just as the union is recognized. Just
to that extent is it forced into respon-
Sibilities which it could not shirk if it
would. The time may come when it
will he advisable to incorporate unions,
but it is not yet here: it is enough that
union labor is recognized. that the
union which repudiates its contract
literally kills itself.
'.\merica should take the lead in this
coming understanding and mutual rec
ognition of rights between labor and
capital. AS a people we should be
more in sympathy with labor than al
most any other people on earth. Our
ancestors worked with their hands.
They came here young. active, vigor-
GUS and pro: ;ressive. and they We're the
literal buildt rs Of the new country We
should soon not have class out of
touch with the man who labors with
his hands. With logical understand
ing between capital and labor it might
seem on the face of the situation that
til" nublic would need to protect it.
self. With competition more nearly
o'lite1v,ted. however. the prices of COM
modities may he more nearly subject
to the regulation established by de-
mam. There is no necessity in society
for that condition described as pros
perity. At the hest 1t is a season in
which the careful man looks to the lay
ing up Of enough to carry him through
the lean years that, because Of the
competitive system. are sure to follow