The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-08-31
A SERMON FOR SUNDAY
AN ELOQUENT DISCOURSE ENTITLED
THE INDUSTRIAL CONFLICT"
The Rev. job ID. Long Gives Some
Wholesome Advice About Present.
Day Problems-The Causes Of Dis
content and the Remedies.

on The Industrial Conflict" The text
was from Eeclesiastes ii:22: What hath
o man for all his labor!" Mr.. Long said:
The writer of this text was asking as to
it to the conflict now waging between cap.
ital and labor. 1t is the old question OF
the laborer and his hire. What are the
teachings Of Holy Writ ON the question:?
Here, as elsewhere, we believe that the
Gospel applies, for as Ruskin suggests, the
Gospel bears upon life at every point, and
Is either good for everything or good for
nothing.
Civilization is based upon labor-human,
animal, mechanical. What We call capital
lsiat bottom only accumulated labor. The
day laborer lays brick in a wall; that is
labor. He saves up a part of his wage,
and that becomes capital. Mechanical la
Dor, by which mos: of the worlds work is
now done, is human labor invested in ma
chinery, and working through the same.
Of course. money or capital is secured
not only through saving and invention,
but in many other ways; yet human effort
is back of it all, and it becomes a sort Of
call loan upon the bank of labor. Was it
dollar is master of all to the extent Of that
dollar"
Vast fortunes have been piled up by
those who have invented machines by
which mechanism may take the place of
human hands. Thus the inventor is en-
abied to draw tho wages Of thousands. We
al know how largely the machine has su-
perseded the naked hand in the manufac.
ture Of a thousand ard one articles Of
daily use. Take, for example, pins and
needles and nails.
To be sure, many great fortunes have
been made by other means than by ma.
chinery, but in the main the wealth of
modern times is founded upon mechanical
labor.
Before asking what the letter or spirit of
the Bible teaches on the labor question, let
us face the situation Of to-day. Organized
labor and capital are in conflict. There
are strikes and rumors of strikes. Each
strike is a battle in the war.
It may be well to observe that organized
labor has as yet only a fraction of the total
labor army, but it IS a fraction that is in
creasing.
Why this warfare? Bee ause labor on the
one hand is dissatisfied with it's share of
the rewards of industry, and because, on
the other, capital constantly seeks to re-
duce the cost Of production by opposing
the demands of labor.
Other factors, however, enter into the
situation. One arises from the develop
ment Of the modern corporation. Wheth-
er corporations have souls or not, they lack
in large measure the element of personality
and the personal touch. Men who work
for a corporation are working in the main
for an unknown entity. Now, we remem-
Der that among the old-time Romans the
word for stranger was also the word for
enemy.
Further, there has been much dishonesty
in corporate dealings. Take such things as
the corrupt purchase of public franchises
below value, 1.-The increase in cost of certain
necessities of life by reason OF unjust COM
binatlons to keep up prices. These and
other similar crimes against the colnmu-
nifty have done much to inhame not only
labor, but the general public against capt.
tai.
Also, the rising standard of life, by which
the living wage gets further and further
from the meagre pittance that would suf-
hce to support the frugal Chinaman, leads
the laborer to constantly demand a more
and more generous wage.
Still other grounds of hostility might be
referred to, such as the natural, though
sinful, envy of the rich by the poor; the
ostentatious luxury of the rich, the growth
of class distinctions between the poor and
the rich and the inequality of pecuniary
rewards. The men who discovered the
that surgery might be rendered painless by
the use OF such agents as chioroform and
~ether-gained but little money from their
discoveries. They doubtless might have
traded on the worlds fear of pain, and by
using the patent laws and secrecy secured
wealth beyond the dreams of ~avarice, but
to, their honor they did not. On the other
hand, the men who introduced such i'm
proved and cheapened methods as the Bes-
semer process of producing steel gained
money by the hundred millions. So peo-
pie are tempted to ask, Have not some
men been rather selfish, to say the least,
in the acquisition of their wealth? And
may they not have obtained a little more
than their share?"
Before We go further let US ask what is
to be the probable outcome of the war be-
tween labor and capital? Is it an ~irrepres-
slble conflict, or can the opposing interests
be reconciled? The answer is already be-
ing given. Take such 4 situation as may
now be seen in the coal trade OF Chicago.
After bitter fighting the dealers and the
teamsters have com together TO monopo.
he the coal trade Of the city and keep out
all competition. Wages and profits have
been put up at the expense OF the outside
public. This is likely to 60 on more and
more.
The ultimate outcome, unless the tend
ency IS checked, will be organization ali
along the line until we have collactlvism-a
vast organized machinc, in which men will
be cogs and individual initiative and per-
Bonahty will be restricted to an extent that
will largely arrest the progress Of. ~civiliza-
ton.
But let us take a breath and turn to the
Bible. What are the teachings of the Bible
in regard to labor and wealth? The Old
Testament is plainly anti-capitalistic. In
regarding capital in the Book of Leviticus
laws that, if enforced, would compel
plain living as surely as the iron coin of
Sparta. Hear what was laid down there.
Land was allotted IN small parcels to the
families of the tribes, and could not be
alienated except for the term of fifty years.
"And We shall hallow this fftieth year,
and, proclaim liberty throughout all the
land unto all the inhabitants thereof; it
shall be a jubilee unto you; and we shall
return every man unto his possession, and
We shall return every man unto his family"
4 Ieviticus Ixv:l0).
Interest could not be charged on loans.
= "And if thy brother be waxen poor, and
"a fallen in decay with thee; then thou shalt
relieve him; yea, though he be a stranger
or a sojourner; that he may live with
upon usury, nor lend him thy ~victuals for
increase" Leviticus xXv:35-6).
80 Finally, there was the statute Of limita-
tions with reference to loans. AT the end
of every seven years thou shalt make a re-
lease. And this is the manner of the re-
lease; every creditor that lendeth aught
unto his neighbor shall release it." (Deu-
teronomy xv:l-2).
The attitude of the Old Testament to-
ward wealth is perhaps best reflected in
the prayer of Agur-"Give me neither
poverty nor riches + = = lest I be full,
hnd deny Thee, and say, Who is the Lord?
br lest l be poor, and steal, and take the
name OF nv God in vain lProverbs