The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1904-03-05
THE PURPOSE OF LABOR UNIONS


be and be viii say, He trusts me and will not be-
tray him.
THE PURPOSE OF LABOR UNIONS
The union makes possible an understanding
between capital and labor. Trade agreements are
made between them and that works pretty well. If
the unions violate these they lose the confidence of
the public and disintegrate.
The unions are not always wise. The wisest
men are sometimes foolish How, then can we ex-
pect uneducated men always to do the right and
wise things There have been very foolish strikes in
New York and Chicago Business was stopped and
the burial of the dead interfered with. These men
make themselves ridiculous and hurt union labor
think the socialists stir up these troubles. They
look upon the union man as half-witted. and 90
lnto unions to use them. They want an overturning
Labor leaders with whom | have talked all de-
nounce the sympathetic strike. Not 80 per cent of
the strikes succeed and then only at great cost
\ strike is not a frivolous thing. and frivolous men
should not be allowed to lead men who are working
for wife and children
The union is bringing the shorter day. The
shorter the working day at the same wages the bet
ter. 1t does not lead to the saloon. Gompers says
that such is not the result The men give more time
and thought to their home. If they work till tired
aout they go to the saloon for nvigoration.
w hat is the solution of the labor problem! |
Get rid Of the mercenary spirit. A man may have
millions and may be thief or a miserable wretch /
The best people have ever known have been first
more than any other they have revealed God to me-
1T is evil and foolish talk of employers and some
newspapers in denouncing labor and of labor in de-
nouneing employers. Employers have their hard
1mes. Almost 80 per cent of enterprises fail Fail
ure Is often staring them in the face
Money Is great good: it gives independence
But intelligence, loving heart. pure conscience
virtue, are better.
Il do not think compulsory arbitration would be
of much Men driven to arbitrate vouId bo
over fha as,,l4 IL, Il
States could not have driven the miners back 10
work =
4 believe in compulsory investigation. Neither
employer nor union want all their affairs thrown
open to the public. They would be conciiatory rath
er than that.
You ask IF labor and capital agree what be-
comes of the pubicH That will take care of itself
here IS a natural law that regulates prices
POLITICAL CORRUPTION A MENACE. {
Much of our trouble is due 10 political corrun a
lon One OF the greatest troubles consists in the
ouyng up OF congresses, legislatures and councils
or certain interests, turning officials into graft
,rs and making our police force the allies of Grim
mails. The people see this and lose heart They b
hlnk there Is no Justice and fair play. ],
by do You not rote for honest men. and refuse :,
o nave anything TO do with corrupt men, and cor l.
upl men are always known. Let us get rid of the f
mlnlstratre lie, the darnabe curse of our cities s
ne law that IS passed when everyone knows that 4
ril not be enforced y
There Is The saloon law that Is never enforced. d
here Is The law that separates the saloon and e.
ne dance hali-the gateway of the brothel Their II
lackmaIl by the police is hehsh the devils work o
are put in collusion with prostitutes gamblers IN
nd all criminals 1e
i DO not say that can abolish the saloons in c
ar cities, but we can make fair reasonable law al
nd enforce il. IN
40 not say that can blot out the social evil in
II we can prevent our streets from being made pl
arket places OF the infamous traffic. til
The unions can do much by moralizing their be
n people. q
we can reform conditions that grow out of DO pc
zeal conditions that proceed from greed The tn
eat work must be done IN cities. ha
Unfortunately the machine is omnipotent and b.
work Is seen IN the ruin of homes and the deg II
dahon OF officials. Nothing seems to astonish lol
or hll with holy wrath 1t is on the poor that th
e burden falls. They have not at home all the an
fractions OF the rich and they are forced out more Gu
teach our children in school to be smart and C
DO not educate their consciences. In our pulpits
preach trvialites and are afraid to speak out sta
It some rich man be offended. th
III we allow cities to become centers of law tol
sness and vice how are we going to saw that de- co.
cracy has triumphedl We might have four hun- fro
I'd millions of population, but if we lose intel gi'
ace and virtue, liberty and justice the sacredness his
home. in the of God how shall we save the bel
lion? sci
The people must bestir themselves by the school tea
the church and the labor union and every ins+; 1t
ION that comes close to the people. Remember An
It 1t is better to live soberly, Justly honestly the
IDLY, than to have all the millions of the cantal doe
:" ma
dis
All the worlds stage, but many of the actors de