The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1904-10-29

economic problems. Uponzthlee a r. s 81
ton; the biltty$5 of the republic; de
ponds. ~: No. man can excuse himself
from a careful study Of the issues in
volved, nor from. earnest, patient en-
deavor to right whatever IS wrong.
There are. some who conted' that
clergyman should Keep silence. They
are told :: that ''fsbusiness, !: men know
how to- operate: their business better
than any minister This is true iii
fact, butt is not the Question at is,
sue. ANY minister who: doestnot1 CARE:
or dare, to mix the principles Of rel
igion with, business is flagrantly un-
faithful to his duty. There are some
fundamental test to be- applied to :bu-
siness.' and to business men, which are:
apart frenls any questions of technical
knowledge. II a: man is a scamp and a
thief, it matters not how much he
knows about his business or how little
some one: else 1knows about it. He
ought to be told. that scampery and
thievery are wrong and unchristian,
whether he likes it or not It is the
application Of the elemental truths OF.
Christianity to- the problems Of our
world today which will make better
men and better conditions.
One who was himself laboring
man, whose father was a mechanic and
felt the weight: Of toll; one who stands
for the principles enunciated by the
greatest toiler of the ages, may surely
speak upon the moral aspects Of the
question confronting the nation today.
What is the labor problem? No brief
answer can" be given. Mr.. Depew
thoughfully declares, 1.-THE laboring
man has grievance From the
standpoint Of the laboring man the
problem is Incident to an endeavo1~ to
secure shorter hours, higher wage,
surer and steadier, employment and
better conditions in which to labor. Is
it an organized endeavor to secure
these desirable ends. The workmen are
therefore banded together in unions.
Under this movement have come
strikes and boycotts, the refusal to
work with nonunion men,, limitations
Of output of work done by each work.
man, the demand that only union men
be given employment and a score of
other less known important demands.
On the other hand Mayor Low Of
New York said that we needed re
cognition of the fact that there is a
problem and that there are two sides
to it, So, from the standpoint Of
capital the problem has been to meet
competition. and live; to secure tne
largest output at the lowest cost; to
| get the advantage Of competent and
| reliable labor for period of time long
enough to make it wise and safe to
! take large contracts; to grant priv
| ileges to workmen not granted by COM
petitors and yet hold trade. On this
| side there has entered in selfishness a
short-sighted policy In the treatment
| of Workmen, denial of their right to Or
:ganize and refusal to confer with their
representatives. The blacklist and the
lockout have been put. over against the
strike and the boycott. :. ~, a..
/ None: are vitality .interestedstoday
q as the pu Bile SatH larg a hoIi]n 81
press
q $ure 81 our spro 8 lem. & are In an err
power, AL power H.. is perilous, :. bu
=. without it, whether of capital or la
Dor, progress is impossible.
With no axe to grind, no hobbies t.
ride, no ready made solutions to offer
nor yet any political notions to empha
size, let me keep Ito the moral issues
Questions of wages can be determine
by business experts. Questions Of Law
can be settled by the courts. Politica
aspects can be debated by statesmen
It is the moral issue which is her
! pressed to the fore. The ten command
| ments are not what one forgotten poll
/ .tician called them, IAN iridescen
DREAM The laws of God are olde
than the state. They take :precedenc
everywhere. To capital and labor,
every individual in whatever rank h
stands, there comes this message: ION
is your Master, even Christ and all y
are brethren" But no man in publ
| position can be excused for having n
=. opinion. This, then. is my: creed:
believe that labor has an inheret
right to organize, as we'll as capital
1 believe in the eight-hour day fro1
an ethical Standpoint, recognizing thu
there are industries where the cha1
acter Of the work prohibits it's intro
duction.
I believe in the right of the labt
union to use moral suasion to Undue
all 2workmen to join with them.
i I believe in the right of capital
determine whom it shall employ ar
whom it shall discharge.
I believe it is better for a WORKING
to belong: to union if the union ar
it's leaders do not! compel him to (
; what his conscience disapproves, al
further, if the union itself does not {
J to others what it does not want dol
; to itself. -. go -:
/ believe that organized labor,
spite of many mistakes, is moving u
= ward, and that the cause of labor h
: many noble, self-sacrificing leade,
i along with: some who are selfish, sho1
I sighted and disreputable: I belle
that capital has mot always treat
labor fairly and that labor has som
times. wrecked business interests in
Wanton and 1ndefensible manner. =
r.: I:beHeve that capitals not SO bad
~ some fanatics would have. our INN
grants and native worknen believe.
~ / believe that God has no place f