The Irish standard., 1905-08-26

sum of that mans own qualities, of
his knowledge, foresight, thrift and
courage. Whatever tends to increase
his sclf-rcspect, whatever tends to help
MIN overcome the temptations with
which all OF lis are surrounded. is Of
benefit not only to him but to the
whole community.
NO one society can do more to help
the wageworker than such tempe.
rance society as that which | am now
addressing. II is of incalculable con-
sequence to the man himself that he
should be sober and temperate, and IT,
is of even more consequence 10 his
wife and his children; for it is hard
and cruel fact that in this life of ours
the sins of the man are often visited
most heavily upon those whose vel.
fare should be his own special care.
For the drunkard, for the man who
loses his job because he cannot control
or will not control his desire for liquor
and for vicious pleasure, we have a
feeling of anger and contempt mixed
with our pity; but for his unfortunate
wife and little ones we feel only pity.
and that of the deepest and tenderest
kind.
Everything possible should be done
to encourage the growth of that spir-
it Of self-respect, self-restraint, self-rc.
lance, which, If 1t only grows enough,
is certain to make all those in whom
1t shows itself move steadily upward
toward the highest standard of Ameri-
can citizenship. 1t is a proud and re-
sponsive privilege to be citizens of
this great self-governing nation; and
each of us needs to keep steadily be-
fore his eyes the fact that he is wholly
unfit to take part in the work of gov
erning others unless he can first gov
ern himself. He must stand up man.
fully for his own rights; he must re-
spect the rights of others; he must
obey the law, and he must try to live
up to those rules of righteousness
which are above and behind all laws.
This applies just as much to the
man of great wealth as to the man of
small means; to the capitalist as to
the wageworker. And as one prac-
tical point, let me urge that in tho
event of any difficulty, especially if it
is what is known as labor trouble,
both sides show themselves willing to
meet, willing to consult and anxious
each to treat the other reasonably
and fairly, each to look at the others
side Of the case and to do the other
justice. If only this course could be
generally followed, the chance of in
dustrial disaster would be minimized.
Now, my friends, I want to read you
an extract from letter have lust
received from a Catholic priest whom
| know well and whom 1 know to be
as stanch friend of the laboring man
as there is to be found in the country.
Now and then-not too often-it is
good thing for all of us to hear what
is not perhaps altogether palatable.
provided only hat the person who
tells the truth is our genuine friend.
knows what he is talking about (even
though he may not see all sides of the
case), and tells us what he has to say.
not with desire to hurt our feelings.
but with the transparent purpose to
do us good. With this foreword, here
is a part of the letter:
would humbly recommend that you
lend your entire weight to the cause
which the Catholic Total Abstinence
Union of America represents, and es.
pecially so In its relation to the work.
ing classes of this country, for whom
it is doing SO much good. You know
that the temperance movement is a po-
tent auxiliary to the institutions of our
country in building up better man.
hood and truer Christianity among
our citizens. 1t played very impor.
tant part in the two coal strikes Of
1900 and 1902, respectively, by keeping
the men sober, and thus removing the
danger of riotous and unbecoming con.
duct
"a 4. g.4 ~ alAi ls