Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-08-11
THE PRESIDENT
CONTINUED from Page One.)

and his children: for IT IL a hard and
cruel fact that jim this life of ours the
sins of the man are often visited most
heavily upon those whose welfare should
be his one 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 the vicious pleasure, we have
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 he done to
encourage the growth of that spirit
of self-respcct. self-restraint. self re-
lance, which If 1T only grows enough
Is certain to make all those In whom 1t
shows itself move steadily upward tow
ard the highest standard of American
citizenship 1t is n proud and reSpon-
sible privilege to be citizens of this great
self-governng Nation: and each of us
needs to keep steadily before his eyes
the fact that he is wholly unfit to take
part in the work of governing others
unless he can first govern himself. He
must Slduu up uidnltliy tOi Ms o"h
rights; he must respect the tights of
others; he must obey the law, and he
must try to live up to those rules of
righteousness which are above and be-
hind 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 wage
worker And as one practical point. let
me urge that in the event of any diff
Guilty. especially if it is what is known
as a labor trouble. both sides show them
selves willing to meet willing to con-
SUIT. 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 industrial disaster would be min
imiZed.
Now, my friends. l want to read you
an extract from "a letter i have just re-
ceived from a Catholic priest whom |
know well and whom I krow to be as
staunch a friend of the laboring man
as there is to be found in this country.
Now and then-.not too often-it Is
good thing for all of us to near what is
not perhaps altogether palatable. provld-
ed only that 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 a de-
sire to hurt our feelings, but with the
transparent purpose to do us good. With
this foreword, here is a part of the
letter:
II would humbly recommend that you
lend your entire weight to the cause
which the Catholic Total Abstinence
Union OF America represents and especl-
ally so in its relation to the working
classes of this country. for whom 1t Is
doing so much good. You know that the
Temperance movement Is a potent auN-
iliary to the institutions of our county In
building up a better MANHOOD ana tru'l
Christianity among our citizens. 1t
playcd IL very important part IN the Two
coal strikes OF 1909 and No. respectively
by keeping the men sober. ana thus re-
moving the danger of riotouS and unbe-
coming conduct There is one dIscouraS-
ins feature connected with the upward
tendency of the wage scale among tne
workmcn of this country. Inc hiSner the
wages, the more money they spend in Sa-
looms. The shorter the hours, the more
they are inclined to absent themselves
from home. An apparent disregard Tor
| fdmllN tlpS is STONlllS dLclS tiic POci c.
classes which will eventually lead to Il
disregard for the blessings our country
affords them. Hence, with an increase or
wages corresponding movement Tor bet
ter manhood, nobler citizenship. and truer
Christianity should be set on foot. The
dignity of labor should be maintained.
which can be done only through the love
that Il man should have for his work. and
through the intelligence which he puts
into il. A steady hand and sober mind
are necessary for this. Hence. the neces-
sity of the temperance cause ana OF tne
efforts which organized abstalners are
putting into the movement.
Now ia what is here written this priest
does not mean that the tendency Is to
grow worse: but he means that with
shorter hours and increased wages there
is a tendency to so wrong which must be
offset by movements such as this great
Temperance movement and similar effortS
for social and civic betterment, or else
the increase in leisure and money VIII
prove curse instead of blessing
strive never to tell anyone what do not
thoroughly believe, and snail not say 70
you that to be honest, and temperate. and
hardworkng. and thrifty will always
bring success.
The hand Of the Lord is sometimes
heavy upon the just as we'll as upon the
unjust. and in the life of labor and EFFORT
which We must lead on this earth 1t Il
not always possible either by work. by
wisdom. or by upright behavior to ward
off disaster. But it is not emphatically
trtIo that the chance for leading n happy
and prosperous life - is immensely i'm
proved IL only the man is decent: sober.
industrious and exercises foresight and
Judgment. Let him remember above all
that the performance of duty IS the hrst
essential to right living. and that good
type Of average family life is the corner
stone of national happiness and great
ness No man can be a good c1tlzen can
deserve the respect of his fellows. unless
first of all he is d good man in ms own
mily unless he does his duty faithfully
by his wife and children.
| strongly believe in trades unions wise
ly and Justly handled in which the right
full purpose to benefit those connected
with them is not accompanied by desire
to do injustice or wrong to others. be-
Iievc in the duty of capitalist and wage
worker to try to seek one another out, to
understand each the others point OF
view, and to endeavor to show broad and
kindly human sympathy one with the
other
I believe in the work of these great
temperance organizations, of all kindred
movements like the Young Mems and
Young Womens Christian Associations
in short in every movement which strives
TO helm a man by teaching him how to
hoIn himself. But most of all believe In
the efficacy of the man himself striving
continually to increase his own self-re-
sncct bv the way in which he does his
dniy to himself and to his neighbor.