The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-03-03
THE LABOR UNION 4
STEP To DEMOCRACY
Remarkable Sermon Given by
Rev. T.. A. Wasson Of
Newark, N. J.
Trade Unionism Encourages
Better Morals, Health,
Work and Minds.

NEWARK, n. j., March 1.-The Rev.
E. A. Wasson Of st. Stephens Episcop-
al church of this city surprised his
wealthy congregation by the following
sermon on the value of the trade union
to the workingman. He said in part:
Fundamental democracy and foun-
damental Christianity are the same
thing. approached from different sides.
Jesus approached it from the religious
side; Lincoln from the political and
economic. Lincoln was the first, that
is, the greatest American. Washing
ton was gentleman after the old Eng
lish idea Lincoln was a man after the
new American idea. To be gentleman
is much; to be man is more. Jesus's
favorite term for Himself was Son OF
Man, that is, Man. Lincoln was simple,
elemental, always contemporary. We
do not associate him with accidents of
dress peculiar to his day, as we do
Washington. He is not for g day, but
for all time. After generations of toll
and tribulation we shall arrive at a.
better state of society, only to find that
Lincoln has anticipated US. It will be
long before Americans cease to sit as
learners at the feet of Father Abraham.
Lincoln was the successor of Jeffer-
son. Lincoln did for a race what JEFF
ferson and his contemporaries did for
a nation. They both stood for the
democratic idea and against the aris-
tocratic idea. Democracy says one
man is as good as another, and ought
to have an equal voice in the govern
ment. Aristocracy says that one man
jS hott nd iS
petent to rule not only himself but
others as we'll. The creed Of democ-
racy has two short articles. The first
is, I am as good as you. The second
is. You are as good as I.
Lincoln's early conditions were not
SO unravorable as might be supposed.
With all its deprivations, there was
at least freedom and equality. One
man was good as another. the en-
ployed as the employer. Those con-
ditiOns made for the democracy, which
says that the whole is greater than
any part. Lincoln believed in MOTH
ing less than the whole, that two
heads are better than one, and three
than two. He had faith in man. and
the more man the more faith. When
aristocracy said that the common peo-
pie were ignorant, inefficient, mex
perienced.~ tickle, Lincoln answered.: It
may be true. but they can be taught,
they can be trained, and it is best
for them to profit by their own blum
ders.
Always there is that effort to dis
credit the people, to get away from
them. to get above them. This it is
which has made the national Senate
the most eminent assemblage Of
rogues that ever gathered together.
that in republican nation they are
unrepresentative and Irresponsible
How many Of them would be out Of
the penitentary if the laws were exc
cuted on them:
And does anyone suppose that II
the people were free to choose, the
present incumbents would be selected?
And likewise with our judges who are
becoming the most dangerous menace
to the freedom of the country. If
the people were left free to select
they would at least select men that
looked to them. and not to organized
wealth, as their masters. We are
hidden to say nothing that will un-
dermine respect for the judiciary. 1t
izen to say all that he can to under
mine respect for any institution that
does not deserve respect; and the ju-
dietary does not.
1t is safer to defy the Lord God AL
nightly than to criticise Judge. The
Lord God won't bother about you, but
the Judge will throw you into Jail
for months without hearing or trial
On what meat hath this our judicial
Caesar fed that he hath grown so
great: With his injunctions he comes
near to making other functions and
arms Of government superfiuous. Who
Is he anyway? In nine cases out Of
nine a man who cringes before the
money power. that put him where he
is. and bestrtdes US common mortals
whose bread he Is ca ting, like colossus.
1t is because that practically nowhere
have the people the choice of these
men. TheX are put where they are by
the corporations directly, or through
their tools the political bosses. Lincoln
stood in no awe Of these people. He
denounced decision of the supreme
court of the nation as "a burlesque
upon judicial decisions. slander and
PROCLAMATION upon the honored names
and sacred history Of republican Amer
ica. 1t must be overruled and expung-
ed from the books of authority" THE
people,, he said, the people are the
rightful masters of both congresses
and courts
What Is needed is a direct control
by the people over their servants and
their legislation. They must be able
to Gust any man that contravenes their
will; to initiate legislation that their
misrepresentation refuse to enact. and
TO check and thwart legislation hostile
to their interests. These same classes
that are so fearful that the people
cannot take care Of themselves are the
same classes that crucified Jesus nnd
who would have done it long before
had they not feared the common peo
PIE who heard Him gladly. Let these
presidents and Judges and legislators
look to the rock whence they were
hewn and to the hole of the pit whence
they were digged.
The labor union is a necessary stem
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