The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-11
METHODTTS ON LABOR'S CAUSE
DECLARE FOR MANS RIGHT TO
WORK AS HE PLEASES.
Conference sympathizec With Union Labor's
Aims, but Says Non-UniOn Wen Have a
Right 10 Ltye-BITd =. Colcr Called
Down for writing an lntruth.

Right 10 Ltye-BlTd y. Colcr Called
Down for writing an Intruth.
After having been embrolled against
It's will in certain phases Of the printers
strike, because the Book Concern has de-
clared for the open shop, the New York
East Methodist Conference, at last nights
session in the New York Avenue Methodist
Church in Brooklyn, declared its stand on
labor matters in a resolution passed unani-
mously, 1t declared for the right Of
every man to work when, where and for
whom he plea ses."
The Rev. DR.. B. P. Raymond introduced
the resolution. When it declared that I'M
organized labor had as much right to live
as organized labor Bishop McCabe inter-
rupted with a loud. That's goodl'
This lie the resolution in full;
Whereas. the Methodist Episcopal Church
has ever been known as the church OF the
people, and
Whereas the attitude Of this conference has
ever been in harmony with this tradition.
ReSoLred, We most emphatlcaly reassert our
sympathy with organized labor in its effort
to solve the great modern questions of labor
and capital; our belief that the great body Of
workingmen stands for order and freedom
our emphatic statement that unorganized
labor has as great a right 70 live and work as
organized labor, and gladly state that the
action Of the conference in 1892, which we
hereby reaflrn. presented in a memorial
later to the General Conference, contained
the following words Csee the special report
on THE Church and Social Problems'). 1t is
important to acknowledge the fact that in
apite of the selfish instincts and the tyran nical
spirit, which are often proven In the combs
nations of labor as we'll as in those Of capital.
there lie a growing tendency TO recognize the
principles of the new economy. which empha-
size the laws of human brotherhood. As
che disciples Of Him who was the great exerl-
plar OF that law. We greet cordially the many
principles of labor organizations which are
th harmony with the teachings Of the Gospel.
We distinctly affirm the rights OF workingmen
10 combine for mutual we'll being, At the
same time we protest against all Interference
with the right which every man has TO work
when, where and for whom he ~pleases.
The resolution was adopted by a standing
vote, and aside from Bishop McCabe's
ejaculation there was no comment.
The members of the conference had hoped
that when the Hon. Bird S. Coler's letter
ohampioning the cause of the printers,
under the guise that he wrote as a simple
layman,' had been disposed Of there would
be no more heard Of the attacks on the Book
Concern, but the matter came up again
yesterday afternoon when the Rev. DR..
Mains Of the Book Concern denounced
one Of Mr.. Coler's statements as untrue and
the Rev. DR., Buckley said that it was neces-
sary to read the Hon. Birds letter because
he had given it out from his own Office and
had tried to have it sent broadcast through
out the land, whether it was read or not.
DR.. Mains arose to a question Of high
privilege He said he had never lone it
before and he asked that there be no debate
on what he had to say. He declared that
he restrained his own desire to use sharp
language in reference to the accusation Of
Mr.. Coler, whom he did not name outright.
He read this quotation from that letter:
At a later time I am informed that the
publishing agents introduced what is known
as the open shop issue at the request Of the
Citizens Alliance, an o organization Of wealthy
men and corporations, whose purpose il is
TO curtail the influence and power OF the labor
unions. In exchange for the open shop idea
by the Methodist Sock Concern, | am in.
formed, the Citizens Alliance guarantees to
the concern a certain amount Of prott.
DR.. Mains showed some emotion as he
aadd:
IF those ale cations are true they point
10 the moral uftness OF the publishers
Of the book concern. If they are true 1
persona lily ought to stand before this and
every other conference under a condition
Of oensure / ought TO have more sense
The Rev. DR.. DowHey arose TO a point
Of order which he did nor stat e. He aid.
however, that if DR.. Mains was going TO
traverse the Color letter there ought to
Or. Mains sai d he had a right to defend
himself from Mr.. Coler, and the meeting
Oppla uded him. He declared that he
never had heard of the Citizens Alliance
and that Il organization under haven
had Influenced the, conoern for en- open
that the concern had reVAr received one
cent for this purpose from anybody, Then
be said:
IF the gentleman i Teally, mselfsh
for the credit Of the high offica that he
holds and before he lis a time honored
Methodist institution, to be q little more
sureiof his facts before he talks.
The Rev. Dr., Buckley then said that the
Coler letter val mad in eelf-aeferco tecause
Mr.. Coler had sent it out broadcast. Not
TO have read II would have put the con-
ference in a position Of being, unfair, That
disposed of the matter for the afternoon.
committee expressed "unbounded con-
ndence" in the integrity OF the concerns
agents. This was eGapted una nirously.
Then came a debate upon the Congo
TO King Leopold and the Pope requests
to stop the inhumanitieS said TO exist, One
man SAID the Pore hpd never heard of the
New York East Conference and another
raid il was time he bad. The upshot of
II all vae that Bishop McCate was instructed
to send this cable MESA ge to hi. Holiness
the Methodists referred to him as such
respe ctfrllly, and Bishop McCsbe said he