The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-06-01
"UNioNtsM Is GREATEST FOE"
Rev Campbell Coyle.

"Unionism as evidenced in the pres
ent day has unwittingly become the
greatest foe to labor" This was a
statement made last Sunday in the
pulpit Of the First Presbyterian church
by Rev. Campbell Coyle in memorial
sermon to the members Of the G. A. r.,
the men who did for the chattel slave
what the trade union Is endeavoring
to do along more peaceful lines for
the industrial slave.
Surprising we should make a SUBJ
stitution or two to Mr.. Coyle's stat
ment and say: The church as evid-
enced In the present day has unwit-
tingly become the greatest foe to
christianity" Yet this declaration
would be nearer to the truth than
that made by the eminent divine, sur
rounded with his tuneful display of
charming rhetoric.
Surprising again we would say that
because one preacher bends his cring-
ing knee to the philanthropy of the
capitalist, and deafens his ear to the
cry Of the suffering workingmen and
women employed in the cheerful 60
givers factory, would 1t necessarily
follow that all preachers had desert
ed the cause, and were opponents of
labor?
On the other hand supposing great
and rich church, receiving it's support
from Rockefeller or Morgan, found
it indiscreet to do a church's dutv in
improving the material as we'll as the
spiritual welfare of the underlings in
the world, would we be justified IN
saying that all churches had depart
ed from the teachings of the Carpent-
er, whose Sermon on the Mount" is
the corner stone of the Christian re-
ligion?
And yet preachers and churches in
the present day have done these things
and a considerable number of the
American people are leaving the
church because this toadying to
wealth is becoming altogether too gen.
eral on the part Of the church.
Some labor leaders have betrayed
their trust and accepted brides. Con-
sidering how general this Is among
other classes this Is to be expected.
Trade unions have made mistakes. In
some instances they have been ar
rogant and arbitrary, but this is not
the general rule among trade unions,
and We challenge Mr.. Coyle to sue
cessfully contradict the statement.
But trade unions have done more
for labor than the ordinary preacher
living in Mr.. Coyle's environment Is
willing to give them credit for.
1t was the trade union that called
the attention of the world to the In
EQUITIES Of the child labor system
which was robbing childhood of its
playtime. 1t was the trade union,
mind you, and not the church.
1t was the trade union that abolish
ed the hell-ridden sweat shop in the
great cities Of the nation, where pover-
ty, crime and disease was running IN.
bridled, while the church stood with
pandaged eyes, needing not the wal
OF the unfortunates enclosed therein.
II was the trade unions that cleans.
co the foul tenement houses Of New
YORK. Chicago and other cities, which
were converted into factories to an
pease the greed Of Mammon, while
the church was bringing the inmates
aims besotton from those who exhibit
ed the system to enhance their wealth
The church was bringing what it was
pleased to call charity, while it Wa.
really aiding to perpetuate the wick.
ed system by encouraging the owners
to give generously" The trade
unions brought justice to the tene-
ment worker by abolishing the whole
system.
1t was the trade union that brought
to the American wage Garner every
material increase in wages. and everv
reduction in the hours Of labor. in re-
cent cent years, and the non-union man,