The daily sentinel., 1907-10-30
THE CARDINAL
TALKS OF LABOR

SOME TIME AGO THE DAILY
SENTINEL PUBLISHED A SPLEEN
DID ARTICLE ON THE LABOF
QUESTION FROM THE PEN OF
BISHOP sPALDING. IT WAS
WIDELY READ. BELOW IS CIV.
EN- AN ARTICLE ON ORGANIZED
LABOR FROM THE PEN OF AN.
lOTHER GREAT AND FAMOUS
CHURCH DIGNATARY, CARDINAL
GIBBONS IN 1T EVERY READER
OF THE SENTINEL WILL FIND
MUCH THAT is WORTHWHILE:
Labor has its sacred rights as
well as Its dignity. Paramount a
mong the rights of the laboring
classes is their privilege to organize.
or to form themselves Into societies
for their mutual protection and
benefit. 1t ds In accordance with
natural right that those who have
one common interest should unite
together for its promotion. writes
Cardinal Gibbons in the October
Putnam's Monthly
Throughout the United States and
Great Britain there is today con-
tinuous network of syndicates and
trusts. of companies and partner
the construction of leviathan steam
ship to the manufacture of a needle
Is controlled by corporation. When
corporations thus combine 1t is quite
natural that mechanics and laborers
should follow their example 1t
would be as unjust to deny the work.
fngmen the right to band together,
because of the abuses incident to
such combinations as to withhold
the same right from capitalists be-
cause they sometimes unwarrantably
seek to crush or absorb weaker ri
walls.
God forbid that the prerogatives
which ! am maintaining for the
working classes should be construed
as implying the slightest invasion of
the rights Of autonomy of employers
There should not and need not be
any conflict between capital and la
Dor, since both are necessary for
the public good and the one depends |
on the cooperation of the other A
contest between the employer and
the employed is as unreasonable |
and hurtful to the social body as
war between the head and hands |
would be to the physical body.
Whoever strives to improve the |
friendly relations between the pro-
prietor and the labor unions, by
suggesting the most effective means
of diminishing and even removing
the causes of discomfort. is a bene-
factor to the community. With |
this sole end In view. I venture to |
touch this most delicate subject, and /
II these lines contribute in some /
small measure to strengthen the
bond Of union between the enter
prising men of capital and the sons
of toll shall be amply rewarded.
But II labor organizations have
rights to be vindicated and griev-
ahces to be redresssed. 1t is mani |
fest that they have also sacred obli- |
cations to be fulfilled and dangers
to guard against. AS these societies
are composed of members very
formidable in numbers, varied in
character, temperament ard nation |
ality. they are, in the nature of |
things more unwieldy. more difficult |
to manage. more liable to disin- |
tegration than corporations of cap
italists. and they have need of lead |
ers possessed of great firmness. tact
ard superior executive ability, who ,
will honestly aim at consulting the
welfare of the society they repre-
sent. without infringing on the rights
of their employers. They should ex-
ercise unceasing vigilance In secur-
ing their body from the control OF
designing demagogues, who would
make 1t subservient to their own
selfish ends and convert It into
political engine.