The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1908-11-28
As TO CAPITAL AND LABOR,

Is nU ~ Uni lin
Essss$sssssssssssssSssss sssss$ssssssssss
The relations Of Capital and Labor
were dwelt upon recently by Rev.
Morgan NJ. Sheedy, rector of St. Johns
able discourse said in part: One of the
favorite words of our age is power.
We are constantly using it, applying
i: to persons and things, to individuals
and nations. 1t has moral as we'll
as physical meaning that is in every
day use.
We no longer dread the forces of ma
tIre; we have, to a, great extent.
brought them under our control; We
have learned to subjugate the ,lery
steeds and hitch them TO our chario.
to carry us safely and with lightning
speed across earth and sea and do our
bidding; We have turned the rays o.
the sun and the vast energy of Ma
CARA into sources of human power; we
rate men and nations, the trades and
science, even knowledge and character.
by the power they WELD. Power has
become with us the measure of great
ness. Hence the effort everywhere TO
attain it.
But after all there is something
crude and selfish in this universal
strife and struggle for power that we
see going on around us. For where
there is victory, the attainment Of
power, on the one side, there is always
defeat on the other. Every success
here implies failure there. Power
can be no end in itself, for it may he
used we'll or misuscd; it may become
the means of uplifting or Of crushing
others. 1t is too often used for the
latter purpose.
Power is a trust and should be used
accordingly-a trust in the good sense
for it emanates from a higher power
which is benign and just. 1t is given to
Gods children for help, not for harm.
II should, then, since it is a gift Of
Heaven. prove source of strength for
the weak and feeble. 1t should not
! ovcrawe and destroy, but protect and
save the powerless.
How often must we be told that Tho
greatness of our age consists not IN
the powerful machinery We have in
vented, nor in the mighty stream and
electric forces which proclaim mans
domain over nature, nor in the great
organization of labor and capital thar
makes the achievements of vast ente:-
prises possible, nor even in those "a
tellectual forces, such as science, liter
allure and the press which interlinll the
lands and nations and unity the world.
No; our greatness must consist in a
deep spiritual current underlying ami
directing all the movements and aims
OF our country.
Nor can it be denied that the great
majority of men are so prompted by
selfish aims and motives as to be ever
eager to abuse power and privilege oy
Indulgence and greed.
On the other hand, the less fortunate,
no less guided by narrow and selfish
feelings, behold in this inequality of
life the favoritism Of Providence and
rebel against this cruelty of fate. This
is an altogether erroneous view. There
ere no favors in Gods world that do
not involve also greater obligations.
Each privilege we enjoy means an
ether duty. Every power VIC obtai I
imposes upon us some new RESPONSE
bility. There is no such thing as
equality in life. Nature did not FASH
len all flowers and trees alike. Its
beauty consists in it's variety of form
snd color and its contrast of high and
low of strong and feeble. Neither are
all men nodded alike, physically; 9TH
erwise human existence would be be-
reft Of all charm, Of all ambition.
Every distinction in rank and power,
greater wealth and more wisdom, must
mean higher tasks, greater RESPONSE
bilities. Every privilege granted mus.
awaken keener sense Of duty and as
sert a stronger claim of helpful love
and protection for the less privileged.
Mutually is the magic spell of happi-
~ i a. d. (. ! 4