The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1908-09-12
Reviews the Great Parade and Declares He
Wants Government That is Good
Enough For All.
Better For Children of the Rich if Their Pa
rents Leave Them Something
Besides Wealth.

sition because I want to impress it
upon the minds of those who listen to
me, and upon those who read what
say to you. The labor question is
more a moral than an intellectual one.
The world is growing toward broth
erhood, and our nation is leading the
way. There is more altruism in this
country than anywhere else in the
world, and more today than there ever
has been before. There is more recog-
milton of the kinship that exists be-
tween u.s. more thought about the
questions which concern a common
humanity than at any preceding time.
The labor organization is a part of
this great movement of the masses to-
ward closer fellowship. It has worked
wonders in the past and it's work is
only commenced.
The labor organization helps those
outside ~of. it, as we'll as its members,
because the increased, wages and sim-
proved conditions are shared BY nom
union.2n sas,~wsllsas by union men.
Organization Not Perfect.
Do not understand me to say that a
labor organization is perfect; 1.-The
king can do no Waong" can no more
be spoken of a group than of individ-
uals. The labor organization is COM
rosed of men; its affairs are controlled
by human beings, and human beings
are not perfect. All that man touches
is stained with mans imperfections,
and his frailty can be traced through
all his works. But, fortunately for
the laboring man, the judgment pro-
nounced against his mistakes must be
tempered by the fact that those with
whom the laboring man comes into
contact are also likely to err.
When the employe deals with the
employer he is dealing with one Of
like passions with himself Each is
likely to be insistent upon what he be-
ileves to be right, and the opinion of
each as to what is right is likely to
be colored by selfish interests and af-
fected by incomplete information as to
the facts.
If the enploye has sometimes re-
sorted to violence to enforce his
wishes the employer has sometimes
employed his position to secure an un-
fair share of the joint product. 1t
is the province of the law to place
limitations upon both, and the security
bet our government is found in the fact
that employer and employe, in
their calmer moments, will join in the
enactment of laws which will restrain
them in moments of temptation.
Place Of the Law.
Some assume that labor is lawless
and that to settle the labor question
permanently we need only enforce the
law vigorously. l yield to none in in
sistence upon obedience to the law.
Law is necessary in human society,
and it's enforcement is essential to
peace and order, but we must remedy
abuses by law if we would insure re-
spect for and obedience to law.
The important lesson to be learned
by the citizen in government like
ours is that the ballot is both shield
and sword-it protects him from in
jury and enforces his rights.
The first thing that is needed for a
better understanding Of labor ques-
tions is the recognition of the equal
rights of all. and second. more init
mate acquaintance. We have rights
that may be called natural rights;
they are inherent; we have them be-
cause We are human beings. The gov-
ernment did not bestow them upon us
the government cannot rightfully
withdraw them from US. We all come
into the world without our volition:
the environment Of youth largely de-
termines the course Of our lives. and
this environment is not Of our choos-