The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-04-05

pOId1 WANTS, DuI ny ISdCuluS I'LL "
seek first the kingdom of God and His
righteousness, and all other things
shall be added thereunto. An eye wit.
ness, and an ear witness of what her
Founder said and did, who never alb
solved a sinner without healing him
of the infirmities consequent upon his
sin, she teaches him that freedom
from sin is relief from sorrow.
Recognizing in man that the ma.
terial was before the spiritual, and the
natural before the supernatural in the
order of time, the Church welcomes
every honest effort made for the al
deviation of human suffering. Wise
with the wisdom of ages, and rejoicing
in centuries of experience, even in tenn
poral things, where she has not the
promise of divine guidance, the Church
nicely distinguishes between those
vague theories which could only make
confusion worse COMPOUNDED and the
well-balanced system that promises
lasting relief from existing evils.
The Church and Socialism.
How does the Church regard So
cialism? Does she condemn or ap-
prove of it? She does neither, be
cause Socialism presents no body of
fixed principles to condemn or ap-
prove. Socialism so magnificent in
it's promises, so elusive in it's prin-
ciples, so indefinite in it's aim, is
neither system nor a theory, but a
tendency begotten of dissatisfaction
with present conditions. It's ranks are
open to men of different, and even op-
posite, opinions. The only qualifica-
ton for membership seems to be a
serious desire for change. This is
nothing new with which we, in our
day, are confronted Sir Thomas
More, Chancellor of England in the
reign of Henry VIII, describing the
condition of things in that day, uses
language which would admirably fit
into modern socialistic address.
Thus he writes: Therefore, l must
say that, as I hope for mercy, / can
have no notion of all other govern
ments that I see or know than that
they are conspiracy of the rich who,
on pretense of managing the public,
only pursue their private ends, and de-
wise all the ways and arts they can
find out, first, that they may without
danger preserve all that they have SO
ill acquired, and then that they may
engage the poor to toll and labor for
them at as low rate as possible, and
Cypress them as much as they please.
And if they can but prevail to get
these contrivances established by the
show of public authority, which is con.
sidered as the representative of the
whole people, then they are accredited
laws
eff the words of Sir Thomas More
were true, at period so little re.
moved from feudalism, which was the
system of mitigated slavery that pre-
vailed in the Middle Ages, before the
time of trusts or great corporations
no wonder that thinking men hest
tate to accept the declaration of So.
cialist leaders when they say these
modern institutions are responsible for
the unhappy condition of the laborer
and the sole cause of the unequal divi-
sion of the worlds wealth. The cry
of discomfort that has, in all ages
disturbed the peace of the world is the
plant of the reluctant laborer con
demned to eat his bread in the sweat
of his face
The Church and the Working Man.
Far be it from us to say or dc
anything that might increase the la
borer's burden; but in the face Of
facts, traditional and historical, we are
forced to admit that the cry is never
less audible than where relief is
most needed, and on the contrary
never louder or more persistent thar
where the disadvantages complained
of are small and few How otter
and how plainly does the constan
law of mans own nature, brought
down to the simple alternative of life
or death, prove this fact.
Frequently, inexperienced friend!
look upon the silent resignation tha
comes to patients, when they hayt
given up hope, as sign of improved
condition; while the skilled physician
anxiously awaits increased irritability
as the only hopeful evidence of thei1
recovery. To show the defects in {
remedy it is not necessary to Prov
that no evil exists. We freely admit
that the laborers of our day are en-
titled to more consideration and bet
ter compensation from their employ
ers than they are receiving, eithe1
here or in other countries.
1--WE live in period of great prog
ress marked by brilliant civilization
1t is, also, democratic age when al
men profess to believe in equality anC
liberty. In our own land, at least
thanks to universal suffrage, the la
borer is, in accordance with the theor!
of the government under which hi
lives, sovereign.
mo wonder that, from this exalted
position, he refuses to listen to those
who would try to teach him content
ment by comparing his present condi
ton with the misery of the past
Emulation, an inherent quality o
mans nature, stimulates him to eff
fort, tells him he is no longer sur
rounded by poverty and wretchednesI
and unit in a barbarious society; bu
stands in the midst of boundlesi
wealth and great refinement, and will
insistence he demands a share of the