Publication date
9/15/02
Volume
23
Number
18
The WatchTower
Views from the Watch Tower
/../literature/watchtower/1902/18/1902-18-1.html
 
 
 
SI!P'1'EMBER 
1, 
1902 
ZION'S 
WATCH 
TOWER 
(275-27(,) 
eousness, 
knowing 
that 
in 
our 
imperfect 
development 
we 
could 
not 
love 
perfectly; 
but 
he 
expects 
us 
to 
grow 
III 
grace, 
knowl­ 
edge 
and 
love, 
and 
only 
by 
so 
doing 
can 
we 
abidc 
in 
his 
love, 
and 
only 
by 
abiding 
III 
his 
love 
can 
we 
hope 
to 
attain 
the 
glorious 
tlnngs 
which 
he 
has 
in 
reservation 
only 
for 
those 
who 
love 
him. 
-~---- 
YOLo 
XXIII 
ALLEGHENY, 
A., 
SEPTEMBER 
15, 
1902 
VIEWS 
FROM 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
1\0. 
18 
"THERE 
WERE 
GIANTS 
IN 
THOSE 
DAYS" 
Recently 
'\Y. 
F. 
Clarke, 
of 
\Vilkesbalre, 
Pa., 
addressed 
to 
President 
Baer 
of 
the 
Reading 
R. 
R, 
appealing 
to 
him 
on 
religious 
grounds 
to 
end 
the 
anthracite 
roal 
strike 
Mr. 
Baer'~ 
reply, 
which 
ha~ 
exrlted 
general 
critirism, 
follow,,'- 
".:\ly 
dear 
.:\lr. 
Clal 
k: 
have 
your 
letter 
of 
the 
16th 
inst. 
"I 
do 
not 
know 
who 
vou 
ar('. 
"ep 
that 
vou 
are 
1"('­ 
ligious 
man, 
but 
you 
are 
evidentl)' 
biased 
in' 
favor 
of 
the 
right 
of 
the 
workingmnn 
to 
control 
hU~lI1ess 
in 
which 
he 
has 
no 
other 
I11tel 
('st 
than 
to 
eerure 
fnn 
wages 
for 
the 
work 
he 
doe 
"I 
beg 
of 
you 
not 
to 
be 
discouraged. 
The 
rights 
an,l 
in­ 
terest~ 
of 
the 
laborin/o{ 
man 
will 
be 
protected 
and 
cared 
for 
-not 
by 
the 
la 
hoI' 
agitator~, 
but 
b)' 
the 
Chri~tian 
men 
to 
whom 
GO(l 
in 
His 
infinite 
wisdom 
haR 
given 
the 
control 
of 
the 
property 
intercRt~ 
of 
the 
countr)', 
an 
(I 
upon 
the 
success­ 
ful 
management 
of 
whIch 
so 
much 
dC'pends. 
Do 
not 
be 
dis­ 
couragel1. 
Pnl)' 
earnestJy 
that 
ight 
may 
ttiumph, 
aJwa)'s 
f('mC'mllt'1 
ing- 
that 
the 
Lord 
G()(l 
omn:potent 
still 
reign~, 
allLl 
that 
lTl~ 
Il·ign 
i-: 
OI!C' 
of 
law 
an,l 
on]pr, 
,111<1 
not 
of 
violence 
and 
('rilll('. 
"Your~ 
truh', 
"GEORGE 
F.' 
BAER, 
PreRi,lent" 
ow 
tlw 
the" 
011,1 
is 
pas~ing 
under 
the 
dominion 
of 
the 
"giant~" 
(trustR, 
comhineR, 
etc.), 
it 
shouJd 
not 
surpriRp 
UR 
to 
fin,] 
th(' 
rJaim 
a(lvanced 
that 
the~e 
are 
of 
divine 
creation 
amI 
haY<' 
divlnc 
rights. 
Mr. 
Baer's 
view 
is 
not 
hypocritical, 
in 
our 
opinion; 
but 
is 
the 
re,ult 
of 
failure 
to 
diRcern 
th'lt 
I"atan 
is 
the 
"princ(' 
of 
tJlis 
world" 
or 
dispensation, 
who 
under 
hi~ 
Jaw 
of 
seJfiohnl'RR 
iR 
pprmittpd 
of 
God 
to 
"dereive 
the 
whoJp 
worhl:" 
in 
order 
that 
E'ventua]]y 
all 
may 
~ee 
to 
what 
Jengths 
~pJfishnp" 
wnuld 
Jpa,]-u]timatph' 
wrecking 
the 
present 
order 
-~ocial, 
political. 
finanriaJ 
and 
reJigiollR-an,] 
tllU~ 
preparing 
fo]' 
tIl{' 
p~tah]l~hmpnt 
of 
Chri~t'~ 
:\hIlenniaJ 
kingdom 
of 
love 
anll 
i.g-hteoll~neRs 
lIpon 
thp 
uinR 
of 
Ratan'" 
dominion 
and 
thp 
hin(lin!! 
of 
Ratan 
that 
he 
may 
"derpivp 
the 
nations 
no 
morp 
llntil 
th(' 
thouoanrJ 
,par" 
nrc 
PIHl('(l."-TIpv. 
20:1-4. 
~('pin!! 
111'p~(,1It 
~omlition" 
fordoJ,1 
in 
ScripturE', 
"'I' 
can 
look 
"ith 
"'ympath\' 
011 
l,oth 
partipo 
to 
thp 
romllJ~ 
confhrt 
\Ye 
RPP 
thp 
hattIp 
hdw!'('n 
the 
p1('al]v 
~('t 
forth 
in 
God'~ 
\\~0]'(1. 
\Yp 
R('p 
hoth 
p<1ltil'" 
to 
tlll1t 
RtrllggJe 
awak 
to 
rer­ 
tain 
trnthR 
an,] 
hlinlJ 
to 
parh 
other'R 
argumpnt". 
From 
our 
vaningp 
point 
\Vp 
~N' 
hoth 
right 
antI 
hoth 
\\Tong-both 
con­ 
t('ntlin!! 
con~pi('ntiou~]y 
for 
"right~", 
)'et 
hoth 
mi~sing 
tIl(' 
pal 
~tanllan] 
of 
rig-ht. 
h('rau"p 
hlin']Pl] 
hy 
opJfiohnesR. 
\Yp 
op(, 
that 
th(' 
fault 
lip~ 
JpS8 
with 
thp 
]wopJp 
on 
both 
RIdeR 
of 
thpop 
('ontrov('roip-:, 
alll] 
morp 
WIth 
thp 
fa]"p 
selfi~h 
~tanda],(]R 
whIch 
ronstitute' 
thp 
warp 
and 
woof 
of 
all 
pre~ent 
imtitu· 
tion~' 
~o 
nll]('h 
~o 
that 
it 
rannot 
he 
patphed, 
but 
will 
be 
per­ 
mIHp(] 
of 
t]l(' 
Lm 
,] 
to 
work 
ont 
it~ 
0\\ 
de~tnl('tion. 
aR 
pI 
pp­ 
al 
ation 
for 
tIl(' 
np,,' 
o]'(](']' 
of 
thll1g~ 
prOnll-:Pl] 
thp 
groaning 
('jeat-inn 
1111(ler 
th(' 
I.!Jorifie(] 
GJll 
iRt 
an,l 
hi~ 
kingdom. 
The 
New 
YOlk 
TIIIICS 
rJpclar('~ 
that 
Pre~ident 
Ba('r'R 
ut­ 
t('rall{'p 
"v('rg'p,1 
,PI',\' 
r]o~(' 
upon 
unron~ciollo 
b]asphemv." 
The 
Xpw 
1'01 
TrilJII 
ne 
dpc1arps: 
.. 
~trif'l 
·(>()llotrUf'l 
lOn 
tJlPO 
]o~ 
1,1 
ns 
han' 
hdorp 
110\\' 
in~iRt(>d 
u]Jon 
tJl(' 
1']O~P 
ll'1atIOIl-: 
hpt\~·('pn 
Cah'ini~m 
and 
poal 
It 
10 
~olllf'thing 
Ill'\\', 
ho\\ 
pv('r, 
to 
fiwl 
han]headed 
finanrier 
settin,!! 
up 
aR 
dOl'trin(' 
of 
t1Ip 
]llI"inE'o~ 
wor]rJ 
thp 
prel]('~tinati"n 
of 
the 
Ppnn..,v]vanin 
ronJ 
nllnpo 
to 
the 
all-wisr 
control 
of 
Pre~i­ 
(]pnt 
Ba"r' 
anll 
hiR 
fplJow 
pl'('-i,]pnts 
of 
roal 
rompanieR. 
Doubt· 
]pRo 
goo,l 
Calvini~t'l 
han' 
arreptel] 
the 
management 
of 
tIl(' 
coal 
opplatorR, 
like 
evprything 
pJ~(' 
that 
is, 
R'i 
bping 
~onlf'ho\\' 
or 
othpr 
in 
som(' 
mv~tpriou~ 
W>lV 
in 
harmon, 
with 
the 
lIJtJ­ 
matI' 
,]p~iglls 
of 
CorJ 
who 
enrJllIpR 
eVIJ 
anrJ 
makp" 
even 
thc 
\\ 
rnth 
of 
n1('n 
to 
pl'ai~p 
Him 
But 
fpw 
of 
thpm 
have 
reacherJ 
the 
point 
of 
ronRil]ering 
the 
so-raJIe,1 
'ron 
baronR,' 
aR 
Rhining 
("mmpJp~ 
of 
God'" 
ppIfert 
work, 
in 
which 
HIR 
loving' 
design" 
f01 
thp 
wp]farp 
of 
thp 
"ho](' 
human 
rac(' 
Wf'I'(, 
madp 
malll­ 
feot 
It 
Rpem~, 
howrY('r, 
that 
iR 
the 
true 
uortrine 
which 
aJl 
rp]igiouR 
mpn 
~houJl] 
hoJd, 
.. 
"It 
"iJl 
tak(' 
load 
from 
the 
ponopienrp" 
of 
many 
1"11'­ 
npot 
ppopJe 
to 
hav(' 
thi" 
authoritative 
rJpelaratJon 
that 
God, 
through 
thp 
kinl]ne~~ 
of 
the 
poal 
O]WratorR, 
will 
be 
allJp 
to 
manage 
thi.; 
~tnk(' 
in 
arpo]'(lam'e 
WIth 
th(' 
dictateR 
of 
in­ 
finitp 
wi~,]om. 
Thprp 
have 
hpen 
ooml' 
pC'r~onR 
who 
bpJipve 
in 
law 
anll 
mrJ('r, 
anll 
have 
no 
~Ympathv 
with 
l'iOtOUR 
~trik­ 
er!' 
or 
(lpmagogi(' 
a"itatoro, 
wAo 
have 
not 
hitherto 
he('n 
abJe 
to 
detert 
infilllte 
wihdom 
siUlllg 
at 
any 
of 
the 
roal 
president~' 
desks, 
but 
doubtless 
thpy 
were 
mistaken. 
In 
their 
blindnes.., 
they 
have 
said 
it 
was 
t'he 
duty 
of 
the 
operators 
to 
operate: 
that 
they 
should 
either 
meet 
their 
men 
half-way 
anu 
settle 
the 
difficulty, 
or, 
under 
the 
protection 
of 
the 
State, 
put 
other 
men 
to 
work 
and 
mine 
coal. 
TI1f'Y 
ha\'c 
had 
a, 
notion 
that 
Cod 
put 
the 
roal 
in 
thc 
earth 
to 
fUI'nish 
heat 
for 
men's 
needR, 
aIHI 
thought 
there 
was 
some 
~lip 
in 
the 
cog~ 
of 
the 
universe 
w]wn 
they 
rould 
not 
buy 
coal 
because 
PresH]pnt 
Baer, 
God's 
vicegerent 
at 
the 
mine'S, 
would 
not 
work 
thplll, 
But 
if 
it 
I~ 
part 
of 
the 
divine 
order 
that 
\ve 
shoul,l 
all 
pay 
$10 
tou 
tIl] 
the 
surplm 
stock 
is 
\vorked 
off, 
so 
let 
It 
b,'. 
Only 
,vc 
~hou],l 
likc 
to 
aRk 
qucstion 
or 
two. 
Arc 
the 
cO<II 
operator~ 
infallIbll' 
individually, 
or 
onJy 
when 
they 
are 
gathered 
to­ 
gl'thl'r, 
like 
church 
rouneil, 
about 
an 
office 
table 
to 
fix: 
lates 
anll 
say 
what 
('arh 
lctailer 
must 
sell 
hi~ 
roal 
for 
on 
]Jain 
of 
having' 
his 
God-given 
supply 
cut 
off? 
\Yas 
the 
agreement 
of 
two 
years 
ago, 
Wlll('h 
the 
operators 
Ra)' 
was 
so 
llllWIRP 
and 
!las 
madp 
so 
Illuc'h 
trouble, 
also 
,hetatpd 
In' 
Ini1uite 
wiRdnlll 
'I"~ 
The 
Kew 
York 
,lmcncan 
al/iZ 
,ToUl'iwl, 
aJways 
extremeJy 
l',lll~tie 
in 
lefprring 
to 
lahor 
troubles, 
awl 
cvidently 
predi~, 
po-c(l 
to 
scorp 
the 
\H'aJthy 
to 
the 
p"trenw-<t 
IllllLt, 
u~c's 
the 
jol· 
]0\\ 
ill!:l' 
very 
sevPI 
language:- 
THE 
ASTOUNDING 
BLASPHEMY 
OF 
MODERN 
PIRATE 
"'The 
rights 
and 
intprests 
of 
the 
laboring 
mnn,' 
Wl'ltf'~ 
PI 
p~idellt 
Baer, 
of 
the 
Philadelphia 
Reading 
RaIlway 
CO!1l' 
pan)', 
to 
correspondent 
who 
appeaJed 
to 
him 
a~ 
Christiall 
to 
pnd 
the 
coal 
strike, 
'will 
he 
protecte,l 
and 
cared 
for, 
not 
h)' 
the 
labor 
agitatoro, 
but 
by 
the 
C]n 
istian 
mcn 
to 
"hom 
God 
III 
His 
infinite 
wisdom 
ha., 
ginn 
rontlOl 
of 
the 
property 
lll· 
tprpsts 
of 
the 
country.' 
"""11'. 
Baer, 
aR 
one 
of 
tIl(' 
1Il0~t 
influpntia 
mcm!lprs 
of 
thp 
('oaJ 
Tru~t. 
no 
,]oubt 
~inrprely 
fepl~ 
that 
he 
is 
rsperwlly 
COIll­ 
mlRsioned 
to 
ran:\' 
out 
tJl(' 
clInne 
will 
as 
proteI' 
tor 
of 
JahO! 
.11101 
lJ1unag'('r 
of 
the 
propel 
ty 
Il1telf'~ts 
of 
the 
roulllry, 
He 
is 
-0 
happIly 
ron~titutp,] 
that 
hc 
can 
~Cl' 
uo 
~atill' 
in 
the 
oJd 
-.\ 
llogihm. 
"'The 
earth 
is 
the 
Lon]'" 
an(l 
the 
fll]n{'~~ 
thf'reof. 
Hi, 
~.lInts 
shall 
inhl'rit 
the 
palth. 
"'\Ye 
arp 
the 
saints' 
'ThpI 
('foJ'(' 
"p 
inhel 
it 
the 
pa 
rt 
]1.' 
"He'aven, 
who~e 
deputy 
l\Ir. 
Bapr 
~o 
ingenuously 
anll 
mod­ 
p~t])' 
l]('(]mes 
himsplf 
to 
he, 
while 
endowing 
him 
\nth 
:t 
"hark'~ 
appehte 
and 
caparity 
for 
~eizing 
thingR, 
haR 
merci­ 
fnllv 
(]pnlcd 
hIm 
ill<' 
O('lISP 
ot 
]ll1111or 
'fluh 
io 
lip 
~J"ll'pd 
th., 
(','ns('iouoness 
of 
Sill 
"hcn 
he 
hlaRphemeR. 
Indee.], 
when 
l\Ir 
Ral'r 
hJaRphe'lJ1e" 
he 
dop~ 
~o 
Ro]"mnly, 
with 
WalllliJ1g' 
and 
uplifting 
feeJing 
that 
h(' 
J.; 
j1prforming 
rdigious 
ntp 
a11<] 
do­ 
Illg 
vlrtuOll., 
,]eel1. 
T]d~ 
h]eR~ing 
i~ 
vouchRafl'd 
onl,\' 
tn 
t]IO~f' 
who 
in 
all 
thing'R 
px('ept 
lJ1onp)'-getting 
are 
den~e 
lJPyonu 
the 
ul1'!f'rstl1nding 
of 
on]IIl,ll 
m('II, 
"'Not 
,,1l1('(' 
]a~i 
Fl'llTlHllV 
hao 
onp 
of 
tllp 
]JiOll~ 
plnto/lan 
~\vho 
prot('('t 
1h,' 
'I 
i~ht" 
anI] 
intpr('~tR 
of 
the 
lahorill!! 
man' 
alHI 
'to 
whom 
Go,l 
in 
HI~ 
infinite 
wisl]om 
has 
givpn 
th(' 
con­ 
troJ 
of 
th(' 
I)] 
opert,\' 
int(,1 
p"ts 
of 
thp 
countl 
)"-favo!'(',] 
~Ilh­ 
]l'l't 
pl'ople 
with 
slwciuw11 
ot 
11 
n"on~,'101h 
1>l.1 
~plH'mv 
11. 
11 
:'Ipproaching 
in 
otur"IH]on~ 
ilho]f'IICe 
amI 
mon"tJous 
SpIf·light. 
pOlloneRo 
that 
of 
Blotllf'r 
Rl1f'!' 
"It 
\\a~ 
111 
Fplllnarv 
tll:,t 
\'011ll" 
.:\IJ. 
Rockpfpllpl·. 
hpi!' 
apparent 
to 
the 
Rtandanl 
Oil 
11;illiOllR, 
informel] 
thf' 
Young 
M('n's 
Chri~tian 
A~Rociation 
of 
Rrown 
Umv('r"itv 
that 
thp 
tnl~t~ 
are 
God's 
work-that 
it 
IR 
by 
th(' 
A]might~"s'dpRig'n 
that 
~lllalJ 
cOl11petitor~ 
are 
kill('t! 
off 
111 
order 
that 
gJ('at 
mo­ 
nopolv 
may 
ari~e. 
He 
soarell 
to 
flower)' 
Illustration, 
ihll~: 
'Thp 
Am('rif'an 
Bp:luty 
ro~e 
ran 
be 
pr0duc('l] 
in 
the 
spl('n· 
dol' 
and 
fra((ranep 
which 
hnn!!, 
clH'pr 
to 
ltS 
]H'ho]der 
on 
Iv 
hv 
oarIificing 
the 
early 
buds 
whirh 
grow 
up 
around 
it. 
Thi" 
i~ 
not 
an 
f'viI 
tendenry 
in 
hURin('RR. 
It 
is 
merpJv 
the 
working' 
out 
of 
Jaw 
of 
natui-e 
nnd 
bw 
of 
Go,1. 
There 
is 
no 
real 
differenre 
]wtwpen 
bu"illf'~R 
ancI 
the 
I:hriRtian 
life.' 
"AIllI 
thp 
whoJe 
hi~tory 
of 
the 
Standard 
Oil 
monopoJy 
i.; 
th" 
hiRtorv 
of 
('rImf' 
"Broth(.r 
Baer, 
prorlail11e(1 
hy 
him~elf 
an 
agcnt 
sent 
of 
God 
to 
takf' 
pO~ReRoion 
of 
an(] 
(',UP 
for 
thf' 
prop('riv 
of 
th" 
r('~t 
of 
US, 
thoug'h 
bJinrl 
to 
blasphpl11)' 
in 
himorlf, 
has 
douht­ 
]p~~ 
hawk'~ 
eye 
for 
dder-ting 
~a"riJpglOllo 
~])Irit 
III 
others. 
[3073] 
ZION’S SEPTEMBER 1, 1902 eousness, knowing that in our imperfect development we could not love perfectly; but he expects us to grow in grace, know!edge and love, and only by so doing can we abide in his love, Vou. XXII WATCH TOWER ALLEGHENY, PA., SEPTEMBER 15, 1902 (275-276) and only by abiding in his love can we hope to attain the glorious things which he has in reservation only for those who love him. No. 18 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER ‘‘THERE WERE GIANTS IN THOSE DAYS’’ Recently W. F. Clarke, of Wilkesbaire, Pa., addressed to President Baer of the Reading R. R., appealing to him_on religious grounds to end the anthracite coal strike Mr. Baer’s reply, which has excited general criticism, follows :— “My dear Mr. Claik: I have your letter of the 16th inst. “I do not know who you are. I see that you are a religious man, but you are evidently biased in favor of the right of the workingman to control a business in which he has no other interest than to secure fair wages for the work he does, “T beg of you not to be discouraged. The rights and interests of the laboring man will be protected and cared for —not by the labor agitators, but by the Christian men to whom God in His infinite wisdom has given the control of the property interests of the country, and upon the successful management of which so much depends. Do not be discouraged. Pray earnestly that right may tiiumph, always remembering that the Lord God omn:potent still reigns, and that lis reign is one of law and order, and not of violence and crime. “Yours truly, “GeEorGE F. Barr, President ” Now that the world is passing under the dominion of the “giants” (trusts, combines, ete.), it should not surprise us to find the claim advanced that these are of divine creation and have divine rights. Mr. Baer’s view is not hypocritical, in our opinion; but is the result of failure to discern that Satan is the “prince of this world” or dispensation, who under his law of selfishness is permitted of God to “deceive the whole world:” in order that eventually all may see to what lengths selfishness would lead—ultimately wrecking the present order ——social, political, financial and religious—and thus preparing for the establishment of Christ’s Millennial kingdom of love and righteousness upon the iuins of Satan’s dominion and the hinding of Satan that he may “deceive the nations no more until the thousand years are ended.—Rey, 20:1-4. Seeing present conditions foretold in Scripture, we can look with sympathy on hoth parties to the coming conflict We see the battle between them clearly set forth in God's Word. We see both parities to that struggle awake to certain truths and blind to each other’s arguments. From our vantage point we see both right and both wrong—both contending conscientiously for “rights”, vet both missing the real standard of right. beeause blinded by selfishness. We see that the fault lies less with the people on both sides of these controversies, and more with the false selfish standards which constitute the warp and woof of all present institutions: so much so that it cannot be patched, but will be permitted of the Loid to work out its own destruction, as a preparation for the new order of things promised the groaning cleation under the glorified Christ and his kingdom, The New York Tunes declares that President Baer's utterance “verged very close upon unconscious blasphemy.” The New York Tribune declares: “Strict-construction theologians have before now insisted upon the close relations hetween Calvinism and coal It 19 something new, however, to find a hardheaded financier setting up as a doctrine of the business world the predestination of the Pennsylvania coal mines to the all-wise control of President Bacr and his fellow presidents of coal companies. Douhtless good Calvinists have accepted the management of the coal operators, like everything else that is, as being somehow or other in some mysterious way in harmony with the ultimate designs of a God who endmes evil and makes even the wrath of men to praise Him But few of them have reached the point of considering the so-called ‘coal barons,’ ag shining examples of God’s perfect work, in which His loving designs for the welfare of the whole human race were made manifest Tt seems, however, that is the true doctrine which all religious men should hold... . . “Tt will take a load from the consciences of manv ernest people to have this authoritative declaration that God, through the kindness of the coal operators, will be able to manage this strike in accordance with the dietates of infinite wisdom. There have heen some persons who _ believe in law and order, and have no svmpathy with riotous strikers or demagogic agitators, who have not hitherto heen able to detect infimte wisdom sitting at any of the coal president~ desks, but doubtless they were mistaken. In their blindnesthey have said it was the duty of the operators to operate: that they should either meet their men half-way and settle the difficulty, or, under the protection of the State, put other men to work and mine coal. They have had a notion that tod put the coal in the earth to furnish heat for men’s needs, and thought there was some slip in the cogs of the universe when they could not buy coal because President Baer, God’s vieegerent at the mines, would not work them. But if it 1s a part of the divine order that we should all pay $10 a ton till the surplus stock is worked off, so let it be. Only we should like to ask a question or two. Are the coal operators infallible individually, or only when they are gathered together, like a church council, about an office table to fix 1ates and say what each 1etailer must sell his coal for on pain of having his God-given supply cut off? Was the agreement of two years ago, which the operators say was so unwise and las made so much trouble, also dictated by infinite wisdom*” The New York American and Journal, always extremcly caustic in 1eferring to labor troubles, and evidently predisposed to seore the wealthy to the extremest limit, uses the tollowing very severe language :— THE ASTOUNDING BLASPHEMY OF A MODERN PIRATE “The rights and interests of the laboring man,’ writes Piesident Baer, of the Philadelphia & Reading Railway Company, to a correspondent who appealed to him as a Christian to end the coal strike, ‘will be protected and cared for, not hy the labor agitators, but by the Christian men to whom God in His infinite wisdom hag given contiol of the property interests of the country.’ “Myr. Baer, as one of the most influential members of the Coal Trust. no doubt sincerely feels that he is especially commissioned to carry out the divine will as a protector of labor aml manager of the property iterests of the country. He is so happily constituted that he can see no satire in the old ~\ llogism . “‘The earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof. saimts shall inherit the earth. “We are the saints: “Therefore we inherit the earth’ “Heaven, whose deputy Mr. Baer so ingenuously and modestly declares himself to be, while endowing him with a shark’s appetite and capacity for seizing things, has mercifully denied him the sense of humor Thus is he spared the ecnseiousness of sin when he blasphemes. Indeed, when Mr Baer blasphemes he does so solemnly, with a warming and uplifting feeling that he 1s performing a religious rite and doing a virtuous deed. This blessing is vouchsafed only to those who in all things except money-getting are dense beyond the understanding of ordimary men. “Not since Tast February has one of the pious plutecracy —who protect the ‘tights and interests of the laboring maw and ‘to whom God in His infinite wisdom has given the control of the property interests of the countiy’—favored a subject. people with a specimen ot unconscious blasphemy at all approaching in stupendous insolence and monstrous self-1ightcousness that of Brother Baer ‘Tt was ain February that voune Mi. Rockefeller. heir apparent to the Standard Oil millions, informed the Young Men’s Christian Association of Brown University that the trusts are God's work—that itis by the Almighty’s design that small competitors are killed off im order that a gieat monopolv mav arise. He soared to flowery illustration, thus: “<The American Beauty rose can be preduced in the splendor and fragrance which bring cheer to its beholder only bv caciificing the early buds which grow up around it. This is not an evil tendency in business. It is merely the working out of a law of nature and a law of God. There is no real difference between business and the Christian life.’ “And the whole history of the Standard Oil monopoly is the history of a erme! “Brother Baer, proclaimed by himself an agent sent of God to take possession of and care for the property of the rest of us, though blind to blasphemy in himself, has doubtless a hawk’s eye for detecting a sacrilegious spirit im others. His [3073]

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