Page:The Complete Works of Henry George Volume 3.djvu/336

 144 THE CONDITION OF LABOR.

The annals of every nation down to our own times testify to what they have done for the human race. It is indis- putable, on grounds of reason alone, that such associa- tions, being perfectly blameless in their objects, have the sanction of the law of nature. On their religious side they rightly claim to be responsible to the Church alone. The administrators of the State, therefore, have no rights over them, nor can they claim any share in their manage- ment ; on the contrary, it is the State's duty to respect and cherish them, and, if necessary, to defend then from attack. It is notorious that a very different course has been followed, more especially in our own times. In many places the State has laid violent hands Dn these communities, and committed manifold injustice against them j it has placed them under the civil law, taken away their rights as corporate bodies, and robbed them of their property. In such property the Church had her rights, each member of the body had his or her rights, and there were also the rights of those who had founded or endowed them for a definite purpose, and of those for whose benefit and assistance they existed Wherefore We cannot refrain from complaining of such spoliation as unjust and fraught with evil results; and with the more reason because, at the very time wten the law pro- claims that association is free to all, We see that Catholic societies, however peaceable and useful, are hindered in every way, whilst the utmost freedom is given to men whose objects are at once hurtful to Religion and dan- gerous to the State.

58. Associations of every kind, and especially those of working-men, are now far more common than formerly. In regard to many of these there is EO need at present to inquire whence they spring, what are their objects, or what means they use. But there is a good deal of evi- dence which goes to prove that many of these societies

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