The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1871-09-30
THE LABOR QUESTION.

TIE LABOR QUESTION.
INDUSTRIAL Par TkGRsHps N ENcLA AnD.
A member Of the Worlds staff was yes
terday favored With svisit from gentleman
just arrived from England, who, besides
being perfectly familiar with every phase Of
the labor question in the old country, has
been for many years actively engaged IL
promoting the development Of 60 operation
and analogous movements. A few leading
questions elected many interesting facts
the most important Of which will be
found in the following summary Of long
Conversation
"You say that cooperation languishes in
the south Of England, and fiourishes ooly in
some Of the northern counties How do you
account for thisf"
Briefly. because the north il better ed
ucated than the south. But there are other
reasons which will present themselves, If I
relate few facts eoncsrnieg tho, r;ee, az the
most important industry Of the north En-
al . very few years ago, coal was tbe staple
product Of the northern counties, and he
ooai miners were probably the least iutelk-
gent dass Of laborers tbrougbeut the coun,
try. Within the last half century, bow,
ever, new and more profitable industry
has sprung up BY the opening out Of the
ron stone mines Of Cleveland, IN North
Yorkshire. Suddenly. and almost as rap.
Idly as 10 the case Of some Of your western
cities. large towns came into existence al
over the district where, until then, only q
few agricultural laborers' cottages were to
be seen Thirty years ago there was no
such place Is Middlesbrough; nov it is q
thriving, busy town and parliamentary
borough Towns and villages already ex-
isting rapidly increase their proportions
and grow out q knowledge. Cleveland
oeaaus "a pri11r1I - - -
hgland,
in about twenty-five years an old agricul-
tural district became the great center Of a
new industry. The workmen who were at
tracted 10 this new workshop BY the high
wages paid were Of tbs class Of which emi-.
grants are usually composed large
number of adventurers, deviI-may-cares,
with fair sprinkling Of thoughtful, intel
ligent and industrious w-r.
6 i guess the iror masters had some
trouble in orgsniziLs their men p
Indeed they had. The history Of the
first fifteen or twenty years was the history
Of succession Of disputes and strikes,
which tended seriously to impede the de-
velepment Of the new trade. Trades
unionism appeared in its most Objectionable
form, the demands of the men being made
in utter disregard Of the enormous outlay
Of capital required to open new works and
provide for the transit of manufactured
iron. At length the disputes eliminated
in what 10 known in South Durham as the
'leng ssrike.' II proved disastrous to the
men and to many Of the least wealthy Of the
iron masters The great firms, howersr,
held out. and were untiring in their en-
dsavors to induce the men to come to rea-
son. Messrs- Pease & Co., Bolckow,
Yaughap q Co., Hopkins, Gilkes 4 Co,
fox, Hea - Co., snd macy otbers, who
had 60 nS3ned 70 res.ss sse sseaands Of sha
men, eagerly accepted the offer to submit
the case TO board of arbitration, upon the
model Of that designed BY Mr. Rupert Ket-
tie in South Stafordsbire, and eventually
the workmeu accepted it too"
How was the board of arbitration con-
stituted, and how dill it work p
'The masters and men selected an equal
number Of representatives, the president
. mastery and the vice president Ga work
mani being elected by the board. All mas
ters and workmen who subscribe to the
principles Of the board have the right to
submit to it any question that cannot be
amiqably settled without it's aid When
v rming this duty, the board is called
board Of Cancellation. In the event of no
arrangement being come to, the board is
empowered to call in the assistance Of one
or two srbitrators, who, after bearing both
sides and exa -ining the employers books,
give their decision, which is regarded as
final. The Board Of Arbitration and Con
ciliation for the North Of England Iron
Trade has hitherto work ed well, in 50 far
as no strikes Of any magnitude have occur
red since its establishment In my own
opinion this is owing to the confidence uni
versally rePOsed in the president, Mr. David
Dale; the vice president, Mr.. John Kane
and the arbltrators, Mr. T. Hughes and
MIR. 4. Kettle, who have several times
been called upon, rather than to any gen
uiae confidence in the arbitration prin-
ciple."
do you mean to say that the personal
influence Of the gentlemen you have named
alone accounts for the satisfactory working
Of the SYSTEM"
mo. Plenty Of men could, no doubt,
be found who would inspire equal
confidence. What 1 would convey Is
that the workmcu and employers submit
to the decision of the officers Of the board,
without ever being satisfied With those de-
cisions"
Have the decisions Of the arbitrators
appeared to 60 more in favor Of the employ
er or Of the employedf"
Strictly equal justice has, | believe,
hlWayS Uccu uOuo. IL the men ask q rise
Of ten per cent, they are pretty sure
to get FIVE; and if the masters desire
to lower the rate ten per cent, the arbi-
traitor is pretty sure to prove that re-
ductiOn Of five per cent ought to be agreed
to-"
Arbitration, thea, is simply splitting
the difference 2"
In almost every case it has been so,
ard the result is that very few masters or
men are enthusiastic about the arbitration
principle. 1t gives rise to good deal
Of Jealousy, and constantly excites sus-
picions Of collusion. The men watch the
market, and naturally come to false con-
illusions and make absurd demands, while
the masters are often nervously expecting
that the men will repudlae the acti, n
Of the board. No security il felt by either
party"
"You have concluded, it seems, that the
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