The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1873-04-19
BRITISH VS. AMERICAN ARBITRA.
TON.

IfI.I|.Il mimi. " Util It's Satisfactory onAu-
uun forms the theme Of the lecturer and
THE lahnred production Of the essaylst
when truce Is desired, alike by employer
ana employee. when the sober, second
thought seek, 20 assert Its sway, and calmly
,lew the situation, when arbitration. by
mutua. consent, seems tn be the great
dfs ...ftom. % i cmnnentiy proper that We
should realize is true import and func-
.tai,. thcdItiicuiues which lay in its pathway
Ky NcI As the benefits sure To accrue from
It> aduptIuu provided they can be salts
ttyf1uly removed.
White We meguivocally favor any pro
Ipct looking Ia its introduction and estab-
ushmrut. lt Is tho sheerrst buneomb To as
SORT that t can lie maintained on the same
ba,r, ud under the same auspices in the
ucw world As It has been IN the old world.
'Nc %. uut assert. neither do we believe,
that these difficulties are Iusurmountable.
Ne know where there Is vii there is gen
eraIya way. but the very fact that they
dn exist. coupled with a belief that they
urst 2, removed heture success is guaran-
tr,j, and that u Is more than possible they
viii present themselves on the experimental
trial. makes II well ~ consider the ques-
ttou ma al ITS phases under its most
uuiayunble. As well as under its most ia
Nurab!e aus ices.
X IS a ton common practice among those
Rho have never given the question an
hours consideration. ~ assume that be-
cause it has m a number Of instances,
proved successful IN Great Britain, 1t must
90. necessity under the same clrcumstan-
ces. prove equally successful in the United
States. NV the truth of the matter is,
rhr very element which has there ensured
success the d,ypt,r.St,d dribiter- wheth-
~ the board ha, been composed Of hve OF
seven ur uIne mrubers-Is a rtra dctS, on
American suil The substitution of
muuled fur titled aristocracy-an
Iuu- as the assertion may seem initiates
against IT, success.
Oh England the labor question has forced
itself upon the attention Of her most care
tul and sagacious statesmen. Her premier
think, At no disgrace to advise body Of
wurkngmen. Even the Earl Of Derby
the leader If TIE conservative party in the
House Of Lords has publicly addressed,
time and again. the Trades UniOnIsts Of
Liverpool and Manchester a manner
that proved his knowledge has been the
result of deep and earnest consideration.
Her most distinguished sardnts and politl-
cal economists approach its discussion
with feeling which proves that they at
least appreciate its Importance and bearing
upon the future welfare Of the country,
while In her legislative halls her Hughes,
Mundellas. bikes, Herberts Fawcetts
ETC., are always ready when capital becomes
tie aggressor To plead the cause of the
oppressed. and sound the tOcsln of alarm.
The result Of all this has been the creation
OF comparatively healthy sentiment,
which has fortunately produced at the
right Juncture, champions of the people,
vino could neither be caJoled nor intimida-
tel men whose social, political, intellect
nal and financial status Re ndered them in
dependent Of amy pressure which the man
ufacturing or nonopollslng interests could
bring 70 bear
Ia our own country different state of
affairs exist We are essentially COM
uerrlal money making race; every other
desire Is made subserVient to the possession
and control Of wealth Our associations,
aspirations, sense of duty and interests,
centre m the almighty dollar. Under these
circumstances it Is easily explained why
human seliishness affects to regard the
labor movement as mlschleyous and un-
nt-,Ssary. ignorance and wealth too Of
ten "a hand in hand; our hterdti pride
themselves ON their seclusion from active
life with few exceptions our political
economists are mere novices, 50 TAR as a
ku"wledge OF the grandest movement of
the a.e is concerned; our mIlhOnalres I'M
like those II the old world, are actively
engaged in business pursuits, whose arms,
Briarcian-like, reach to every ramitcation
Of society. Theyare found AS silent partners,
m this or that commercial enterprise; in joint
stock companies, railroad land steals, or
manufacturing mouopohes in fact, wherev-
er an honest or dishonest penny may be
made II we turn to the halls Of our State or
National Legislatures, we find the moment
a bubble man makes the cause Of the teller
his own, the hackneyed cry Of dema-
go.ur is raised; IA, party press true to
the interests of their masters, hunt him
down; moral cnwardlce gains the ascend
ency. an / he is whipped again into the
traces. Or sheIved as an unmitigated hum
bug.
Thus We will look in vain, for the time
being, for the indispensable element-the
disinterested referee-tO make arbitration
a success. Yet the remedy can be found,
and it lies in the working classes them
selves. The very hour the American pto-
DE realize that TUTOR IS in earnest, terribly
in earnest, that party ties have lost their
talsmanic charms, that it understands the
sources Of its wrongs, and is determined
TO apply the remedy, respectful attention,
cancellation and arbitration will inevitably
follow. The terrible englnery Of the bal
lot box will arouse attention, and awaken
a public sympathy, necessary to secure
suc ,ess But until the American mechanic
is educated to this stand point, he must be
satisfied with the assurance that there is
-. ..a phasa Of tha question and that