The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1876-01-12

IN riot CT turbulence, and TO change
the ve5ue and summon witnesses 10
any other county in the Common
wealth where a fair and Impartial tri-
al caa be had. The large expendi-
lures If public money almost annual
Iy incurred in the suppression ofihese
riots, and the peace aHd good name
Of ihe State, alike demand Of the
Legislature a thorough investigation
If the fuses Of these disturbances.
aud their cure. If possible, by the aP-
plicaiion # some certIin aad, If nee
essary, severe remedies.
Il has not escaped the observation
oi those whose duty il is to investi-
gate the causes Of these riots that
those who become embroileG therein
are often ~grievousiy wronged. aud
goaded 10 madness by what they
conceive 10 be the justiceso the law,
which seems 10 protect their employ
er and leaves them exposed TO bis
caprice or s~v2rice, resort to $violence
for redress. As the State can toler
ate within is limits ~ authority SUI
perior 10 its own, and therefore can
show no consideration for a combioa-
ton that assumes q right to prevent
men making aDy contract TO work
they please, 80 it cannot permit any
corporation or corporations tn unlsw-
fully or oppressively use the power
confer. ed upon them by The
State, to coatrol production and tie
cha lnels Of trade, so a. TO raise or
depress the price of labor or the cost
of living. If any citizen, therefore,
F feels that be is wronged by the i'm
proper and unlawful exercise of the
powers Of these corporations. and
llavs his grievance before the Exeeu-
tive, if, upon Investigation, it is found
to be Just, and a legal remedy exists
therefor. be will Instruct the Attorney
General to see that this remedy Is
speedily and surely enforced.
There IS no problem Of State poll
cv. The solution of which would be
- -
fraught With more advantage to our
people, than to discover some means
by nbich the differences between Ia
bur and capital eau be adjusted
This solution can only be reached by
slow approaches, for the saucritles OF
properly. corporate or otherwise, can
hot be rudely Invaded by any Had
gised assault upon it. any more than
should an undue support be given 10
bodies Of laboring men who may be
moved by an inconsideraIe impulse,
or under the direction OF unprlnc;-
pied leaders. This question of labor
and capital has agitatc the public
mind for centuries, but it is none the
less our duty for that reason to solve
it, If we can, and especially TO make
some accommodation that will meet
our necessities in this State. Does it
not seem practicable to appoint a court
Of arbitration, composed of three or
more of the judges of u courts, a.
many operators, and a like number Of
The representatives of the working
men. to whom could be referred the
disputes arising between employers
aud employees, so that at least a full,
fair and impartial discussion could
be had, aad the public enlightened
upon the merits Vt the controversy ;
aud 1t there was no legal remedy,
the force of public opinion would
constraln The parties whose claims
we're arbi'rated, to do justice to those
who were wronged. May | not ask,
ia view of the immense interests in-
volved, that you will consider the
propriety Of authorizing the appoint
ment of such a cuUr.
NATIONAL GUARD.
The %pecuniary assistance extended
by The SAFE in the last two years to
The National Guard, and the rigid
inspections made of every company
ia The service, has wrought a won,
deTful Improvement in the condition
Of the force, and justifes the belief
ttat no body Of citizen soldiery com
posed of men of finer physique and
more cOnversant with their du.
ties and discipline, will be present al
the Centennial than the troops which
Pennsylvania will muster there dur.
ing the coming summer. Some com
mands are exceptionally good anC
have DO superiors 10 the volunteer
service of the country. AT Boston
on the occasion Of the celebration o
the Centennial anniversary of The
{ battle of Bunker Hill, the portion q
: the Pennsylvania Guard in the line
of the parade elected the warmesl
, praise, not only from the vast con
course of people there assembled
but from the trained and experienced
: soldiers who reviewed the troops
1t is proper, too, that honorable men.
, ton should be made of the soldierl,
, bearing of the troops sen to suppress,
3 the riots in the coal regions. y,
more uuwelcOme and distastefnl on
responsible duty could be assigned t.
; soldiers than was this particular ser
vice. In cola aud inclemeDt weath.
or, suddenly transferred from their
, comfortable homes 10 a wild aud
bleak region, where the opportunities
for even shelter were meagre and tie
! passions Of the people we're excited
and inhamed, aud life and property
in peril, they performed their daily
round OF duty for several weeks, with
a strict Observance Of the rights OF
properly, and a delicate regard tor
The feelings of the citizens whose tur-
b%uieuce they were sent 10 suppress.
f aud by their exemplary conduct qni-
NJ was restored without a resort To
hloodshed. There is a disposition
to underestimate the ~sevices of the
, military, aud decry all expenditure
upon them as a useless outlay upon
vain pomp and parade, but the main,
tenance OF public order aud the pres
eryation Of life, which were the results
Of the prompt, courteous aud mauly
department of the soldiers sen to the
coal regions, merit the thanks Of the
Commonwealth and the Executive,
whore arm they strengthened in bis
attempt to uphold the law, would he
~uugrateiul if he did not make public
recognition of their valuable ser
vices.
In my annual message of 1874, |
recommended the removal of the old