The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1876-03-04
ARBITRATION NO /.

At the last session 4 the Industrial
Congress held at Indianapolis. the ques-
tion Of Arbitration" was referred back To-
the several labor organizAtiuns Tor especial
discussion, with the understanding tina; at
its re assembling. II would be the leading
subject before II. by the adoption Of
the resolution it was believed that the
delegates IN attendance would BE- prepared
to express fully and fairly the views Of
their constituents. and that the conclusions
arrived at might justly be claimed as the
deliberate opinion N large maj Irity Of
the trade and labor organizations Of the
United States, and as such accepted as a
guide to future action alike by employer
ana emrloye
While We have No desire t. throw any
obstacle III the way II A satisfactory sulu-
tion Of this important question, or create
imaginary difficulties, 1t must not be fur
gotten that iitfcuItles--not iusurmouutable
Ne trust-dp exist, and that It is the part
Of wisdom g. consider the dark as well as
the bright side Of the picture
Arbitration as defined by Webster,
III, ans THE hearing and determination Of
cause between parties III controversy by
person OF persons chosen 10y the par
ties The existence Of a controversy
1,r,v.s a Ilsa.rr.au,a,,t - f.aiip,r ,r c,urs,a
Of action, and tile duties Of an arbitrator
are to reconcile these differences in a spirit
If equity and right. 50 long as the wages
system exists, So long as labor and capital,
under our preeent financial system, are at
war with each other any plan which
promises to pat an end t. the chronic sys-
tenn Of strike which prevails, must com
mend itself to the careful attention Of
every considerable mind.
In our own country arbitration is com
paratiyely in ITS infancy. and but few Of
the efforts heretofore made have been
crowned with success. Ia Great Britain
a different state Of affairs exist, and
anomalous as the assertion may seem, her
from a class II men whose wealth, intel
lectual attainments and social status furn-
lshrd the surest guarantees II an unbiased
decision. Her landed pruprietors, her
statesmen, he lIteratI. men Of worldwide
reputation. who, like Caesars wife, have
been considered above suspicion have
deemed 1t All honor to b. selected
tribunal Of final resort, to decide on the
justice OF injustice Of trade union de-
honorable exceptions, no such element has
as yet been developed As rule, our
ulllIonaires are Of the Gould or Wander
bilt order, embarked in this or that specu-
lation, or silent partners in this or that
corporation, reckless, unprincipled, dollar
grabbing, and dollar seeking Adventures;
our statesmen (D are too busily engaged
IN trimming their sails to catch the popu-
lar breeze our professors too eager to in
still into the rising generation the poisoned
theories Of bastard political economy,
which has already corrupted our social
fabric; our judges, dependent upon the
caprice Of the popular vote, are compelled
to pander to a vitlated sentiment our
divines, pitiable examples Of mammonized
serviilty, while our men Of letters, with an
affectation unworthy even Of contempt,
profess profound Indifference To every
movement which directly effects the in
terests OF the industrial classes. In
America few men Of prominence IN public
life can afford to champion the cause of
the oppressed. The cry of ''demagogue"
presen IS too formidable a barrier. On the
contrary the ''ameliura,ion ~ the cpndi-
ton uf those who labor for a living" has
long engrossed the attention az the best
brains in England With them it has
been labor Of love, and the hae and cry
which here deters the Efforts Of the
stamp their author as a.characterless black
guard. Disraeli, Gladstone and members
Of their cabinets have found leisure, time
and again, amidst their mukifarious du
ties, T. address an audience of working
men, but who ever heard of Grant leaving
his Junketings at Long Branch, or Robson
his pleasure yacht, for similar purpose
And this difference Of popular opinion
furnishes the key to the situation
Yet even in Great Britain the enrolment
of her mudsllls-her agricultural laborers-
into trade associations, has surrounded the
question of arbitration with difficulties
which few years ago were unknown. Up To
that time the landed gentry were general
ly accepted without dissent, but to-day
the trades unionists Of Manchester.
Liverpool and London decline their
services, because their position has been
changed, their selfish interests being at
stake; and whether the virtual elimination
Of this important element will not have a
marked influence on the success or failure
Of arbitration in the future, is question
which time alone can decide.
We shall continue this subject in our
next.