The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-08-17

The platform confidently appeals To
the Republican party's past fidelity To
the interests OF the country and to the
nation, as a guarantee for the future.
1t approves the Presidents conduct.
and declares confidence in him. 1t de-
clares that the Republicans still adhere
to the amendment to the National
Constitution. 1t is for silver and gold.
equally legal tender for all debts ex-
cepbwhers law has specifically provid.
ed otherwise 1--WE think there are none
SUCH with coinage SO regulated as give
the largest circulation of both metals.
and therefore it demands the remone-
tization of the silver dollar 1t declares
against further land grants or subsidies
or loans of credit to railroads, aud
gainst the renewal of patents that are
oppressive to the labor'ng classes.
The platform then resolves an alarm
ed viewof the railroadstrikes. depreea
ton of unlawful violence, approval of
the action of the State AID National
governmental in enforcing the law sympa
thy With unemployed and iradequateiy
paid workInen, and recommends, First
that Congress establish a National
Bureau of Industries; second, that
Congress exert its authority over all the
national highways of trade by prescrib
ing reasonable regulations as will tend
to promote safely of travel, ''secCre
fair returns for capital invested, fair
wages to employees, preventingmisman-
agement, improper determinations,
and the aggrandizement of officials at
the expense of stockholders, shippers
and employees, and that there be ''sta
tutory arbitration between employers
and employees to adjust controversies,
reconcile interests, and establish jus
tice and equity between them"
BY this it appears that railroads are
national highways of trade. and that
calling them so gives Congress control
ov, them, their capital, the wages of
their employees. their freight charges,
theiI competition, and al else. So
much is gained by calling a railroad
national highway of trade. But when
Congress can secure fair returns for
the capital-eair wages to tire employees
and fair rates for constitutional power.
The object of constitutions is to pro-
mote the persuit of happiness. When
we can reach happiness by a short cut,
we achieve the object of the Constitu
ton, and then the Constitution must
conform.
As Congress is to secure this perfect.
ed state to railroads, and workmen
aud shippers, under that clause which
gives it control of "the national high
way of trade" the provision for ''stat
usory arbitration" between employers
and employees is for other branches of
industry. And as a statutory arbitra-
tor means power to decide by author
ity of law what employers shall pay,
and employees receive, it must be infer
red that the arbitrator shall also have
power to make the workmen work for
the prescribed wage. That being pro
vfded, little more will be required for
the perfection of human society.
The platform was an all night labor
of some of the ablest platform makers
in the State, working upon plsnks con-
rributed by each and by other wise
deli6eration. 1t bears marks OF this
intense desiberation. 1t scars to new
fields; but the Republican party is the
party of progress, and its course is ever
onward and upward. And it pays a
proper tribune to the wisdom of the
people when it declares that a govern
ment of the people. by the people, fer
the people. can adjust all the interests
of capital and laborers, and give good
wages to labor and good returns TO cap
ital; can secure fair income to railroad
capital, fair wages to railroad workInen,
fair rates to the people who have prop
erty to be Transported, and fair pros
perity to all.-Cin. Gazette.