The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-08-07
JUDGE VESTS VIEWS.
NoN-coNMITTAL ON REsUMPTIoN-THE LABOR
QUESTION: BUREAU OF INDUSTRY FAVORED.
Prom the Cincinnati Commercial August

SoESiAON-A BUREAU OF INDUSTRY fANOhED'
From the Cincinnati Commercial, August
II would be dnlcuh 10 ind in any community
more highly respected generally deferred to
Than Judge West Is In this county [Ioganl With the
instincts and habits of student and his eminent
qualities as lawyer and statesman he has an easy.
familiar, almost frontier manner Of intercourse with
hts neghbors, Which has made him quite an oracle on
all subjects with all classes OF people. called on the
Judge for the purpose OF interviewing him on the sub
ject OF the republican platform.
REPoRTER-Judge, will you give me your views on
the resumption question: and state. II you know, why
the subject not mentioned in the platform Of the
Cleveland Convention?
Judge wEsr-My own personal opinion regard TO
money and Its uses and to the relations which the
government sustains to It founded on clear
convictions They diner widely from those en-
tertaincd by other gentlemen OF equal ability,
who think and determine for themselves. Theo-
reticaly l suspect | inclined to be doematc.
In practice am compelled to acquicsce IN the appica
ton OF many notifications Of my theoretical views
which may be unable 10 induce majority oil my
fellow citizens to concur In We cannot all have our
own notions of plans and systems and theories re-
duced to practice where they widely differ and
where the application OF only one pan or one
method, or ono system is possible. The Cleveland
platform Incorporates and reaflrms tho national plat
pies adhered TO by the Cleveland Convention, except
In so far the shall have been modified by tho
express declarations of the latter. How far these
notifications go have net had either time oppor-
tunitv 10 determine IL Is my purpose. At an early
day to carefully all these questions and give
my conclusions TO the public together with my
reasons. Therefore In the meantime 1t would DE nn-
just to myself and unjust 10 those who have conhdcd
high trust to me TO attempt the form OF inter
view, to express my opinions and views IN desultory
manner unaccompanicd by full and thoroughly con-
sidcred reasons for hem
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY on RESUMPTION
REroRTER--iave you been able to form from your
observations OF the last few days any Of the pre-
ponderancc Of republican opinion on the subject OF
sumpton-wheth her majority OF The party IS tor or
against the repeal OF tho Resumption act?
Judge VEST have not. My observation has
thinkers OH tho subject arc greatly varied by local cir
cunstances Judging from the views OF one commu.
nifty different opinion would be reached from that cx-
pressed by the voice OF another locality that
present could not even approximate an accurate
cuson. l am aware that very considerable number
while many others think 1t unnecessary at the present
time, il at all As Congress is to convene to re-
main in session until July next, II is deemed the
wsest course by many to reconmit the whole qurs-
ton of resumption to that body, TO be determined
upon ascorang 70 Inc conditions o. necessities INA.
whether this was the reason which influenced the
omission OF the matter IRON the platform am unable
to MORN you, nor can state tho preponderance OF
opinion either way.
LABOR PLANK.
In regard 10 the labor plank OF the platform Judge
ut my purpose TO set forth at length my views on
the subject when start out IN the campaign Briefly
l will say that capital and labor indispensable
each other. Neither prosper with0
Of tho other Bong thus mutually dependent they
alike entitled to tho fostering and protection OF
society and toe State inr 1t is practicable
extend the same. To tramme either by unwss legs-
lation would DO destructive the interests Of BOTH
either be without ITS reward sufficient to noursh and
sustain It, both must perish Capital cannot continue
20 employ labor, and must necessarily exhaust II not
remunerated. Labor cannot capital unless
nourished and sustained by adequate compensation.
10 devise method which ther proper relations
may be maintained rs more the work OF practical
dom than OF theoretical states manshtp. Personally
have supposed It practicable in the OPP
GRAFTON OF our great railroad thorough fares
and mines 10 ADJUST by voluntary agreement
between employer and employee a kind OF sliding
scale oil compensation, whereby the lattor might
ceivc certain agreed minimum OF compensation for
n suited period and IN addition thereto certain
agreed percentage the net earnings and profits real
tied during the same period. do not know that such
. system OF compensation Is practicable. | under
stand TO have been successfully applied In OF
tho great industrial establishments OF England and
ulso Of this country and have therefore, believed that
II our railroad corporations could apply some similar
plan TO the solution Of the exIstng labor problem by
which they much embarrassed, all tho
differences between themselves and their employees
might be amicably ana satisfactorily adjusted Some
OF them have already adjusted the promise that II
their future receipts Justify II the compensation shall
be Increased; but this leaves matters open TO
future controversy. An agreement ~ pay stpu-
lated percentage OF tho profits IN addition TO the
fixed minimum compensation would eivo greater as
to the employs that he would certainly receive
such additional remuneration In the event OF the
pany's ability 10 pay. while rendering him entirely
content with the failure TO receive II in the Of
disability. Those are only personal opinions OF my
own, for the uterance OF which no one IS responsible
but myself III as the operator OF railway had the
power to apply tneso suggestions in practice, should
certainly try the experiment, for the laborcr is
doubleday worthy oil his hire. All this, however,
should DO voluntarily arranged, because it is beyond
the scope Of legislative jurisdiction.
BUREAU INDUSTRY.
REPoRTER-DO you think bureau OF Industry,
such as progressed by the republican platform, would
facilitate the correction OF this injusticcY
Judge WEsr-l have no doubt that It would. The
intervention OF tho proposed correct evil
OF this character | think IS entirely competent The
statistical information which It nigh; auhortativey
demand would enable II to point out the causes of
grievances and suggest If not compel, their corec-
ton
On the subject Of the silver plank OF the platform
Judge West said
"My idea with regard to the reconciliation OF silver
has been that II proper to ISSUE II at all II should be
only as substitute Tor our outstanding legal tender
circulation, so that volume OF Circulation should
not be Increased In amount but rather IN value that
should have better noney rather than money.
II we to have the silver dollar II should be made
nearly equal in value to gold practicable, that
may be subject to the same degree OF nuctuaoD ana
yet the difference between II and gold DC not 80 great
as to work an apparent injustice"