Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-03-24
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL
A Trib,,.a 70 Covernor Martin.

WASHINGTON, March III wish IN
this letter 10 pay n tiitute t" John A.
Martin. Governor or Kansas, who, in
INV Judgment has just performed a
service that will be far reaching in IFS
consequences, containing as 1t does
the germ of new policy in regard to
corporations and labor, from which
| will grow. or can be made TO grow, a
solution of the great labor problem of
The future. | hope not to be mlsun-
derstood-the germ OF such policy
for il is Yet too new and too vast 10
be mastered by any man or solved by
any measure
But two DAYS before the announce
ment of the terms of settlement of the
great strike, in one of these letter.,
discussing the relations of corpora
lions TO society, it was asked: what
right has the governor of a state 10
order out the militia to protect the
property or enforce the policy of these
! corporations without first ascertaining
whether they have fulfilled their obii-
cations TO society that gave them
their franchises. Gov. Marmaduke
| had done this, and il was his action
that was in mind. But when Gov.
! Martin was asked 10 do the same
thing, he demanded to know just
whai the above indicates, and al his
suggestion the governors of the TWO
states met the parties TO the difficulty
and on their terms ii has been adj
justed.
do not say ANYTHING about the
terms: il Is the principle recognized,
the precedent set, that is Important.
! The principle is the right assumed by
| the state 10 Judge whether case is
presented for the interference OF the
military power, and the precedent l.
the recognition of the right by the
| corporation. The fact that the decl
SION was in favor of the workmen and
employees. only shows that IN this case
they were right, and the corporation
knew il was trying 10 enforce an IN
| Justice and perpctrate a wrong But
| the next example NAV be the other
WAY. The important Thing is the prin-
ciple involved in The prccedent---tha'
>orietv or the state has right to in
quire INTO the facts and see that jus
| lice is done. Here j. the germ OF Az
entire new policy AMI from which may
Toe unfoldcd a new order OF things
| OF course what am about TO say
NAV be contradicicd, and no doubt
will be. hu; the facts properly under
stood will bear me out IN the assertion
! hat il is the first time in our history
when the state, or state, by its rxec-
uliye authority has taken such a stand
and not uclv insisted upon but ac,ual-
" did perform ills duty in such Il case.
Gov Martin l. entitled to this homer.
and IN wears To come that honor VIII
grow ~ The policy bears fruit. The
&C; was an inspiration. and II was NOT
doing violence To probabilities 10 pre-
diet the results rs thcy have been in
what is here said.
About a wear ago had occasion TO
discuss this question of corporations
| in view of q decision of the supreme
court of the United State. in the case
of the city of san Francisco and the
water company of that city, III which
that iribural asserted he right of thu
state 20 90 behind charter-or, Ia
| O her words. that charter granted
! did not deter the state from exercising
The right of repeal or change. Thi-
decision was a reversal of the doctrine
in the Dartmouth college case, which.
from the time it was made Till the
present. has been the shield for all cor
porate abuses. This action Of Gov
Marin is. however, the first time the
principle involved has been asserted 10
executive action. A. the decision of
the court. will govern, III law, for the
future. so ought this precedent TO gov
crn in the executive departments OF
onr state governments-aud IN time IL
will.
bnce establish the fact that rail-
way or any other great corporation
cannot make a demand upon The gov
ernor of -tate tor the Use of the
militia l. enforce its edicts, except
UPON an examination first had a. to
! the Justice OF The action creating the
| demrnd. aud the causes for these
strikes anu arrangement of public
! business. will not be 80 hastily or
/ rrcklrs>ly crca ed. Not only will they
| be more eau iouS. hut they VIII y"
/ more wi liza. To submit to and more
readily seek such general legislation
and The enactment OF such laws that
viii render such disastrous REM
criies impu ssibic just "a soon as
I corn iraiiuu> tini that The power of
I Ihe ATE cannot hc invoked 10
,.uiur, @ their DEGREES, their OWE
-aieiN and surety will demand an
adjustment on well defined basis of the
ughl aud duties of all parties. FIR in
rnc rud the safety and profit f VAST
/ invc- imeuis depends on the po er of
a. a T.
Al can be had under the old idea oi
chartered rights 80 much the better
tor the corporations, bat If IL cannot
be 20 had, Il must be obtained la some
way. bc.au>r il Is vital. Aud labor
Viii be satisfied. for aside from Just
compensation. permanen ' OF en-
plnymeut is thu great want of The
man who works.
There Is him in this action and Its
results 10 the labor organizations OF
the country. shat they should turn to
practical profit. and it Is something
that can be done without any
great effort. And that l.
that in ait future elections they
should demand of men who aspire to
executive functions. state or munich
tl1a AilAa itlNH Z Altt US va ~ AZ VI
military power TO inIeafere ia ques-
ton, OF This kind. action should be
preceded by inquiry, just a. wa, in
sisted upon by GOV. Martin. The
sooner the principle Is thoroughly e.
labishcd and becomes rule Of ex-
eruiive action the sooner will the set
tlrm-nt of these vexrd questions by
law be- effected.
II NAV be thought that | an giving
20 this action so quietly taken and 80
speedy Ia results. greater prominence
,han il merits. but think not. IL is
not The mere incident, or the details OF
the grievance or settlement that is inn
portant in itself, but the principle un-
derlying-the right and duty of the
state To see whether il j. called upon
TO use its power justly or To aid in-
ius'ice-io see whether the hands of
tine party making the demand are
clean. do not in this matter use a
single argument that appesis TO feeling
or 10 prejudice. but to common prin-
ciples OF justice and right. due the
man who works, TO the man who biz es
and 10 society in las duties TO both.
Aud in SO doing must repeat, that in
this action of Gov. Martin lies the