The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-01
The Committee on Labor Brings in
Bill Providing for Arbitration,
And. the House Proceeds at Once to Discuss the
Measure-Mr. Kelley Says the Bill Is a
Fraud, and No Good Can Come of 1t.
MIR. Weaver and Mr.. Reagan Prescribe
Remedies for Curing Labor Troubles.
The Senate Again Discusses Mr.. Logan's Bill
Increasing the Army, and the Illinoisan
Responds to the Criticisms of Mr. Teller.
THE HOUSE.

THE HOUSE.
Interesting Discussion of the Labor Commit
tees Bill Providing for Arbitration.
WAsHINGToN, March 3I.--Mr ONeill, of Mis-
souri,, from the committee on labor, reported
bill to provide for the speedy settlementof con.
troversies and differences between common car.
rlers engaged in interstate and territorial trans
portation of property passengers, and their
employees
On q point of order, raised by Mr.. Dunn, Of
Arkansas the bill was referred to the committee
of the whole, and the House Immediately went
into conmittee-Mr. Springer, of Illinois, in the
chair-for consideration of the measure.
Mr.. O'Neill said that. for the pasttw months.
the committee on labor had been engaged in
draining every avenue whore there was reason
able hope of securing information as to soma
feasible method consistent with the Constitution
and the laws that would provide a mode of set
ltement of the disastrous disputes between capi-
tai and labor. The committee had decided that
the pending measure was the best that it could
formulate. It was a simple. voluntary arbitra-
tion. He knew that this was disappointing to
many members of the House. He knew that
there was feeling in the breast OF many men
that this was not what was expected; but, if
they would but reflect, they would realize that
the first thing to consider was how far they
could regulate the disputes by an appeal to pab-
lie opinion. II this method failed, then
he could see but one other, and
that was the strong arm Of the government to
take the giant corporations By the throat and
tell them that they must yield to arbitration:
that they must submit the differences between
them and their workmen to some peaceful agree
ment: that the government could not have the
condition of affairs that to-day prevailed
throughout five States of the Union-a practical
revolution-all business suspended, and the
people of great cities suffering from the In.
creased cost of food and fuel. He simply knew
that ths workmen had stated that they were
willing to arbitrate their grievances, and he
knew that the president of the Missouri Pacific
had not yet consented to do it. In the meantime,
thank heaven. the sober, second thought Of
American workmen had kept the strike within
bounds. and he was convinced that they woulG
prevent any disastrous consequences until the
termination of this issue. The committee on
labor was unanimously of opinion that this bill
was tho best that conld be passed now to invoke
the public opinion OF the country and compel
men in this case, as in all other cases, to appeal
to reason. and not to use brute force to invade
human rights.
Mr. Kelley, of Pennsylvania. said that he
would vote for the bill; but as that was his pur-
pose, he wanted to say in advance to the work
men of the country that it was trick on their
credulity and fraud. He asked the gentleman
from Missouri whether a workman who believed
that the bill was measure ito provide for the
speedy settlement of controversies and differ
ences" would not be deceived. Could there be-
any adjudication between Jay Gould AMI the
strikers his road as long as Jay Gould did not
consent thereto.
Mr.. ONeill would only answer by stating that
in Livingstones works which the gentleman
had evidently been readingl it was said that in
the interior regions of Africa there could be
found the most intensely critical people on the
earth in regard to mechanism who could not put
the simplest piece of machinery together Why
did not the gentleman from Pennsylvania Mr..
Kelley as father of the House, propose some
thing instead OF tearing down.
Mr.. Kelley said that he would vote for any
bill which would give relief to oppressed labor:
but he would moi vote for this mass Of words, Z
unless his vote was accompanied by the notice
that the bill meant nothing
Mr.. Foran of Ohio, was no more opposed to
the pending bill than he was TO drinking glass
of water. Both were harmless The bill could
injure no one, but it could accomplish no good.
There was no more arbitration in this bill than
there was flesh on a doctors skeleton. Refer
ring to the Missouri Pacific strike, he said that
the workmen had asked for arbitration, and Jay
Gould had refused If the arbitration were ac-
cepted it would be because Mr.. Gould had be-
come satisfied that it was for his interest TO end
the controversy, and not because he loved the
principle of arbitration. Suppose he did not de-
sire to arbtraie; then tho bill went for nothing.
There was nothing to 1t. The labor problem
could not be settled by arbitration or Legislation.
1t was deeper and went beyond legislation.
The idea that Congress could in one day solve
problem which had been before the civilized
world for ages and ages, was nonsense. 1t
could not be done. The difficulty was
in the unjust distribution OF wealth. If by law
wealth could be distributed something could be
done but nothing could be done by passing arbi
tration laws. just as soon as men of wealth and
property made to understand, whether by
education or something more serious, that their
interest demanded that their neigbbors should
be as happy and contented as themselves and
that their property and lives were in jeopardy
when living in community where everybody
was dissatisfed-when they learn that fact the
problem would be solved, aud not before. The
only way that problem could be solved was for
the wealthy men to consecrate their lives TO the
amclioration of the condition of the working
men
Mr.. Hammond, of Georgia opposed the bill.
Mr.. Weaver. OF Iowa, said that the remedy for
labor troubles must come from q proper law to
regulate interstate commerce, and from law
which would create a condition in our economic
system so that the employer could afford to pay
the laboring man what his labor was worth.
There was no disposition on the part Of the
workingmen to violate law. They desired to
earn their living in the sweat of their faces The
trouble was that they could not get the oppor-
tunity to work. The remedy was TO give tho
country an increased volume of currency. This
labor question was purely and simply question
OF money.
Mr.. Reed, Of Maine. said that what the labor
ing men needed and desired was that there
should be that careful examination of the whole
matter which could lead to an agreement IT.
may turn out he said, that this legislation will
amount to little; it may turn out that 1t amounts
to much. Suppose we try, and when We learn
more do more.
Mr. Brumm. of Pennsylvania. and Mr.. Daniel.
of Virginia apposed the bill
Mr. Glover gave notice that he would offer
substitute for the pending bill the bill intros
duced by him on Monday which is based on shN
English law. and which provides for compnlscrE