Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-04-12

And this confession of want of confidence
in the bill as an effective measure, is fair
estimate of it by fair man. So far as it
amounts to Congressional advice to labor
ers and their employers to arbitrate its
moral effect may be good, should it become
4 law. The hasty passage of the bill testi-
fies to the anxiety of the House for peace
full solutions of these labor difficulties, and
that the bill is regarded as non-efiectiye
As the St. Louis Globe Democrat saws:
As matter of simple fact, it is little more
than a recogE Lien of certain general conditions
which nobody thinks of dispuring. and sugges-
ton that disputes between employers and en-
ployes shall be settled by means already within
reach. The best that can be said of IL is that IL
is as harmless as piece of spruce gum; and
that appears to have teen the consideration
upon which it was mainly voted for 1t does
not propose to make arbitration compulsory
and TO that extent il is negatively meritorious
since arbitration that is forced can hardly be
called arbitration at ell in any true and proper
sense; and yet what is arbitration worth legally
speaking, ii there is no way to compel men to
resort to and abide by it?
The New York Times is of much the
same opiniJn. 1t holds also that arbitra-
ton, 10 be of value, must be born Of full
concurrence of the parties to it:
II merely authorizes the appointment of
boards of arbitration In case of disputes between
railroad companies engaged in Interstate or
Territorial commerce and their employees pro-
wang that one member may be chosen by each
party TO the controversy, and third by those
Two. As the acceptance of this method of set
ting disputes would be entirely voluntary the
ACT, II II becomes a law. would not be in the ma
ture OF Government interference. Its chief
hn hot INFe
being provided by law, il would be more likely
TO be resorted to than ii the matter were left to
The spontaneous action of the parties, If it
should be proposed by one party. the other
would be less likely to decline than if no law
existed.
We could wish this, in common with all
men, but confess that we do not look upon
the Act as likely to influence greatly
ether side TO a wage controversy. The
Act of advice cannot do more than the
statutes of the States now do, and under
them arbitration is rarely resorted to.
Arbitration that springs out of mutual
desire for peace and justice will always
address the public sense as wise. 1t is
better than strikes or lock-outs. or strife
or law suits, or controversy between COM
mlttees. The mutually of interest be-
tween capital and labor, their reciprocal
character. will bring about arbitration
or, what IS better, concessions and agree
ments, whenever the passions cool and the
attempt is abandoned to force either party
into a given position. Regard for the
rights of men, if diligently inculcared !;
the education of the public sense to re-
spect the inalienable rights of the individ
ual; the upbuilding of regard for the
charter OF our liberties and the guarantees
it gives, win bring about the time when
the idea of resistance to the law in the
pursuit of advantage by labor will be I'M
heard of. The generation coming on to
manhood must grow up in such senti-
ment and be fortified in respect for the
rights Of men, or they viii come upon
days when neither law, nor rights, nor