The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1886-04-06
ARBITRATION.
The Leading Topic Discussed
in the House of Repre-
SentatiyeS.
The Opinion of Prominent
congressman on Labor
TrOubleS.

Washington, April 1.-Mr. Gibson, Of
West Virginia, criticised the bill because he
contended it accomplished nothing and he
advocated the passage OF an interstate
commerce bill with compulsory provision,
requiring the commissioners appointed
under il TO take hold of all controversies
arising between capital and labor and settle
them in the interest of the
public and in behalf Of the
country The pending measure had been
hastily drawn and could not be forced
through the house. What was the cause
of this panic? Was it that railway attor-
neys were seeking some advantage for their
roads or that some men were attempting TO
secure popularity among the masses? The
bill should be recommitted Tor careful con-
sideration and at the proper time he would
make motion to that end.
Mr.. Crane, of Texas, a member of the
committee on labor, defended the bill
against the adverse criticism and argued
In support of Its constitutionality. The
gentleman from Virginia (Daniell, had
said this bill would cost the country too
much. If il had cost the government
81, 100000 to have prevented the late strike
the country would not have suffered, be-
trade The avenues OF commerce had
been DISTRACTED, business has become stag
nant, the thousands of men not connected
with the Knights of Labor had been
thrown out of employment The evil to
be remedied was not the evil that rose
between laboring men and railway COM
panys principally, but an evil in which
the masses of the people wera
interested. They were not the ones
who were the sufferers. Ii was better for
the country TO pay out million dollars in
taxation for the purpose OF arbitration than
to place the country In the condition in
which it has been during the past few
weeks, whereby there had been loss to the
country of over S3,O00,0O0. Then turning
to Mr.. Reagan's constitutional argument
against the bill, Mr.. Crane proceeded to
answer the points raised by 1t and asserted
that the interstate commerce bill was con-
stitutioEal. The pending bill was consti-
tutional.
Mr.. Worthington, OF Illinois, thought
that the committee on labor with
the limited jurisdiction congress had over
the subject had done about all il could.
He was disposed to vote for the bill, but he
could not but feel there was a possibility
that il would ever go out to the world
legislative nondescript, which bore on its
face an apology for its own existence.
Mr.. Tartney, OF Michigan, a member of
the committee on labor, defended the bill
which appealed to the highest arbitrator
there was in the land-to public opinion
and public judgment.
Mr.. Anderson, of Kansas, said the
labor question in its broad sense
was not the real question at issue, and that
the real question pressing congress was
whether legislation should be enacted to
compel common carriers TO perform their
obligations. The great problem to be
solved was the protection of the people
during the great struggles between capital
and labor. His opposition to the bill was
that il was but temporary measure. Ii
would be wiser to appoint a national
commission clothed with national
authority sitting permanently, study
ing all the factors OF the prob
lem, suggesting legislation so that
hereafter congress may be more able to
than il was now, because of ignorance of
those factors.
Mr.. Warner, of Missouri, congratulated
the committee on labor that amid excite
ment when gentlemen were anxious to
rush TO the forefront of battle as the cham
pions Of labor it had brought in as sensible
and conservative bill as the one under
consideration.
Mr.. Osburn, of Pennsylvania, gave the
bill his cordial support.
Mr.. Long, of Massachusetts, favored the
bill, and MIR. Bayne, OF Pennsylvania, ad-
vocated its passage.
Ma. Cannon, of Illinois earnestly
supported the bill and thought
that it would be effective of much good
He doubted whether its provisions could
be made strong under the constitution.
In closing the debate Mr.. O'Neill, of
Missouri, said that every compulsory law
placed on the statute books of any country
had proven failure. The desired result
could only be secured by Cancellation
When public opinion was behind meas
ure it was powerful. He quoted from
views of political economists which had
been considered by the committee on labor
and which upheld the principle of concili-
alton and arbitration.
At the conclusion of his remarks the bill
was read by sections for amendments.
In speaking to verbal amendment Mr..
Hammond, of Georgia, attacked the bill
which, he asserted, instead of being bill
to protect labor, was one to prevent strikes,
in the interest of the corporations and at
the expense ofethe United states. Every
man who believed as the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Kelly did said that
the measure was trick and fraud ought
to vote against it.
The house proposed to crystalline it to
statute law, something which nobody said
was good and many people said was a
simple trick to get rid of the question.
NJ. Kelly, of Pennsylvania, said that by
his remarks yesterday he did not mean that
the gentlemen on the committee on labor
had deliberately perpetrsted trick and
fraud. He knew that the gentlemen who
could submit the bill 10 the workingmen of
the country, which was a provision for
the speedy settlement of troubles