Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1886-04-28
The President and Labor.
THE CHIEF MAGISTRATES MESSAGE TO CON-
GRESs.

THE CHIEF MAGISTRATE MESSAGE TO CON-
| GREss.
The President sent the following message
to Congress Thursday
To the Senate and House of Representa-
| tiues
The Constitution imposes on the Presi-
dent the duty of recommending to the con-
sideration of Congress from to time such
measures as he shall judge necessary and
expedient.
am SO deeply impressed with the i'm
portance of Immediately and thoughtfully
meeting the problem which recent events
and the present condition have thrust up
on us, involving the settlement of disputes
arising between our laboring men and their
employers. that am constrained to recon-
mend to Congress legislation upon this
serious and pressing subject. Under our
form of government the value of labor, as
an element of national prosperity, should
be distinctly recognised, and the welfare of
the laboring man should be regarded as es-
pecially entitled to legislative care. In a
country which offers to all its citizens the
highest attainment of social and political
distinction, its workingmen cannot Justly
signed to the limits of a class, and entitled to
no attention and allowed no protest against
neglect. The laboring man bearing in his
hand an indispensable contribution to our
growth and progress, may well insist with
manly courage and as right, upon the
same recognition from those who make our
laws as is accorded to any other citizen hav-
ing valuable interest in charge, and his
reasonable demand should be met in such
spirit of appreciation and fairness as to in
duce contented and patriotic cooperation
| in the achievement of grand national des-
tiny. While the real interests of labor are
not promoted by resort to threats and vio-
lent manifestations, and while those who, I'M
der the pretext of an advocacy of the claims
of labor wantonly attack the rights of
capital and for selfish purposes or love of
disorder sow the seeds of violence and dis
content, should neither be encouraged nor
conciliated, all legislation on the subject
should be calmly and deliberately undor-
taken, with no purpose of satisfying un-
reasonable demands or gaining partisan
advantage. The present condition of the
relations between labor and capital are far
from satisfactory. The discomfort of the
employed is due in a large degree to the
grasping and needless exactlons of employ
ers, aud the alleged discrimination in favor
of capital is an object of governmental at
tention. 1t must also be conceded that la
boring men are not always careful to avoid
causeless and unjustifab]e disturbance
Though the Importance of better accord
between these interests is apparent,
it must be borne in mind that any
effort in that direction by the Federal
Government be greatly limited by constitu-
tional restrictions. There are many griev-
ances which legislation by Congress cannot
redress and many conditions which cannot
by such means be reformed. am satisf-
ed, however, that something may be done
under Federal authority to prevent the dis
turbances which SO often arise from the
disputes between employers and employed,
and which at times seriously threaten the
business II terests of the country; and in my
opinion the proper theory upon which to
proceed is that of voluntary arbitration as
the means of settling these difficulties
But suggest that, instead of arbitratOrs
chosen in the heat of conflicting claims and
after each dispute shall arise, there be
created commission of labor consisting of
three members, who shall be regular officers
Of the Government, charged, among other
duties, with the consideration and settle
ment, WIN possible, of all controversies
between Ia Dor and capital. The commits
sion thus organised would have the advan-
tage of being a stable body, and its men,
bers, as they gained experience, would con-
stantly improve in their ability to deal in
diligently and usefully with questions
which might be submitted to them. If
arbtrators are chosen for temporary SER
vice as each case of dispute arises, expert
ence aud familiarity with much that is
isxolved,iu the question will be lacking;
extreme partisanship and bias will be the
qualifcations sought on either side, and
frequent complaints of unfairness and par
iiality viii be inevitable; the imposition
upon Federal courts of duty foreign to
the judicial function, as the selection of an
arbitrator il such cases, is at least of doubt
full propriety.
The establishment by Federal authority
of such bureau would be a just and sensi-
bic recogni ion of the value of labor, and of
its right to be represented i'll the depart
ments of the Government. So far as it's
concliatory offices had relation to the dis
turbances which interfered with transit and
commerce between States, its existence
would be justified under the provisions of
the Constitution which gives to Congress
the power Ito regulate commerce with
foreign nations and among the several
States" and in frequent disputes between
laboring men and their employers of less
extent and consequences. all of which are
confined within the State limits and
threaten domestic violence, the interposi-
ton of such commission might be ten
dered upon the application of the Legisla-
ture or Executive of the State under the
constitutional provision which requires the
General G vernment to protect each of
the States against domestic violence.
If such commission were fairly organised
the risk ofloss of popular support and SYM
pathy resulting from a refusal to submit to
so peaceful an fundamentally would con-
strain both parties to such disputes to in
woke its interference and abide by it's deci-
sions. There would also be good reason to
hope that the very existence of such an
agency would invite the application to it
for advice or counsel, frequently resulting
in the avoidance of contention and misun-
Outstanding.
If the usefulness of such commission is
doubted, because it might lack power to
enforce its decisions, much encouragement
is derived from conceded good that has been
accomplished by railroad commissions which
have been organised in many of the States,
which, having little more than advisory
power, have exerted the most salutary in
fuence in the settlement of disputes be-
tween conf citing interests. In July, 1884,
by a law of Congress- the Bureau of Labor
was established and placed in charge of the
Commissioner of Labor, who is required to
''collect information upon the subject Of
labor, it's relations with capital, hours of
labor, and earnings of laboring men and
women, as a means of promoting their
material, social, intellectual, and moral
prosperity" The commission which l
suggest could easily be engrafted upon the
bureau thus already organised by the adj
dition of two more commissioners and by
supplementing the duties now imposed up
on it by such other powers and functions
as would permit the commissioners to act
as arbitrators when necessary between
labor and capital under such limitations
and upon such occasions as should be Deem
ed proper and useful. Power should also
be distinctly conferred upon this bureau to
investigate the causes of all disputes as they
occur, whether submitted for arbitration or
not so that the information may always
be at hand to aid legislation on the subject
when necessary and desirable.