New-York tribune., 1886-04-27
ORGINLZf1LON AND LIU.

i
Certain county and local officials in Texas,
because they discharged their duties under 'he
law when the public peace was threatened re-
Gently by strikers, have been expelled from the
Knights of Labor. This is a rather important
phenomenon. Apparently ii discloScS the same
spirit in the labor organization which was
shown bv the savage dcnunciation OF Texas
Judge because he punished certain strikers ior
law breaking. The same spirit appeared III thiS
city, when labor organizations denounced
iustice because he held it crime to deprive
free worklncn of their right to work if they
please This disclosure of Il tendency to resist
the enforcement OF law has an important pear
ing upon the question OF arOltratloh' 1T j.
already urged bv some Democratic journ ais
which oppose the recommendations OF the / iIca-
idcnt that the creation OF a NailO lal boaru Oh
Arbitration would be violation OF Democratic
state Risnts doctrines. 1t might be replica
that the same objection lies 10 the measure
which was passed by the Democratic House.
No Republican has made or Will make TINS
objection to such legislation. Republicans pe-
heve that there is no unSpeakaDie sahc'iIy
about the form Of gov rnmcnt called a state.
No fetish comDcls them 10 worship everything
everything that springs from National au-
tbority. If the State is for certain functions the
best government, TO them that is good. II other
functions can be better performed for the
interests of the whole people by the broader
organization and the higher authority OF the
Nation to them il Is very well. They hold that
government in all its branches Is Tor the people
Hence il is not to them question whether wise
provisions for arbitration shall be made by
State or National authorities, but whether they
shall provide for the interests OF the whole
people, and not merely for the interests OF a
small fraction Of the people.
Government for the people does not mean
government for thirty sikh part OF all labor
auey those who please to organize them
selves. ltmoans government for the interests
of the whole laborng population If 5OO,Ooo
are embraced, as Nj. Powder,y SAYS, iii the or
ganization OF the Knights Of Labor while
$4,000. 900 wagc-eancrs in this country have
preferred not to Join that or any other organi-
zaton, government for the people will not take
the part Of the few against the many. The few
whoare organized are diSprO pOrti0nltely strong,
and it has happened not infrcquenty within
the last four months that the organized few
have directly made war upon the rights and the
freedom of the many. Bat the many, although
they chose to remain unOrgdniZed, have exactly
the same right to protection III their freedom
The problem is to get form of arbitration
which snail fairly serve the interests OF all
labor. 1t is n longer ql -s60n between labor
and capital but between the few workers who
are organized and who make their power felt
and the many who are not organized but never
thccss have the same rights. The expulsion
of public officer from labor organization for
the discharge of his simple duty under the laws
calls attention 70 the fact that State end local
governments are too often apt 70 be unduy
Influenced by the threats and the power OF the
organized few against the interests and the
rights of the unorganized many. II a mode of
arbitration cannot serve the interests of the
people rather than the wishes o. ii minority II
is not a mode which ought anywhere to be
adOOtpd