The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1886-04-30
THE LABOR TROUBLE.
PRESIDENT CLEVELAND SUB
MITS A SPECIAL. MESSAGE.
SUGGESTING A NATIONAL COMMISSION OF
LABOR FOR VOLUNTARY ARBI.
TRATioN. CAUSES OF EX-
IsTlNG Discomfort.


TRATioN. CAUSES OF EX-
IsTlNG Discomfort.
The President on Thursday of last
week sent a message to Congress on
the subject of the labor troubles. The
message in full is as follows:
To THE SENATE AND HOUSE, OF REP
REsENTATrvEs The Constitution i'm
poses on the President the duty of
recommending to the consideration of
Congress from time to time such meas
ures as he shall Judge necessary and
expedicnt. / am so deeply impress
ed with the importance of Immediately
and thoughtfully meeting the problem
which recent events and present con
ditlon have thrust upon us, Involving
the settlement of disputes arising be-
tween our laborng men and their EN-
ployers, that am constrained to rec
ommend to Congress Legislation upon
this serious and pressing subject I'm
der our form OF government the value
of labor as an element of national pros
perity should be distinctly recognized
and the welfare of the laboring man
should be regarded as especially enti-
tied to legislative care. In a country
which offers 10 all its citizens the high
est attainment of social and political
distinction its workmen cannot Justly
or safely be considered as irrevocably
consigned to the limits of class and
entitled to no attention and allowed no
protest against neglect. The laboring
man, bearing in his hand an indispens.
able 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 rs is accorded to any other citizens
baving a valuable interest in charge,
and his reasonable demand should be
met in such spirit of appreciation and
fairness as to induce contented and
patriotic co operation in the achievement
of grand national destiny.
| UNSATISFACTORY RELATIONS.
While the real interests of labor are
not promoted by resort to threats and
violent manifestations, and while those
who under the pretext of an advocacy
of the claims of labor, wantonly attack
the rights of capital, and for selfish
purposes or the love of disorder SOW
seeds OF violence and discomfort should
neither be encouraged nor conciliated.
all Legislation on the subject should be
calmly and deliberately undertaken,
with no purpose of satisfying unreason-
able demands or gaining partisan ad-
vantage. The present condition of the
relations between labor and capital are
far from satisfactory. The discomfort
of the employed is due, in a large de-
gree, TO the graspiDg and needless ex-
actions of employers and the alleged
discrimination in favor of capital as an
object OF governmental attention. 1t
must also be conceded that the laboring
men are not always careful to avoid
causeless and un ustifiable disturbance
Though the Importance of a better
accord between these interests is ap-
parent, it must be borne in mind that
any effort in that direction by the
Federal Government must be greatly
limited by Constitutional restrictions.
There are many grievances which legis-
lation by Congress cannot redress and
many conditions which cannot by such
means be reformed | am satisfied,
however, that something may be done
under Federal authority to prevent the
disturbances which SO often arise from
disputes between employers and the
employed, aud which at times serious
ly threaten the business interests 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. Bat
| 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 settlement, when
possible, of all controversies between
labor and capital.
| A COMMISSION WITHOUT BIAS.
A commission thus organized would
have the advantage of being stable
body and its members, as they gained
experience, would constantly improve
in their ability to deal inteligently
and usefully with the questions that
might be submitted to them If arbitra-
tors are chosen for temporary service
as each case OF dispute arises ex-
perience and familiarity with much
that is involved in the question will
be lacking, extreme partisanshlp ard
bias will be the qualifications sought
on either side and frequent complaints
of unfairness and partialty will be in
evitable. The imposition upon
Federal court of duty foreign to the
judicial function, as the selection of
an arbitrator in such cases, is at least
of doubtful propriety The establish
ment by Federal authority of such a
bureau would be a just and sensible
recognition of the value of labor and
of its right to be represented in the de-
partments of the government.
So far as its conciiatory offices had
relation to disturbances which inter-
fered with transit and commerce be-
tween the States, its existence would
be justified under the provisions of the
Constitution which gives to Congress
the power "to regulate commerce with
foreign nations and among the several
States" And in the frequent disputes
between the laboring men and Their
employers of less extent and the con
sequences of which are confined with
in State limits and threaten domestic
violence, the interpositon of such {
commission might be rendered, upor
the application of the Legislature OF
> Executive of State, under the consti
tutional provision which requires tn,
General Government to ''protect" eacl
: of the States against domestic VIC
lence."
!. WHY THEY WOULD ARBITRATE.
+ If such a commission were fairly or
+ ganized, the risk of loss of popula
y support and sympathy resulting iron
| rnt 4