The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1886-05-01
Sauce for the Heesc and Sauce
for the 6snuder.

sentiment against bringing law to
bear in the settlement of such dis
putes. This is well and good. The
sentiment is right. That is the
best government which governs the
least. Wherever the natural law of
supply and demand are in full opera
tion and control it is unwise for the
civil law to interfere.
But we maintain that law is all the
time better than anarchy; that ex-
cessive license is not liberty; and
that good government demands the
intervention of law wherever end
whenever, directly, or indirectly, the
public peace and prosperity are be-
ing menaced or interrupted, even
though that be only by the heat of
legitimate competition.
We believe that evil results mani
tested in the present situation are
directly chargeable to the lack of
necessary law, and that only law,
and not arbitration, can effectually
and permanently settle these period
zeal conflicts between labor and cap
ital; and we make this aserment,
not in partisan spirit, but in the
interest Of both parties to the con
flict.
We say that the present situation
is justly attributable to the lack of
law, and we propose to point out
where and in what particulars there
is lack of law.
As the case now stands the law is
all on one side. A railroad company,
before it is permitted to do business,
is compelled to place itself in accord
with and under the control of certain
specific laws and regulations which
the government has set up and pre-
scribed for its con rol. These laws
are very broad and minute in their
details. They extend to every de-
partment of the Company's business.
1t cannot take step that is not in
some manner circumscribed and linn
tied by law. The government even
prescribes its maximum rate of
charges for doing business. Nor
has it any option to refuse to do
business within the maximum rate
of charges made by law. 1t must
receive and carry every passenger
and every pound of freight properly
offered it by the public, and is made
liable for damages if it refuses.
Nor is it u self-evident PROPOSE
ton that the employees of railroad
company are just as necessary as the
engines or cars, TO enable it to fulfill
the obligations to the public which
the law imposes. But employees are
permitted to combine and conspire
to suddenly withdraw their services
from the company at fixed hour
with the avowcd purpose and the in
cvitable result of stopping every
wheel and making it impossible for
the company to do that which, under
the law it is authorized and com
PEELED to do.
There is law for the company but
none for the smploye.
The company may not lawfully
refuse to serve the public but the
employees may lawfully combine to
make it impossible for the company to
serve the public.
If the railroad companies should
and conspire with each
other to stop their trains and refuse
to receive traffic within the rates
prescribed by law, they would be
liable to suit and damages to every
shipper who was disconnected by
such action. But employees can
combine, conspire and bring about
Inconvenience and damage to the
whole public and there is no law for
them.
We say that the law is all on one
side.
There is sauce for the goose but
none for the gander."
The true, natural, equitable and
effective remedy is to require labor
to put themselves on
the same legal footing as the railroad
They should be com
PEELED to take out charters, and be
subjected to such laws as would pre-
vent them acting in total disregard
IF the interests of the public, and of
She obligation which the laws have
imposed upon the railroad compan-
eS. rNi
Let arbitration have it's proper
place in the premises, but all combi-
nations and conspiracies against the
business welfare and peace of the
public should be crushed out by the
strong arm of the law.
The public has an interest in
,hese disputes which it is the proper
,fiice of the law to protect
lfsO Soon Ii Was Done For. &c.
Governor Wilson has interposed
he Executive request" against the
of Governor Jackson's
supplemental tax schedule" which