St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-04-01
Most Members of the House Regard
VNeill's Labor Bill as Meaning
less Measure,
Which Gould Not be Made Effective in
the Settlement of Wage
Troubles.
Logan Informs Teller That Past Cab
inc. Officers Are Not Always
Statesmen.
The President May Go to the North
Woods of New York When Con-
gress Adjourns.
The O,NeiIILabor ELL.
Special to the Globe.

road companies and their employees was
thrust upon the attention of the house to-
day, both Unexpectedly and prematurely
by the chairman of the committee on labor.
Neither the members of the house nor the
members of the committee have given the
subject the consideration necessary for its
discussion with view TO valuable practical
results. Several arbitration bills, each diff
fering from the others in material respects,
had been referred to The committee, but in
his anxiety to secure all of the personal and
political advantage to himself that might
accrue from the adoption of his own bill by
the house. other bills were pushed aside
and the O'Neill bill laid before the house
for immediate action. 1t was only intro
duced yesterday and considered for short
time by the committee on labor at its meet
ing before the house convened
for business to-day. Coming be-
before the house under these circumstances
and with the assent of only part OF the
labor committee, its crudity and worthless
ness as a practical remedy for the settle
ment of controversies between
LABOR AND CAPITAL
Were readily observed upon the bare read
ing from the clerks desk. Mr.. Daniel of
Virginia and Mr.. Foran of Ohio. the ablest
of the labor committee, both good speakers
and clear-headed men, exposed the entire
want of practical value in the legislation
proposed by Mr. 0'Neill, yet did it in more
courteous language than the venerable Mr..
Kelley of Pennsylvania. who bluntly de-
clared that it was fraud and trick upon
the credulity of the workingmen.
Mr.. Daniel discussed the leading
features of the bill, and declared
that it had never been fully considered
by the committee of which he is member,
and the tendency would be to encourage
free trade in quarreling, because the only
compulsory feature of the bill was the pro-
vision that the United States was required
by the bill tn pay all the costs of the So
called arbitration between the disputantS
instead of imposing costs upon the latter
Mr.. Foran showed the great difficulties in
the way of framing any legislation to ac-
complish the desired purpose, and that the
O'NeiIl bill did not. in fact, provide for ar
bitration, but for mere investigation.
THE DRIFT OF THE ARGUMENT
WASHINGTON, March 31.-Mr. O'Neill of
Missouri, from the committee on labor. re-
ported to the house bill to provide for the
speedy settlement of controversies and diff
ferences between common carriers engaged
IN Interstate and territorial transportation
bf property or passengers by their en-
plOyeS. On a point of order raised by Mr.. /
Dunn of Arkansas, the bill was referred to |
the committee of the whole and the house |
Immediately went inUo committee (Mr. |
Springer of Illinois in the chair for the |
consideration Of the measure. Mr.. O'Neill |
saiJ:
Flbr the past i've months the committee oa !
'"Aiu. have been engaged in draining every 1
lie where there was reasonable hope of |
occurring information as to some feasible |
methods consistent with the constitution and |
the laws that would provide mode of settle |
ment of the disastrous disputes between cap |
ita and labor. The committee had decided |
that the pending measure was the best that |
it could formulate. 1t was simple, voluu-
tary arbitration. He knew that this was dis
appointing TO many members OF the house.
He knew that there was feeling in the
breasts of many men that this was not what
was expected. but in they would but reflect
they would realize the first thing to consider
was how far they could regulate disputes by
eu
APPEAL TO PUBLIC OPINION.
IF this method failed then he could see but
one other, and it was for the strong arm of
the government to take the giant corporators
by the throat and tell them they must yield
TO arbitration; that they must submit the
differences between them and their workmen
TO some public agreement; that the govern
uent could not have the condition OF affairs
,r at to-day prevailed throughput hve states |
the Uuon practical revolution. al busi- |
,5ss suspended and the people of great cities |
~ fering from increased cost of food and |
G-l. He simply knew that the workmen had
,tated that they were willing to arbitrate |
heir grievances, and he knew that the presi- |
dent of the Missouri Pacific had not con- |
-ented to do it. In the meantime, thank |
heaven, the sober second thought of Amer
lean workmeu had kept the strike within |
bounds and he was convinced that they would |
prevent any disastrous consequences until |
U4e termination Of this issue. The committee |
On labor was unanimously of the opinion that |
this bill was the best that could be passed /
W, to invoke the public opinion of the |
Intry and compel men in this case as in ali |
.-aer cases to appeal to reason and not to |
L G brute force to invade humGn rights.
THE FATHER OF THE HOUSE.
dr. Kelley of Pennsylvania said:
Ic would vote for the bill, but. as that was
a. purpose, ne wanted to say in advance TO
q workingmen of the country that il was
ick on their credulity and fraud. He
Led the gentleman from Missouri whether
l5orkman VINO believed that this bill was a
lsure 80 provide for the speedy settle |
ant of 1ntroversies and differences would |
u be deceived. Could there be any adjud- !
Nm belw, n Jay Gould and the strikers on
road long as Jay Gould did not consent
a eto
hi O'Neill could answer by stating that in
Il lgstOne's work (Which the gentleman
evidently been reading) it was said that
ne interior regions of Africa there could
-ouud the most intensely critical people
earth in regard to mechanism who could
put the simplest piece of machinery to-
her Why did not the gentleman from
nnsylvania (Mr. KelleB) as father of the
.rse propose something instead of tearing
n. Mr.. Kelley could vote for any
which would give relief to oppressed
)r, but would not vote for this mass of
lis, unless my vote Was accompanied by
notice that the bill meant nothing.
OPPOSED By FoRAN.
T. Foran of Ohio shid:
was no more opp9sed to the pending bill
ne was to drinking glass of water.
were harmless. The bill could injure
e, but it could accomplish no good
- was no more arbitration in this bill
than there was flesh on doctors skeleton.
Referring to the Missouri Pacifc's strike, he
said that the workmen had asked for arbitra-
ton and Jay Gould had refused. If the ar
bitration were acceptediit would be because
MIR Gou d had becomej satisfied that it was
for his interest to end the controversy, and
not because he loyed the principle of arbitra-
ton. Suppose he did not desire to arbitrate,
then the bill went for nothing There was
nothing to it, The labor problem could not
be settled by arbitration or by legislation. 1t
was deeper and went beyond legislation. The
Idea that congress could in one day solve
problem which had been before the civilized
world for generation, for ages and ares. was
nonsense. 1t could not be done. The diff
Guilty was IN the unjust distribution of wealth.
If by law wealth coJlld be distributed some
thing could be dOn@. but nothing could be
done by passing arbitration laws Just as
Boon as men Ct wealth and property were
made to underssaSf whether by education or
something more stFious), that their interest
demanded that their neighbors should be as
happy and contented as themselves, and that
their
PROFERTY AND LIVES
xvnf