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

VI dIDllldllN'l VI ulllCiCuSOS OSS"NNAA 1890
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 It's
discussion with a view TO valuable practical
results. Several arbitration bills, each diff
fering from the Others in material respects
had been referred to the committee, but III
his anxiety TO secure all of the personal ana
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'Nell 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 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 o. practical value in the legislation
proposed by Mr.. 0'Neill, yet did it III 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 dlthcutleS IN
the way of framing any legislation to ac-
cOmplish the desired purpose, and that the
O'NeIl bill did not. in fact, provide for ar
btration. 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
of property or passengers by their en-
ployeS. On point of order raised by Mr..
Dunn of Arkansas, the bill was referred to
the committee of the whole and the house
immediately went into committee (Mr.
Springer of Illinois in the chair for the
consideration of the measure. MIR. ONeill
said:
For the past FIVE months the committee on
labor have been engaged in draining every
avenue where there was reasonable hope OF
securing information as to some feasible
with the constitution and
the laws that would provide mode of settle
ment of the disastrous disputes between cap
ital and labor. The committee had decided
that the pending measure was The best that
it could formulate. 1t was simple, volun-
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 il they would but reflect
they would realize the first thing to consider
was how far they could regulate disputes by
APPEAL TO PUBLIC OPINION.
If this method failed then he could see but
one other, and il 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
ment could not have the condition OF affairs
that to-day prevailed throughout five states
Of the Union, practical revolution, all bust
ness suspended and the people OF great cities
suffering from increased cost OF food and
fuel. He simply knew that the workmen had
stated that they were willing TO arbltrate
their grievances, ana he knew that the preSi-
dent of the Missouri Pacific had not con-
scented to do it. In the meantime, Thank
heaven, the sober second thought of Amer
lean workmen had kept the strike within
bounds and he was convinced that they would
prevent any disastrous consequences until
the termination Of this issue. The committee
on labor was unanimously of the opinion that
this bill was the best that could be passed
now, to invoke the public opinion of the
country and compel men in this case as in ali
other cases to appeal to reason and not to
use brute force to invade human rights.
THE FATHER OF THE HOUSE.
Mr.. Kelley of Pennsylvania said:
He would vote for the bill, but, as that was
his purpose, he wanted to say in advance to
the workingmen of the country that it was a
trick on their credulity and fraud. He
asked the gentleman from Missouri whether
workman who believed that this bill was
measure ito provide for the speedy settle
meut of controversies and differences" would
not be deceived. Could there be any adjudi-
alton belw cen Jay Gould and the strikers on
his road as long Jay Gould did not consent
thereto?
Mr.. ONeill could answer by stating that in
LivngstOnes work (Which the gentleman
had evidently b 3en reading) it was said that
in the interior regions of Africa there could
be found the most intensely critical people
on earth in regard to mechanism who could
not put the simplest piece OF machinery to-
gether Why did not the gentleman from
Pennsylvania (Mr. Kelley as father of the
house propose something instead of tearing
down. Mr.. Kelley could vote for any
bill which would give relief to oppressed
labor but l would not vote for this mass of
words, unless my vote was accompanied by
the notice that the bill meant nothing.
OPPOSED BY FoRAN.
Mr.. Foran of Ohio said:
He was no more opposed to the pending bill
than he was to drinking a glass of water.
Both were harmless. The bill could injure
no one, but it could accomplish no good.
There 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. Ii the ar
bitration were accepted it would be because
MIR. Gou d had become satisfied that 1t 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 a
problem which had been before the civilized
world for generation, for ages and ages, was
nonsense. 1t could not be done. The diff
Guilty was IN the unjust distribution Of wealth.
II by law wealth could be distributed some
thing could be DONE hut nothing could be
done by passing arbitration laws. Just as
loon as men of wealth and property were
made to understand whether by education or
something more serious), that their interest
demanded that their neighbors should be as
happy and contented as themselves, and that
their
PROPERTY AND LIVES
we're in jeopardy while living in a community