The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-27
NATIONAL ARBITRATION.
Ex-senator Mcdonald Discusses the Plal
Submitted by the President.

Ex-senator Mcdonald Discusses the Plan
Submitted by the President
Washington Special.
Ex-senator Joseph e. Mcdonald, of Indiana,
when asked tonight for brief statement of his
views Of the proposition of the administration
to arbitrate through congressional action be-
tween capital and labor. replied: 'sThis question
is far reaching and will grow more in Importance
with time, because the natural tendency of the
times is the concentration of capital and con-
sequent aggregation of labor in such interests
as mining, railroading, and other enterprises in
yolving the employment of physical labor and
capital. Thus the difficulty of treating the sub
ject is very much complicated by our system Of
government, divided as it is into State and. ma
tional governments Public attention just at
this time is drawn to the principle of arbitration
as affording the best solution of The difficulty of
strikes and the question of wages between cap
ital and labor, which is always the bone of con-
tention between these two contending interests
In fact may be said that there is rrepressible
conflict between labor and capital on that Ques-
ton, and it is, unfortunately one which cannot be
left to the ordinary laws of trade to settle, as
the law of supply and demand is not sufficiently
broad to cover it. The principle Of arbitration
has been resorted to in France and England with
apparently very good effect, but one infirmity of
the system consists in the fact that the consent
of both parties to arbitration is required and
the tribunal of arbitration must equally repre-
sent labor and capital No party would agree to
arbitrate with the certainty that the arbitrating
power would be under the control of his adver
sary. Hence, if such tribunal could be con-
stituted SO as to give each party perfectly i'm
partial hearing. all just men would be willing to
accept such mode of deciding otherwise IT.
reconcilable questions 1t Is very important
that the labor element of the country should be
placed in a position to meet capital by which it
is employed on just such equal terms Other
wise we may expect strikes and as resulting
from them, riots. Again, system OF arbitration
to be consistent with our duplex form of gov
eminent, should be inaugurated in the States,
and if State regulations should not be suff-
Gent to accomplish the purpose the parties
interested might derive such aid from the United
States government as the power invested in it to
regulate commerce between the States might
authorize. In fact, the power of the United
States government to inaugurate general sys-
tenn that is to affect questions of labor through
out the United States is more than doubtful
While the industrial institutions of the country
SO far as they are organized under corporate
authority of the United States, exercise their
corporate rights By virtue Of ssuch authority.
their rights of property are held under the local
laws of the States in which they carry their
business. There is much in the Presidents
message to Congress on this subject that meets
with my unqualified approval, but doubt the
practlcablllty OF the means suggested by him to
remedy the evil His suggestions are worthy Of
consideration, however, as some system should
be devised to amicably adjust this vexed ques-
ton, which, If left unattended to. may lead to
most serious consequences There is no Ques-
ton to-day so important to the country, because
the relations of labor and capital are vital not
only to material prosperity, but to the governing
power itself, and labor should not be driven to
outlawry in the endeavor to secure its just
rights"