National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-05-06

Ireland. This universally accepted princl-
pie has, In the history Of the human race,
been almost barren in profitable results
merely because men In the bulk have not
been amenable to argument. IL Is doubtful
If the number Of men under strong emo
tions who are open to rational conviction
on any great subject is proportionately
increased with the advance Of knowledge
and the progress Of civilization.
knowledge comes, but wisdom fingers,
and It seems still as II Tallyrand was right
when he said that we shall never have done
with wars and social revolutions "untll we
have a new humanity
The labor struggles Of the United States,
eliminating in the Chicago barbados,
present remarkable commentary upon the
saying Of the astute Frenchman. The
world takes many a century to advance
even one irrevocable step toward this ulti-
mate goal "when shall all mems good be
each mans rule, and universal peace lie
like shaft Of light across the land" and 1t
Is easy to track the slow steps of this thew
humanity" when we think how hard 1t is to
put out the brute"
Christianity has been in full blast for
nearly nineteen centuries, yet in the
crowded streets OF the most civilized cities
In the world decent woman dare not pass
through the streets at night without danger
Of being insulted II not molested. This is
only one instance Of the domination Of the
brute, but IL the great streets, In piping
times Of peace, show us the possibilities OF
our anlmalism what can We expect when
enforced idlencss, with the train of evil It
entails, acted upon by social desperaloes
and acting upon the accumulated iguor-
ance and preiudices Of the fanished In.
habitants of tenement houses, wrenches
the muz2le from the maddeued bull aud
let's him loose upon society which-right
or wrong-he has learned to consider hi:
great oppressorp
The question again comes up which has
appeared SO many times before: "Wha,
shall be done In the interest of law and
orderW The soldier, the policeman, and
the hangman will perform their necessary
duties, and history, repeating ITSELF will
record a temporary calm. But does this
remove the ignorance, the hate, the preiu.
dices the tenement houses?
A true solution of existing difficulties is
impossible, but, warned by experience and
guided by justice and expediency, we can
apply the only temporary remedy, which,
to be effective, must be agitated by voice
and pen, from press, pulpit, senate, stage,
platform, and schoolroom, throughout the
length and breadth OF the land. The prin.
ciple Of arbitration is the only method OF
afTordlng even temporary relief. Society
has been familiar enough with arbitration
GJtr great conflicts, but the countrymen OF
Gen. Grant should by this time understand
little OF that arbitration which precedes
the terrible arbitrament OF fire and sword
and civil war. The triumph gained by Gen.
Grant In allowing the Alabama claims
to go to arbitration is not the least
among that great mans claims upon his
fellows. Napoleon could never have risen
to the moral greatness Of such a compro-
mise, and he wound up with Moscow and
the congress Of Aix-la. Chepelle, called for
the purpose Of arbltratng upon European
difficulties, after the nations had been fight
ing for twenty years. Force is no argu.
ment, and after all the blood and money
lost in the Crimea to prove certain aiSogated
rights of the czar, Europe was called to
draw up the treaty Of Paris, and it was
found that the nations implicated really
did not know what they all had been
fighting about so gallantly. The third Ma
poleon said, "The Rhine belongs to me-"
"You're liar" replied the amiable Bis.
marck, sit belongs to me-" So they had
lively time over it, and one fine winter'i
morning wise men of both nations met neal
Paris, not to decide who owned the Rhine
but to arrange, at the treaty Of Versailles
the price In money and territory which NJ
Thiers should pay to Prince Bismarck fol-
the Inconvenience caused to the latter gen
tleman.
When the leaders Of the world have beer
accustomed to fight first and reason after
ward, there are some excuses for the meth
DDS pursued In Chicago but with the powe
and influence Of that organization which
has thrown its network across tho cont
uent, and whose leaders passionately asser
their obedience to law and order and thei
desire for peace, 1t is certain that, so far a
the Knights Of Labor can speak with author
ity, all disputes between employers and em
ployed shall hereafter be settled by arbitra
tion, shall be settled decisively, and sbal
be settled before the conflict.