Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1886-04-10

IHE passage OF bill providing tor
arbitration of differences between
employers and employees by the
House of Representatives is a step in
the right direction.
Clearly enough it has become in
dispensable to the good of all con-
cerned that some intermediary, ont
side of direct interest IN the issue,
should be established to assist IN de-
termining settlements of such diff
ficulties-some force, so to speak, to
ascertain and comprehend grievances;
seek concessions; prepare grounds
of agreement and restore business
amity.
But it ought to be understood
once for all that arbitration, to be
effective-to attain the grand object
of its establishment, must depend
solely upon the good faith and honor
of the parties at issue. Let the point
decided have reference to hours,
wages, rules, regulations, who shall
be employed or who not, or all of
these-let it or them be accepted as
conclusive and final for whatever
time the agreement may cover. Let
1t be understood IN PLAIN writing
preliminary to arbitration proceed.
ings, assuming, as we are bound to
do, that the contestants have united
IN seeking this method of reaching
an understanding, that both are
pledged IN honor to abide by the de-
cision. So that in the event of de-
fault by either the public may be
able to brand the delinquents with
all the dlscredit and dishonor that
can attach to breach of a just COM
pact, and thus declare them un-
worthy of recognition for any future
appeal to amicable means of settle
ment.
We take this view because legal
penalties for such default appear out
of consonance with the genius of our
institutions, for if a party may be
forced by law to abide by arbitration,
the same power could compel him to
employ arbitration.
Should the trouble which pervades
and afflicts this region come to a set
tlement by this method we hope those
entrusted with the duty of hearing
and the responsibility of deciding the
point Or points at issue will make 1t
so plain that even che who runs may
read' III the lines and between the
lines that obedience to every detail
of the determination shall be war;
ranted in advance by both parties.
AND now somebody cites Scripture
in favor of demonetizing the silver
dollar. He quotes the clause that
"divers weights are an abomlnation
to the Lord" The application is
erroneous. 1t means, for instance,
that the merchant who sells nine
pounds of sugar to one man for dol
lar and eight pounds TO another for
the same money has made himself
hateful to the good Father of us all.
But the silver dollar is of the same
weight that was fixed when it was
first made, and the man or men who
repeal. alter or amend its avoirpupois,
dying unrepentant, will find no ad-
mission to temple where nothing
can enter that "maketh lle."
OUTSIDE of the House and Senate
Allegany Jared badly. The sheriff's
fee and mining schoo! bills vetoed,
and the Experimentation bill
purloined, it would appear that the
robbery Of the west by the east was
ripening into a fine art.
But the wretch who steals bill of
any kind is an object fit alike for the
contempt of men and the vengeance
of God. flour faith fail not, all such
as he will one day be fired into outer
darkness, and the door of the bottom
less pit will close after them with a
bang whose echo will startle the
universe with sound thrillingly like
an "amen "
WE must have free trade, says Rep
resentative Belmont. Then, the coun
try, he continues, will reap the benefit
of skilled labor. That's true enough,
but it will be the enterprise and skill
ed labor of foreign countries. Mr..
Belmont is a leading democrat in Con-
gress, and he lays down the party's
doctrine. We could name a score of
mill man an1 ac roapv ,,;porc u,ho