The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-04-24
FOR ARBITRATION.
President Cleveland Recommends
an Increase of Powers of the Labor

WASHINGTON, April 22.-The President today
sent to the Senate a message on the labor prob
lem After discussing the origin of such dis
putes, the President makes the following state
ments and recommendations:
The discomfort of the employed is due in a
large degree to the grasping and needless actions
of employers, and the alleged discrimination In
favor of capital as an object of government at
tention. am satisfied that something may be
done under federal authority to prevent the DIS
turbance which so often arise. In my opinion
the proper theory upon which to proceed is that
of voluntary arbitration as the means OF settling
these difficulties. But | suggest that, instead OF
arbitrators chosen in the heat of conflicting
claims and after much dispute shall arse, there
shall be a commission of labor consisting of three
members who shall be regular officers OF tne
the consideration and settlement when pos
sible of all controversies between labor and capl
tai. A commission thus organized would nave
the advantage of being stable body, and its
members, as they gained experience, would CON
stanty improve in their, ability to deal INTEL I,
igently and usefully with the questions which
might be submitted to them The establishment
by federal authority of such bureau would be
just sensible recognition OF the value OF labor
and of right to be represented in the depart
ments of the governments. SO lar as It's concil-
atory offices had relation to disturbances Whlcn
interfered with transit and commerce between
the States its existence would be Justified under
the provisions of the constitution, which gives 10
Congress the power ito regulate commerce Win
foreign nations and among the several States,
and, in the frequent disputes between the LABOR
ing men and their employers, of less extent, and
the consequences of which are confined within
State limits and threaten domestic violence, the
interposition of such commission might be ten
dered upon the application Of the Legislature or
executive of Stale, under the constitutional pro-
vision which requires the general government to
protect each of the States against domestic
Violence" There would also be good reason to
hope that the very existence of such an agency
would invite application to it for advice and coun-
sell frequently resulting in the avoidance of con-
tention and misunderstanding.
In July, 1884 by a law of Congress, bureau
of labor was established and placed Ill charge OF
a commissioner of labor, who is required to ''co-
lect information upon the subject OF labor its re-
laton to capital, the hours of labor, and the earn
ings of laboring men and women, and the means
of promoting their material, social, intellectual
and moral prosperity" The commission which l
suggest could easily be engrafted upon the bu.
reau thus already organized by the addition OF
two more commissioners, and by supplementlng
the duties now imposed upon it by such other
powers and functions as would permit the COM
inissioners to act as arbitrators when necessary
between labor and capital, under such limitations
and upon such occasions as should pc deemed
proper and useful. Power shonld also be dis
tinctly conferred upon this bureau to investigate
the causes of all disputes as they occur, wnether
submitted for arbitration or not so that informa-
tion may always be at hand to aid legsla-
tion on the subject when necessary and desirable