The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1886-04-29
THE WORKMEN'S CAUSE.
President Cleveland in q Message to
Congress Suggests Plan for the
Settlement of Strikes.
A GOVERNMENT COMMISSION SUGGESTED.

WASHINGTON, April -A.-I uc piCoioCAo W.
day sent the following message to congress-
The constitution imposes on the president the
duty of recommending to the consideration or
congress, from time to time. such measures as
he shall judge necessary and expedient. am
deeply impressed with the Importance Oh 1mIne-
diatcly and Jhoughtfully meeting the problem
which recent events and II present condition
have thrust upon US, involving the settlement
OF disputes arising between our laborlng men
and their employers, that l am constrained TO
recommend to congress legis alton upon this Sc
rlous and pressing subject: Under our form OF
government the value of labor element OF
material prosperity should be distinctly recog-
nized. and the welfare OF the laborlng man
should be regarded as especially entitled to leg
islative care. In a country which offers to all
its citizens the highest attalnments OF social
and political distinction. its worklngnen can
bly, consigned to the limits Of class
and entitled to no attention and
allowed protest against neglect The
laboring man, bearing i'll his hand an lndispensa
BILE contribution to our growth and progress
may well insist with manly courage and as a
right upon the same recognition from those who
make our laws Is accorded to any other citizen
having a valuable interest in charge, and his
reasonable demands should be met in such a
spirit of appreciation and fairness as to induce
a coutented and patriotic cooperation i'll the
achievement of grand national destiny. While
the real interests of labor are not promoted by a
resort to threats and violent manifestations, and
while those who under the pretext OF advocacy
of the claims of labor wantonfy attack the
rights of capital for selfish purposes, or the love
tent, should neither be encouraged nor concli-
ated, all legislation on the subject should be
calmly and deliberately taken. with no purpose
of satisfying unreasonable demands or gaining
partisan advantage The present condition of
the relations between capital and labor are FAR
from satisfactory. The discomfort of the en-
ployed is due i'll a large degaee to the
GRAsPING AND NEEDLESS EXACTIONs
of employers and the alleged discrimination In
favor of capital as an object OF government
attention. 1t must also be conceded that the
loho
causeless and unjustitiable disturbance Though
| the Importance of a better accord between these
| interests is apparent, it must be borne in mind
that any effort in that direction by the federal
| government must be greatly limited by constl-
| tutional restrictions. There are many griev-
ances which legislation by congress cannot re-
| Dress and many conditions which cannot by
| such means be reformed l am satisfied, how
| ever, that something may be done under federal
authority to prevent the disturbances which SO
| often arise from disputes between employers
| and the employed. and which at times
| seriously threaten the business interests
| of the country. And in my opinion the proper
theory upon which to proceed is that OF voluntary
arbitration the means OF settling these diff
| cuties. But suggest that instead of arbltra-
| tors chosen in the heat of conflicting claims,
and after each dispute shall arise. there be Gre
aued commission of labor consisting OF three
| members, who shall be regular officers OF the
! government charged, among other duties, with
the consideration and settlement, when possl-
| BILE of all controversies between labor and cap
| ital. A commission thus organized would have
the advantage OF being stable body and its
| members, as they gained experience. would con-
! stantly improve in their ability TO deal intelli-
gently and usefully with the questions which
| might be submitted to them. IT arbitrators are
| chosen for temporary service, as eaoh case
| Of dispute arises. experience and familiarity
| with all that is involved in the question Will be
| lacking extreme partisanship and bias will be
| the qualifications sought on either side and Ire
quent complaints OF unfairness ana partlailty
| will be inevitable. The imposition upon a fed
eral court of duty foreign to the judicial func-
| ton as the selection of an arbitrator IN such
| cases is at least Of doubtful propriety. The es-
| tabiishment of federal authority of such a
| bureau would be just and sensible recognition
Of the value of labor and of its right to be repre-
| sented in the departments OF the government.
So far as its conciliatory offices shall have relation
| to disturbances which interferred with transit
| and commerce between the states. its existence
would be justified under the provisions OF the
| constitution which gives TO congress the
| POWER TO REGULATE COMMERCE
| with foreign nations and among the several
states: and in the frequent disputes between
| the laboring men and their employers of less ex-
| tent and the consequences of which are con-
| fined within state limits, and threaten domestic
| violence the interpoSitiOn of such a commission
might be rendered upon the application of the
| legislature executive of state, under the con-
| stitutional provision which requires the general
| government to protect" each of the states
| against domestic violence" II such commits
sion were fairly organized. the risk OF a loss OF
popular support and sympathy resulting from a
| refusal to submit to so peaceful an Instrument
atty would constrain both parties to such dis
putes to invoke its interference and abide by its
| dectsious There would also be go ID reason to
| hope that the very existence of sucn an agency
| would invite application to it for advice and
! counsel frequently resulting in the avoidance of
| contention and misunderstanding. II the use
| fitness Of such commission is doubtful be-
| cause it might lack power to enforce its decis-
| ions much encouragement is derived from the
| conceded good that has been accomplished by
| the railroad commissions which have been Or
| ganized in many of the states which, having
| little more than advisory power, have exerted a
| most salutary influence in the settlement of
| disputes between conflicting interests In July,
| 1854 by a law of congress bureau of labor was
| established and placed in charge of commits
| sioner of labor, who is required to collect in
| formation upon the subject of labor, its rela-
| lions with capital, the hours of labor and
the earnings of laboring men and
| women, and the means of promot-
| ing their material. social, intellectual
| and moral prosperity" The commission which
| I suggest could easily be engrafted upon the bu-
| reau thus already organized, by the addition OF
two more commissioners and by experimenting
| the duties now imposed upon it by such other
| powers and functions as would permit the conf
! missioners to act arbitrators, when necessary.
between labor and capital, under such limita-
| tions and upon such occasions as should he
| deemed proper and useful. Power should also
| he distinctly conferred upon this bureau to in
yestigate the causes of all disputes as they occur,
| whether submitted for arbitration or not. so that
| information may always he at hand to aid !egis-
| Iation ON the subject, when necessary and des1r-
| able. GROVER CLEVELAND.
| Executive Mansion, April D. 1886.