Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-04-19
ARTICLE XVII.
ARBITRATION--A COMMON GROUND
NECESSARY FOR LABOR
AND CAPITAL.
Growing Intelligence OF Workers
selhshness Of wealth-s eoking-
tration Sure 10 Como.
uY rnE non. ". l.. DOUGLASS


materially In It's solution, so will q fair
aud free discussion OF the principles II
arbitration enable us to arrive at proper
understanding OF the merits or dement's
Of the idea IN reviewing the history OF
that portion which treats Of labor and
capital, the employer and the employed,
we are struck with The wonderful advance
ia intelligence on the part of the EN-
pl1yed, the energy, skill discrimination
aud courageous determination OF the en-
ployer. Taken together, these two forces
have established and developed q great
industrial system under which one por.
ton OF society obtains subsistence and
the other wins and enjoys the thus
created wealth. Into this system there
has crept, perhaps naturally, many abuses
which must sooner or later be corrected.
The knowledge of the existence Of these
abuses, and the widespread feeling that
the application Of the remedies should no
longer be delayed, Is one reason for the
great Interest now manifest In what Is
known to-day as the "1abor question"
Where orr interests are involved we
are liable TO view q question wholly from
our own standpoint, thus seeing only one
side, and when questions arise, as is in
evitable, between EN- loyer and employed,
each occupying a strong position, as they
90 to-day, one by possession of wealth,
the other by organization, conflict is
unavoidable, unless there be some COM
mon ground upon which both can peace
fully meet and some hands into which
/ both can place the whole matter for final
adjustment. The sooner this is realized,
the sooner shall we approach solution
OF the great labor problem as well as pre-
serve the peace of the community and en-
/ nance the interests Of both parties.
| In business transactions certain Gus
toms have prevailed so long that they
seem like the natural order of things, but
Is reality they are only the notions or
ideas OF men OF spirit aud prominence
copied by others and finally established
| by general acceptance. Among these no.
tons Is the one that the employer is the
sole arbiter in his establishment, that he
alone is to decide all questions that arise
and that his word must be law IN all
cases, that the employed 10 under obliga-
ton to him for employment and is en-
titled to no voice in the conduct of any
of the affairs of that establishment even
to the regulation Of compensation paid to
labor.
JUSTICE IN THE DEMANDS OF LABOR.
Efforts to break down auy custom al
ways meet with strong opposition, but
II right they Will finally succeed, and
when labor, speaking through its organ
lzed Official channels, demands n voice In
the regulation OF its COMPENSATION and in
the conditions under VIII human beings
| snail toll, 1t at first seeus like interfer-
ence and Is sometimes Jailed dctatiun,
| but the final conclusion 4 every reason
able man will be that III IS lust and right.
ana being so, success, it seems to me, is
certain. Therefore, when this demand
Is accompanied by willingness to sub
NIT all claims and questions arising
| Herewith to any fair tribunal, they in.
trench themselves in position where
no assault can for d moment make A
breach or weaken their lines. Thus, in
spite of dislike TO change customs, en-
ployers must submit in this instance to
change, and submission means no deg
radatlon or loss of dignity, but rather the
recognition and acknowledgment of
Just principle.
The wage-workers Of to-day have at
tanned comparatively high degree of in
telllgence, and, as men grow in knowl.
cage, they are enabled to see things in a
clearer light. They are quick to recog-
ME wrongs, and to assert what they are
convinced are their lights, They find un.
der our industrial system that they en-
dure many wrongs, and have learned that
only by combination can those wrongs be
rghted. After effecting such combina.
lions, demands are made, and, IL refosed
then the most available weapon is used
TO compel compliance. That weapon
heretofore has been strike, which In
numberless instances has caused loss and
embarrassment to the employer greater.
many times over, than would have been
ne case had he complied with even an
unjust demand.
III tnls is I'd continue, what Is the out
look Tor future business transactinns9
Certainly anything buJ encouraging. No
certainty, no safety for Investments. a
PROBABILITY that In the midst of a busy
tlme, whe II an effort Is being made to All
order, sudden stoppage will be the ei-
iect on demands made and refused an |
falling perhaps sufft ring upon those who
strlSe, out most certainly great loss upon
those who refuse to grant the demand
Let this continue yerr afteryear and who
can transact business? WIN labor dis.ar.
ished ana dettrmiuci to claim what 4, |
considers its just due, with cauital do
hant and refusing to SURF, nder any az IL
prerogatiyes, we ar liable to reach . |
Eieut CrlSls IN whirh there will be no |
such thing as success in business with |
property and our inS tlutions endangered.
arevolution at hand, we NAV then looI
back and curse our stupidity for moi
everting all this by hiding in the esiaa.
iishment OF system of peaceful arbitrs-
ton
Let the principle Of arbitration become
an established fact let n system prevail
under which all grievances are submitted
10 fair tribunal by whose decision hoth
Sides are willing to abide, there IA M
stoppaSe in the industrial world, no more
uncertainty about the attitude Of laRor /
Business Is transacted with more ease
and safety The interests of emplorer
ana employed are advanced.
EDUCATIONAL USE or ARntrRArioN
Arbitration, as an edueatlunal measure
should receive the thoughtful consider
ton OF men DESTROYS of a higher d grea
OF intelligence. 1t opens the wav nv
which both classes acquire ,informstion
and creates better understanding M ~
industrial system aud the condinons
under which each performs his bart' than
any other method, Employers viii Know
the uiilculties under which the EMPLOYED
NfrnNnl2. and tina frft a