Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-04-01
NATIONAL ARBITRATION.
MR.. O,NEILL INTRODUCES A La
BOR BILL IN THE HOUSE.

Government DY NnB MEASURE
WASHINGTON, March 31.--In the House
to-day Mr.. O'Neill, of Missouri, from the
Committee on Labor, reported the bill to
provide for a speedy settlement OF con-
troversies and differences between COM
mon carriers engaged in Interstate aud
Territorial transportation Of property or
passengers and their employees.
Following is the iull text OF the bill:
That whenever differences or contfoVef les
arise between common carriers engaged IN
the transport alton of property or pas epgers,
whether said common carriers b. private per-
sons or corporations. between TWO or more
States Of the United States or within the Ter
rItories OF the United States or within the
District Of Columbia. and the employees Of
said common carriers, which differences or
controversies may hinder, impede. ob5trnct,
interrupt, or affect such transportation of
property or passengers or when such empl owes
or any OF them allege that he or they
h6ve been treated unjustly Or Oppressvely
either as to wages. hours Of labor or other
wise bv such common carrier, II upon the
written proposition II either party to the con
trOversy tOsubmit their differences to arDItra-
tion Tie other parry shall accep the pro O-i-
ton, then and In such event the common car
Tler is hereby authorized to select anu appoint
one person, and such emplONe or emplO, es as
size case may be, 70 select and appoint ano her
person. and the two persons thus select and
appointed TO t6lcCl a tDlrO person. all Lufce OF
whom shall be citizens Of the United states,
and wholly impartial aud dlsinterested Ia re
spect to such differences or controversies, and
the three perso MS thus selected and appointed
shall be, and they are hereby created and con-
sti,uted q board of arbitration with The du-
ties, powers and privileges herel natter set
forth
SEC.2. That the board ofarbitration provided
for IN the first section Of this act sh II 20 sess
all the powers and authority in res ect TO adj
mInisterlng Osths, subpmnaInR witnesses and
compelling their attendance, preserving
order during sittings Of the board. Furnishing
for contempt, and requiring the production
Of papers and writings, and all other powers
and PRIVILEGES in their nature, apple bic,
now possessed and belonging o. United states
Commissioners appointed by Circuit Courts Of
the United states, and SAID board OF arDitra-
ton may appoint clerk and
employ a stenographer, and pr scribe
all reasonable rules and regul1 1tlOn8 not
lnr onsistent with the provision and purpose
Of this act, looking to speed advancement of
the differences ana controversies submitted to
them for conclusion and determination. Each
OF said arOItrators shall AXE an oath to honest
~, fairly aud faithful perform his duties. and
hat he Is not personally int sted in the sub
eel matter in controversy; which cath may
he administered by any State or Territorial
officer authorized to administer Oaths. The
third person so selected ana appointed as
aforesaid shall be president of said board;
and any order, finding, couch uslOn or award
made by the majority o such arbitratOrs shall
Ue OF bne same lOfcC ana CuttL as I'll all Itfee
OF such arbitratOrs concured therein or uni
ted in making the same.
SEC. 8. That it shall be the duty of said
board of arbitration, Immediately upon their
selection. TO organize at the nearest practi-
cattle point to the place of the origin of the
difficulty or controversy, and 10 hear and de-
termine matters OF difference which may b.
submitted to them IN writing by all parties
giving them full opportunity TO be heard ON
oath in person ami by witnesses. and also
granting them the right TO he represented bv
counsel, and after concluding It's invesuga-
ton said board shall pub iciy announce its
award, which, with the findings OF fact upon
which it is based, shall be reduced o writing
and signed by the arbltratoF5 cuncurring
therein, and, together with the testimony
taken in the case shall he ii ed with the Com
shall m ke such award pub nc as Ou as the
same shall have be II received bY him.
SIC. l. That it shall be the right of any en-
plOyes engaged IN the controversy to appoint.
by designation in writing, one or more persons
to act for them IN the Sc ectiOn Of arbtratOrs
to represent them upon the board Of arDitra-
ton.
SEC. 5. That each member OF said tribunal
Of arbitration, and the clerk. stenographcr,
and witnesses attending before them sna be
entitled TO receive ike fees or compensation
as United States Com missIOners and clerks.
stenographers and witnesses attending G
lore United states Commas iOners. and such
lees or compensation shall he payable by the
United states in like manner as the fees Of
'u'H = ultcu ONdAth 1Otumls- lOutE@s anu VIII
nesses before such United States Commission
FRS In criminal causes, are payable under The
existing laws,
On a point Of order raised by Mr.. Dunn
Of Arkansas, the bill was referred to com.
mttee of the whole, and the House imme-
diately went into committee for consider
atom OF the measure.
THE COMMITTEES WORK
In the course Of the debate Mr.. O'Nein
said that Tor the past two months the
Committee on Labor had been engaged in
draining every avenue where there was
reasonable nope of securing Information
as to some feasible method consistent
With the constitution and laws that
would provide a mode Of settlement of
he disastrous disputes between capital
and labor. The committee had decided
mat the pending measure was best. 1t
was simple arbitration. He knew that
his was disappointing TO many members,
nat there was a feeling in the breast of
many that this was not what was ex-
pected, but If they would reflect they
would realize that the first thing 10 con-
sider was how far they could regu late dis
'utes oy an appeal to public opinion.
MUST DE FORCED
II this method failed then he could see
out one O%Her, and tuat was the strong
arm OF the government TO take giant cor
poratlons by the throat and tell them they
must yield to arbitration. and that the
government could not have The condition
VI dudlrs tha to-day prevailed through
OuO uVe ota@41 OF the UniOn-practIcal
leVoluuons. " did not pretend to say
VINO was =" 8ll4-e. He simply knew that
ne Workmen had stated that they were
"llilng 10 ~D ate their grievances and
nat tle PRESIDENT OF the VI Missouri Pacific
3ad not Consented. In the meantime the
'oDer second thought OF the w0ikmen had
eept the strike within bounds.
THE BILL THE BEsr.
Inc Committee on Labor was unanl-
EmouslY OF the opinion that this bill was
,he pest that coul d b. passed now toinvuke
lne public opinion of the country and
olnpel the men in tins case and in all
Jtner cases TO appeal to reason and not
use brute force TO invade human rights.
mr.. Burrows, Of Michigan. inquired
"hat would be the effect OF ono Of the par
ita OF arbitration declining 70 stand by
Ihe decision oil the arbitratOrs.
Nr. O'Neill replied that public opinion
you'd compel compliance with the de.
Piston.
Dir. Kelley, OF PENNSYLVANIA, said that
would vote for the bill. but, as that
as mis- purpose. he wanted 10 say 10 the
Forhlngmen Of the country that It was a
TICK on their credulity and "A fraud.
WOULD NOT WORK.
ne asked the gentleman from Missouri
Nnether workman who believed that
nls OIL was measure "tO provide for
greedy settlement Of controversies and
4 tlhtrences' would not b8 deceived, could