Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1886-04-29
SPECIAL MESSAGE.
The President Sends Special Message to
Congress on the Labor Question.


The President Sends Special Message to
Congress on the Labor Question.
WASHINGTON, April 22.-The President
yesterday sent the following message TO
Congress:
To the Senate ana House 81 Representatives.:
The constitution imposes on the President
the duty of recommending to the considcra'
ton Of Congress from time to time huch
measures as he shall judge to be necessary
and expedient l ain SO deeply impressed
with the Importance of Immediately and
.houghtfully meeting the problems which
recent events and present conditions have
thrust upon uc, involving the settlement OF
disputes arising between our laboring men
hnd their employers. that / am constrained
to recommend to Congress legislation upon
this serious and pressing subject. Under our
form OF government the vaua OF labor
as an element Of National prosperity
should BE distinctly recognized, and the
be regarded as especially entitled
TO Legislative care. In country which offers
to all its citizens the highest attainment OF
social and political distinction, its working.
as inevitably consigned to the limits of q
class and entitled TO no attention. and allowed
no protest against neglect. The lhb0ring
man, bearing in his hanC an ind spensabie
contr button to our growth and progress, NAV
well insist with manly Courage and as q ght
upon the same recognition from those who
make our laws. as is accorded TO any otncf
Citizens having valuable interest Ip charge,
and his reasonable demands should be met III
such a spirit df appreciat. on and fairness as
TO induce contentcd and patriotic co Opera,
ton in the achievement of grand National
destiny.
NEED rcE tApoR LEGISLATION.
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 an advocacy of the ella ms OF
labor. wantonly attack the rights OF capital,
and for selfish purposes or the love OF d sof'
der sow seeds OF violence and discomfort,
should neither be encouraged nor cone liated,
all cgisiat;on on the subject should be calmly
aud deliberately undertaken, with no purpose
OF satisfying unreasonable remands or gam
jig part san advantage. The present condii
ton Of the relations between labor and CAPT.
tai is far from sat sfactory. The discDDtene
Of the mployfd is due i'm large degree to the
grasp ng and needless exaciions of employ:
crs, ard the alleged discriin nation In favor
Of capital is an object of Governmental at
tcntion. 1t must ais 20 be conceded that the
labCr:ng men are not always careful TO aVOid
causcicss ana uniGstjfiable disturbance
Though the importance of better accord
between these interests is apparent. it must
be borne in mind that any effort in that di.
rcctiOn by the Federal Government must be
=
There are many grievances which legislation
by Congress can not redress and many condi-
tons which can not by such means be re-
formed. | am satisfied, however, that some
thing may be done. under Federal authority.
to prevent the disturbances whch so often
arise fl ON disputes between employers and
the employed and which at times seriously
threaten the business interests of the
country, and in my opinion the proper the
DRY upon which to pttceed is that of voun.
tary arbitration as the means OF settl n9
these difficulties. But suggest that instead
IT arbitrators chosen In thu heat of conflict
ing claims and after each dispute shall arise.
there be crtated commission of LABOR. con-
sstiiig of three members, who shall be regu-
lar officers of the Government, charged,
among other duties, with the consideration
and settlement when poss bic. of all coiitrO-
versies between labor and capital. com.
mission thus organ zed would have the ad.
vantage of being stable BODY and its mem.
bers, as they gained experience. would
constantly improve in their ability to deal
intelligently aud usefully with the questions
which might be submitted to them.
THE PRESIDENTS SCHEME.
4 arbitrator are chosen for temporary
service us each case of dispute arises, cX.
perence and familiarity W tn much that is
involved in the question will be lacking. ex-
IRENE part Sanship and bias will be the quail.
iiicatiOns sought on either 8 dc and frequent
complaints of unfairness and partially will
he inevitable. The impOS ton upon Federal
court of duty foreign to the judicial func-
ton, rs the selection of an arbitrator in such
cases, is at least of doubtful prOpriety. The
establishment by Federal authority of such
a bureau would he Il just and sensible recog-
milton of the value of labor and of its right
To be represented in the departments of tho
Government. SO far as lis conciiatory
Offices had relation to disturbances which
ntcrfered with transit and commerce be-
tween the States, its existence would be
justified under the provisions of the cOnstitu-
ton, which gives to Congress the power
to regulate commerce with foreign nations
and among the several States. In the fire..
qucnt disputes between the labOring men
and their employers. of less extent, and the
State limits and threaten domestic violence,
the interpos ton of such commission might
be rendered upon the application of the Leg
islature or Executive of State under the
constitutional provision which requires the
general Government to protect each of the
States against domestic violence If such
a commission were fairly organized the SIX
of loss of popular support and sympathy
resulting from a refusal to submit to so
fair an inStrumcntality would cOnstran
both parties to such disputes to invoke
its Interference and abide by it's decisions.
There would also be good reason to hope that
the very existence of such an agency would
invite appl cation to it for advice and coun-
sci, frequently resulting in the avoidance Of
content on aud misunderstanding. If tho
usefulness of such a comm ssiOn is doubtful
because It might lack power TO enforce its
decisions, much encouragement is derived
from the conceded good that has been &C
complished by the railroad commissions
which have been organized in many States
which, having little more than advisory power,
have eXertc-l a most salutary influence IN the
settlement of disputes between conflicting
interests.
AN EXTENSION OF THE LABOR BUREAU.
In July. by law of Congress. a bureau of
labor was established and placed In charge
OF n commissioner of labor. who is required
to collect information upon the subject Of
labor its relations with capital, the hours Of
labor, and the earnings of laboring men and
women and the means of estimating their
material, social, intellectual and moral pros
perity. The commission which I suggest
could easily be engrafted upon +. the
bureau thus already organized by the
addition of two more commissioners
and by experimenting the duties now
imposed upon It bv such other powers and
functions as would permit the commits.
sioners to act as arbitratOrs when necessary
between labor and capital. under such lmi.
tations and upon such occasions as should
be deemed proper and useful Power should
also be distinctly conferred upon this bureau
to investigate the causes of ali disputes as
they occur, whether submitted for arbtra-
ton or not. so that information may always
be at hand TO aid legislation on the subject
when necessary and desirable.
GROVER CLEVELAND.