The Indianapolis journal., 1886-04-23
PRESIDENT CLEVELAND.
A Message Suggesting the Creation of a Ma
tionsl Arbitration Commission.

A Message Suggesting the Creation of Ma
tional Arbitration Commission.
WASHINGTON, April 22.-The President to-
day sent the following message to Congress on
the subject of the labor troubles:
ITO the Senate and House of Representatives:
1.-The Constitution imposes on the President
the duty of recommending to the consideration
2f Congress, from time to time such measures
8 he shall judge necessary and expedient. am
deeply impressed with the Importance of i'm
aediately and thoughtfully meeting the emerg-
ICY which recent events have thrust upon US,
,volving the settlement of disputes arising be.
tween our laboring men and their employers
hat am constrained to recommend to Congress
legislation upon this serious and pressing SUBJ
ject.
Under our form of government, the value of
labor as an element of national prosperity should
be distinctly recognized, and the welfare of the
laboring man should be regarded as especially
entitled to legislative In country which
offers to all its citizens the highest attain
ment of social and political distinction, its
workn9men caunot justly or safely be consid-
s.-a "a irrevocab,y consigned to the limits of a
class entitled to no attention and allowed no par
SianIar zcanect While the real interests of labor
80 ,,nt nrfmo,.,, hv resort to threats and vio-
Iaut manifestations. anu while those who, un..
der the pretext of an advocacy OF 'e o.a',As y:
labor wantonly attack the rights of capirs.. ano
for selfish purposes, or the love of disorder. SOW
seeds of violence and discomfort. should neither
be encouraged nor conciliated, all legislation on
the subject should be calmly and deliberately
undertaken, with no purpose CT satisfying un
reasonable demands or gaining partisan adj
vantage.
.'rhe present condition OF the relations be-
tween labor and capital are far from satisfactory.
The discomfort of the employees is due, to q
large degree, to the grasping exactions OF EN-
ployers. and the alleged discrimination in favor
OF capital is an object of governmental solicita
tion, 1t must also be conceded that the laborine
men are not always careful to avoid causeless
and uniustifable disturbances. Though the
Importance Of better accord between these in
terests is apparent, it must be borne IN mind
that every effort in that direction by the fedora
government must be greatly limited by consti
tutional restrictions There are many griev
ances which legislation by Congress cannot re
dress. and many conditions which cannot by
such means be reformed am satisfied. how
ever, that something may be done. under fed
eral authority, to prevent the disturbances
which so often rise from disputes between EN-
ployers and the employed, and which, at times
seriously threaten the business interests of che
country; and, in my opinion, the proper theory
upon which to proceed is that of voluntary arbi
tration as the means or settling these Difficult
ties But suggest that instead of arbitrator
chosen in the heat of conflicting claims ther,
shall be created commission of labor, consist
ing Of three members, who shall be regular
af6cers of the government charged amoni
sther duties, with the consideration and settle
inent, when possible of all controversies be
tween labor and capital
"a commission thus organized would have tn
advantage of being stable body, and its mem
bers, as they gained experience, would constant
ly i'm prove in their ability to deal intelligent.
and nsefnlIy with the questions which might b.
Submitted TO them If arbirrators are chooses
for temporary service as each case of disput
arises. experience and familiarity with rhuc
that is involved in the question will be lacking
extreme paYtisanship and bias will be the quail
fications sought on either side, and frequen
Complaints of unfairness and partislity will b
inevitable. The imposition upon federal cour