Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-03-07
We LINK nt IL Otherwise,

We Look at IL Otherwise.
An iron master friend, whom we highly
esteem and whose judgment is ordinarily
gsod, sends US occasionally an editorial
utterance, of the New York Journal Of
Commerce upon Strike issues, marking
them in the margin with his warm ap.
proval; and doubtless he expects that
they will be effective In converting us to
their views, as men are wont to think
arguments irrefragible which run In the
current of their synpathies. We must
te sadly out OF tune with the editor of the
journal Of Commerce and our friend
upon the labor question, for we find
nothing persuasive in their arguments.
The Journal Of Commerce is an ancient
paper of high renown lin mercantile cir
cles, but 1t does not have workingmen for
itsreaders, nor does 1t ever hear their voice
save from afar. The editor sits in his
easy chair, and contemplates the striking
laborer Ms he would a machine that has
refused to go to do the work Of its master,
who Is his subscriber and friend; whom
he meets in social and business inter-
course, and in whom he lives and breathes
and has his being. There is CON-
munity Of interest, feeling and sympathy
between the editor Of commercial jour-
nal and the conductor of a commercial
business enterprise. For this reason we
find the views of the New York Journal
Of Commerce to be as like those Of
Austin Corbin as one pea Is like
another. They find nothing to arbitrate," !"
when the workingman falls ont with his
employer. Notwithstanding there are
many thousands of human beings on one
side and only one sometimes, as in the
Reading strike, on the other, the one is
always right and the thousands wrong; 80
that the will of the one is to be accepted
and no arbitration is possible to de-
termine whether the one is wrong or the
ten thousand, or whether the truth
perchance may lie between them. The
.Iournal Of Commerce declares that arbi-
tration might as well take place between
the magistrate and the pickpocket ard
we nave laid this article carefully away
for reference and as a reminder of how
the judgment may be clouded by preju-
dice and the wise man be made TO talk
like the fool. We will never get better
Illustration Of it.
OF course 10 such argument no reply i,
possible. It would be useless TO demand
arbitration of the man who considers
himself judge and you criminal. This
Is the feeling of many men who are
placed in control of the great railroads of
the country employing many thousands
OF men, whom they feel born to order
and whom they cannot readily trelt
As freemen and equals in arbitra.
tion. They have waxed fat ard
rich through their business capacity, and
conceive themselves equal to kings.
Graceful surrender, submission or conct 8.
sion, even to reason and justice, is not
possible to them. They will sacrifice the
interests of their owners and of the pub
lie, in the effort to break down their
workingmen;to whom in their generosity
when they think the feat is done, they
may throw bone; and even before it is
done, to make believe that they think it
is done, as did Austin Corbin when he
contributed twenty thousand of his dol
lars to the miners.
The Journal Of Commerce follows up
its illiberal views ON the Reading strike
with like manner of comment upon that
OF the brotherhood of Locomotive En-.
gineers in the West; and is thrown into a
fever of denunciation W, en- it treats of the
rnmor that all the engineers in the coun'
try may leave their levers 10 make good
the demand of their order. The people
will "show these arrogant despots, v
quoths the editor, "that they have passed
the limits OF tolerance" The people are
rs likely TO teach some other arrogant
desp0ts' a lesson before they take into
pupilsge the Locomotive Engineers. II
has come to be great question how fal
the people are to permit themselves to be
ground between the upper and the neither
milestone, in these contests between
railroad corporations and their servants;
and it mas become very clear that the law
must step in ard provide speedy arbitra.
tion OF all such dispute 9, that they may lie
promptly ended and the service OF tie
public be uninterrupted. So far,
tho workingmen have the public
sympathy, btciuse they do not cry
that there is nothing TO arbitrate, but
have ever shown themselves ready to ac.
cept the decision Of an impartial tribunal
Chief Arthur says now that he will &C
cept arbitration betwixt his order and
the Burlington road. They refuse it. Ths
law should compel 1t, and bring each te
abide IL.
- A. We understand the demand made ol