Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1888-03-20
The iutelliEencer, Greeting.

S.--------y-.E<.
The iutelligencer, Greeting.
The editor of the New York Journo'
Of Ctmmerce declares that we have mis-
taken both his character ana MS reasons
for objection to arbitration In settiemeht
of contentious between employer and em.
pjoyed. He says that he speaks as one
vho has himself been hard and steady
worker from the time that he went out
into the world at the age fourteen, de.
pendent upon his own exertions, TO ms
present years that are over three score
ana tep. He has q better record upon
vhich to champion the cause OF the en-
ployed than has his critic OF this journal,
Who cannot claim such q life OF labor and
whose interests stand him with the en-
plcying class. But, as an editor, he claims
70 have been animate bya desire to search
out the truth, during his twenty years OF
service to the INTELLIaENCER; apd
creditirg the editor of the Journal t
Commerce with a like spirit, 1t should be
easy for both to reach agreement upon
question that is as little obscure as that
OF the need of arbitration between en-
ployer and employed.
We agree with the Journal Of Commerce
that the arbitration which the law en-
forces deals with contracts made and not
with the making Of them. But it is not OF
such arbitration, by the present law CON-
mand, that we speak when we talk OF ar
bitration between employe and employer
- proper means Of determining the
contract that is to be made between them,
when they disagree as to its proposed
terms.
And here again we agree with the Jour
nal Of Commerce that II any employer can
Z not induce his employees to accept his
terms of employment, he has right to
( discharge them and obtain others ana
thr,t his former workmen cannot inter-
fere with this right. This is well settled
law and cannot be disputed about. But
nevertheless 1t is generally desirable, even
to him, that he shall retain his old work
men IL he can without too great sacrifice
and arbitration may often accomplish this,
even though the decree is not binding on
either party.
And there are cases where the en-
ployer cannot exercise his right to dis
charge his employees and others where
be ought not to, IL he can. or the
former kind, Is the case Of the railroad
company that Is in controversy with its
engineers as to the wages 1t shall pay
them, when all the engineers In the coun
try stand together and the railroad com
pspy cannot obtain competent men tG
man its engines to take the place OF 1T
employee, If It let's them 60. In this stu
alton, seemingly, the railroad should eag
erly seek the chance OF an arbitration tt
which the other side would covenant tt
submit; since the compaDy's duty to the
public and under The law as common car.
rier, will not permit it to discontinue its
train service, which would not risk the
loss of its charter. And case where
the employer should not dismiss
his employees, even though the Law
will permit him to let his works stant
idle, may be found when he is a producer
Of necessary of life, such as coal, which
he cannot cease to mine without great
public hurt. In such cases arbitration is
called foY and it may we'll be that the
law should compel 1t ,as means of avoid
ing public distress.
We do not think that the law should
proffer arbitration which 1t does not pro-
yids the means to enforce. We have
statute in Pennsylvania, Offering arbitra
tion, which is futile, because it does no'
! compel 1t /; when wrong is such as tt
call for a statute, penalties must make i
effective.
We have had growing, for many years
aggregations of capital, under the pro
lection of charters, which have nov
become so vast as to threaten the public
welfare, in the judgment of all men. w,
have had of late years, the combination o
labor In great masses, formed for its pro-
tection against the masses of capital
which threatens the public peace, in th'
+ opinion Of many good men. The comb
nation Of money and that Of labor arr
both lawful, and both useful and whil'
there is danger in both, sufficient protec
tion from both may be had in the law
We believe that, at least under the pres
ent inadequate control Of corporations
by the law, the organization o.
labor is necessary for its protec
ton and for the public good. W.
believe, furthermore, that it serves goot
purpose in equalizing the cost and steady
ing the price Of manufactures. But i
must be wisely governed to be benefcent
and the trouble is in the danger that it MAJ
not be wisely governed, because of th'
prevalent lack of intelligence in some
laboring classes. But it is doubtful
whether lack of intelligence will 90 more
to drive men to injure their fellows thar
the greater wit and greater greed that
has borne the Standard monstrosity.
We ask from the law, for the public
protection against the massing Of mont J
and the massing Of men but against the
flrst, first. And we think that compulsory
arbitration is needed to prevent the tieinc
up of railroads and Of mines. The pub
lIc safety is the supreme law; and tn,
& right of men to dispose Of their propert.
and labor, as it pieases them to do, mus
bo held subordinate to this law.