The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-08-14

President SCHCRMAN OF Cornell uniVer-
sity discussed the labor question at Chsu-
tauqua on Thursday. Many OF his conclu-
sions were true and sound especially as to
tho crushing out Of individual liberty in
volved Ia all tho schemes OF the Socialists:
but when no advised the constitution OF
courts Of arbitration by the State as
method OF curing tho evil OF strikes. he
showed that his understanding OF the sub
jcct is superficial only.
In the first place, as Chairman OATES OF
the Congress Committee Investigating tho
Homestead riot reported with admirable
c!earness and conss tency. the legal enforce
ment Of the decisions OF the proposed courts
would not he possible. or what use. then.
would be the arbitrators? Neither party to
the controversy could be compelled to obey
them. The law cannot force individuals
or companies to employ men they do not
want. and to pay them wages they are I'M
willing to give, unless they are bound by
contract SO to do. Neithercan workInen be
compelled to work against their will out
side Of the penitentiary. Each side has
right to make its own bargain. and no arbi-
traitors Gun take away that right. If they
do not consent Of themselves to refer their
differences to arbitration and agree to
abide by the decision. they cannot be forced
to accept such settlement.
The utter futility of the remedy suggest
ed by President SCHURMAN is the more OBJ
vious because usually the contest is not
between labor and capital. rs he assumes.
but between organized labor and unorgan-
lied labor. 1t is 4 fight of the union against
the labor it cannot control. His arbitration.
therefore, would not be between the real
parties to the controversy The question for
the arbitrators to settle would not be
whether the employer should pay certain
scale OF wages. but whether only q certain
set Of workmen should receive the wages.
Even If the employer paid more than the
union demanded it would strike against
him If he gave wages to any besides union
workmen. Simply because an employer
refused to dismiss union workman who
declined to pay fine imposed on him by
union, the great strike OF this summer in
the building trades of New York occurred.
Employing non-union workmen, or even
employing contumacious union men. is tho
most serious cause Of offence which can be
committed, in the estimation Of organized
labor. The union demands that the en-
ployer. though no does not belong to the
union. shall obey its laws by discriminating
in it's favor and shutting out of his employ
ment all labor not controlled by it. Other
wise it will try to ruin his business.
The fight, then. is between union labor
and free labor. and to compel capital to aid
the unions in depriving all workmen not
belonging to them Of the means Of making
a living. 1t Is to force all non-union
men into tho union ranks. 1t Is to
destroy tho individual liberty OF the work
man and compel him to como I'M
der the dictation Of organized labor.
1t is not against capital. 1t is against
labor. 1t is an attempt to obtain monop-
oily of labor by starving out every laborer
who does not come under its subsection;
and it is made by threatening capital with
injury il it refuses to come into a close
alliance with the union against free labor,
and by insulting. browbeating. and out
raging free labor. 1t is war against indi
vidual liberty.
That is the essence Of this whole labor
question treated of by President SCHUR-
MAN; but he seems to have been unable to
discover it, obvious as ii is.