Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-07-20
Cleveland Right as Usual,

Five or six years ago, when Martin
Irons was engineering the strike on the
Missouri Pacific Railroad Company,
Congress made a recommendation
which, if it had been judiciously acted
upon, would have gone far toward re-
lieving the country of death-struggles
such as recently occurred in Penn
salvania and Idaho. In that message
President Cleveland said =
Il am satisfied that something may
be done under Federal authority to
prevent the disturbances which so
often arise from disputes between en-
ployers and the employed and which
at times seriously threaten the business
interests of the country, and in my
opinion the proper theory upon which
to proceed is that of voluntary arbi-
tratiOn as the means of settling these
difficulties. But l suggest that, in
stead of arbitrators chosen in the heat
of conflicting claims and after each dis
pute shall arise, there be created a
commission of labor, consisting of three
members, who shall be regular officers
of the Government, charged among
other duties, with the consideration
and settlement when possible of all
controversies between labor and CAPT
tai
A commission thus organized would
have the advantage of being an able
body, and its members, as they gained
experience, would constantly improve
in their ability to deal intelligently
and usefully with the questions which
might be submitted to them. The es-
Enlistment by Federal authority of
such bureau would be just and
sensible recognition of the value of
labor and its right to be represented in
the departments of the Government
So far as its conciliatory offices shall
have relation to disturbances which
interfere with transit and commerce
between the States, its existence would
be justified under the provisions of the
Constitution, which give to Congress
the power ito regulate commerce with
foreign nations and among the several
States"
And in the frequent disputes between
the 1aboring men and their employers
of less extent and the consequences OF
which are confined within the State
limits and threaten domestic violence
the interposition of such commission
might be rendered upon the applica-
ton of the Legislature or Executive of
State, under the constitutional pro-
vision which requires the general Gov
eminent to protect" each of the States
against domestic Violence If such
a commission were fairly organized the
risk OF loss Of popular support and
sympathy resulting from a refusal to
submit to SO peaceful an instrument
tality would constrain both parties to
such disputes to invoke it's interference
and abide by its decisions.
There would also be good reason to
hope that the very existence of such
an agency would invite application to
it for advice and counsel, frequently
resulting in the avoidance of conten-
ton and misunderstanding If the
usefulness of such a commission is
doubted because it might lack power
to enforce its decisions much encourage
ment is derived from the conceded
good that has been accomplished by
the railroad commissions which have
been organized in many of the States,
which, having little more than ad-
visory power, have exerted a most
satisfactory influence in the settlement
of disputes between conflicting inter-
eStSn