Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1893-01-14

belief that many of these institutions are
eNtravagant and that their expenses are I'M
necessarily increased to accommodate political
taHorltes. such changes as NAV he necessary
should be made, care being taken to bring the
service TO the highest degree of excellence
possible. wish. however in this connection
20 submit that the time has come ia the devel-
opment OF our great State when its public ser
vice should be as far as possible divorced from
partisan politics and when we should establish
ny law classified civil service based upon
honesty and capability such as already pre-
walls In some of the Eastern States.
Claims of Labor.
The State of Illinois already contains one OF
the greatest industrial communities in
the world, and is rapidly growing. Not
only are hundreds of millions of capital in
vested but employment is given TO hun
dreds of thousands of persons. The State
must do justice to both employer and EN-
ploye, II must see to IL that law and order
are maintained, and that life and property
are thoroughly protected Any weakness
in this regard would be pusilanimous and in
wife incalculable evils. on the other hand the
State must not pursue such policy as to con
vince the masses OF the laboring people that
the authority of the State is simply conven-
lent club for the use of the employer When
the State follows such policy IL forfets the
confidence of its people and itself and sows
the seed of anarchy.
If we are TO prosper. we must make all of
our people feel that the flag which floats over
them is an emblem of Justice Our laboring
There is no such thing as standing still II
they are to advance. it must be by their own
conservative and intelligent ST lndng togeth-
er-only those forces survive which can take
care of themselves; the moment individuals or
classes become dependent they are objects of
charity, and their case is then hopeless. II the
laboring classes can not thus stand together
they Will be reduced to the condition of the
Iaboring classes in the poorer countries of he
old world.
strikes and Lockouts.
The question of the protection of non-co
batants- the great public-in the event of a
strike or lockout must not be overlooked in
this connection Conditions have so chang d
that 1t can no longer be said that il is nobody $
business what other people do. All the ele-
ments of American society have become so
interdependent, each class or interest has so
adjusted itself to the other class or
interest. to be in q measure depen-
dent on them, and suspension of the
operation of one must iniurp the whole For
example. strike on a railroad Is not limited
to a contention between employer and en-
ploye, but it affect all people along the line of
the road who have adjusted their affairs to the
operation of the road and who are entitled to
protection at the hands of the State Not
only this, but when a large number of men
are suddenly thrown out Of employment CON
dltions are created which beget pauperism
ana crime and increase the burdens OF the
public.
The reign of law has so hroadened in this
country as to cover almost every other con
hlbNNAoN btNWttu man anu lllhil, anu III the de-
Velopment of society some way must be found
to subject the so-called labor controversies"
to law. This suggests the practicability of
arbitration and raises the question of the
powers of the State in that regard. There
seems to be no doubt about the right of the
state to make thorough investigation and
render decision, but the difficulty arises in
enforcing the decision. The State cannot com
pei an unwilling employee to run his shop, nor
can n compel unwilling employees TO 20
to york The State might compel an
employer who disregarded its decision
aud persisted IN operating his works
TO ray the expenses of any special protection
he received On the other hand, ii employees
shqlld refuse to go to work in accordance
s9th the terms of a decision, the State. car
give us entire power in protecting the EN-
ployer in hiring new men. The constant in
crease in the use of labor-saving machinery
tends 20 throw more and more men out of en-
ploynient every year This suggests the ne
cessiN of shortening the hours of labor whf r
ever This can be done by legislation in order
that III may still be able to get employment,
and lisO that the working classes may derive
somd benefit from the great inventions OF the
age.
Care of the insane
While we already have erected four very
larGe hospitals for the insane. still only about
twf thirds of the insane OF the stat are prop
erlt cared for Nearly one-thrd are in the
p0u houses of the State where they can not
be AIRED for, and exist in a horrible condition.