The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1893-03-09

49, N
adopted to secure those rights" or en-
force that condition." except the
methods prescribed by law, The courts
are carefully avoided. Mob, force, riot,
intimidation, blackmail, threateningi
OF dark thingsi all these are employed.
The teachings are anarchial, and the
result is anarchy-'a state OF society
when the laws arc not efficient and in
diyiduals do what they please with i'm
punity.'"
"WelI, George, you can't say the
strikers are unreasonable in their pros
ent demands. They are willing to sub
init the matter to arbitration, and the
public are tired OF the trouble and are
calling on the company to arbltrate and
bring the matter to u close"
~ believe arbitration in general is n
good thing, but it must be suited TO the
case, and applied under proper con-
ditions. A man may take you by the
throat and insist upon the settlement OF
a dispute with you by arbitration while
no holds his grasp, and his friends look
after the arbitrator, That would be n
proposal to arbitrate, but l don't think
the conditions would be fair. ] don't
agree with the preacher who prescribed
arbitration for all kinds OF controversies,
l don't think any better OF his n cure
for all controversies than | do OF the
nostrum OF the advertising quack-one
medicine for all diseases. What didthe
City Council say US how to settle the
matter by arbitration? What would be
the question to be decided? Who would
be tho parties to BIO bound by the de-
Cision?"
"Well, the Council didn't 60 into
those matters. They didn't say a word
about the question to be decided, nor
suggest anything about the parties
either, except to propose that the street
car union should select one arbitrator,
tho railway company should select one,
and those two select n third, and their
decision DO binding on both parties,5n
"Wha do the parties" say to thRt?"
"Why the railway company hasn't
said anything, Tho city clerk has a
reply from-well, it is signed Roman
Doblert for legislative committee but
he says he is Acting for the legislative
committee of tho trades assembly and
in behalf Of the Electrical Employees
Union and he says that we arc viii
ling to arbitrate."
"Let's step into Mr.. Dlackstone's office
here. l want to sec q city ordinance
book"
'All right, I'll go with YOU"
snow, JACK, what action did the City
Council takefto stop the mobbing OF the
company's men and tho destruction OF
the company's property in the cityT
~ don't know OF any action by tho
Council. didn't hear OF any"
"Well, / SEQ here in the charter that
the Council has authority 10 pass such
ordinances as shall DO necessary to &c.
cure the inhabitants OF tho city against
thieves, robbers, burglars and all other
persons violating the public peace OF
the city, and for the suppression OF
riots How long had the riots and dis.
order been going on before the Council
gave the street car company its advice
about tho easy way to end tho present
unfortunate controversYT"
about four weeks l believe. But
there is an ordinance in relation to riot
ing already, Isn't there%
well, there is an allusion to riot in
ono section OF the Ordinance on OF
fences, but it is a very weak affair for
such conduct. 1t is not directed to the
suppression OF riots while they are 60
ing on, and makes no provision for the
prevention OF them. 1t seems to me
that the public welfare demands action
from the Council on that subject-a
subject that 1t has something to do with
much more than 1t demands its ad-
vice as to the manner in which the
street car company shall investigate the
misconduct Of its employees, or the
amount OF misconduct that shall suf-
fee for tho discharge OF an omploye, or
whatever else it may think is the point
in the unfortunate controversy II the
company has violated its agreement in
any sense there are courts established
by law to attend to those matters-tri-
hunais that are much more appropriate
for the purpose than the City Council.
Those Tribunals can investigate the
facts. They are prepared to get at the
true merits OF the controversy, il there
is any controversy that has any merits"
"But, George, thu railway company
is u s%oullcss corporation of foreign capi-
t%alists, and needs special treatment.
The legislative committee OF the trades
assembly says 1t has a body without a
soul. That is true in law, too, isn't it,
Mr.. BlaCkstoneT"
Eyes; the term 'soulless' has been
used in speaking OF corporations. They
arc artificial persons, capable OF trans
acting business, making contracts,
owning property and suing and being
suod IN their corporate name"
'TheR, my dear Jack, the company
has at least a body, a tangible corporate
body, with property to look TO-, ii it
fails to do its d uty. l wonder how
many damage suits 1t has on its hands
now, on account OF accidedts OCCASION
ed by neglect or misconduct Of its en-
ployes, or wrongs committed against
the public by them. Do you know, Mr..
BlackstoneN
"Why, four or five, I believe"
"Now, Jack, you told mo two weeks
ago that tho company made n contract
last fall with tho union, or its commit
tee, which was 10 DO in force until next
September. Is it in force now, and If
not, why not?"
mo It is not in force. Tho men claim
that the charges against the two mon
who were laid off were not fairly in-
vostigatod by the company-or at least
that the company did not decide the
matter right"
"Did tho company invite n committee
OF tho union and tho accused men to be
present."
"Yes; l understand thoy did"
"Wero they PRESENT."
Eyes; except that tho committee
didn't 60 to hear what Mrs. Williams
had to say. They heard Williams and
Ullom, as against tho two mon. There
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