The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-04-11
aE LABOR QUESTION
netors Discuss Rulings in Re-
cent Strike Cases.
ocasaAM ca,T,c.sEs JUDGES.
- 3hlnhs tho Decisions WIN Result
= Settlement 81 Labor frea-
naee-A Hot Dieeusssoa.

3 0Anrruorou CTTY, April M-The SEN
- today passed resolution for the ap-
!, .fnent Of . committee 70 wait on the
/ s~rideut and inform him that unless he
|. k~a further communication TO make, the
s,s1Iefe US ready to adjourn A motion
~ reconsider was subsequently
sssnxe hv Hoss and entered. Resolutions
sS1fi Investigation Of the charges against
G..eenrs Roach. Of North Dakota and
!. fevsss, Of Montana, were offered By Hoar
/ - Chandler and laid over till tomorrow.
Hess object in moving for reconsidera-
- vas 70 secure action on the Roach tn-
vratieation before sdjournment
The recent decisions Of Judges TAFT and
Rieks. n Ohio. and 6pser, in Georgia, In
,eIation 70 the rights and duties Of rail-
,oad employees, came up in connection
vith : reeoiution instructing the commit
- On interstate commerce to inquire into
hat and other subjects and long debate
yssultsd. PETER said:
1.des Rscks dscision, which has been good
- criticized b The labor organisations would
MnnnroVod b them when they came to under.
800 beesee IN scope and view In ell its full.
- Is was, nrst, great judicial declaration
q peiseipJs eoncsrning the relations between
enSaoysss and employee II was Q declaration
I - ~ railroad smploys was - much . con-
- earfier 9 Q railroad president oe . railroad
I enoasy. Judge Kicks decision would lead 70
4 - ipel adjustment Of ill difficulties between
I onloyss and employers Of . Carrying corpora
=
The rseolution vas referred.
Jonee offered . resolution instructing
- committee on Indian affairs to con-
1Inue the investigation heretofore ordered,
viii power to visit the Indian reserva-
Hens and Indian territory. sherman re-
naYksd that the Investigation ordered two
ysers ago should be terminated by this
6ns. II seemed to him that there should
= an end to such Investigations, unless
there vas public demand for them and
thst some public usefulness 10 to come out
= shsm. Popular opinion would condemn
thsm and say they were mere pleasure par
H. organised ct the expense Of the gov
eminent Of the United States.
The debate drifted back to . discussion
n ths recent judicial decisions. German
sd that one Of the matters to BE- inquired
Into was the recent decisions of the United
BATES courta and whether. in view Of the
intsfstate commerce law andlthe snti-trust
law, the judges had . right to determine
not only what railroad employees should
a. but what they should not do. These
declsions were the first great step on the
yast Of the judiciary to make serfS Of men
snployed by railroad corporations.
Ptatt said he had not yet seen In the de-
slston referred to anything that looked
HE usurpation Of power by the courts or
xks degradation of the workingmen of the
eeuntry to the condition Of serfs. He b.
nessd that employees of railroads had no
neFs right to engage in discrimin atoms Of
ennmsrcs than their employers had. and
= did not believe there WAS anything
eItAsf In tho interstate commerce act or in
~ antitrust act that WAS not IN afarma-
- Of the well-considered and Well-estab-
I'D common law.
vsst said Judge Speer. In his decision.
- only affirmed what every lawyer
lnows to be common law. He decided
hat any contract or regulation in restraint
4 the commerce Of the United States was
ahsoiutely void; that IN engineer had .
1lsht to give up his employment. but whom
ths association Of locomotive engineers or
asy other association or corporation un-
tortook to make q rule and enforce 1t in
lotrAint Of commerce that rule was abso-
htely void.
Voorhees, said the most dangerous quss-
tion that the country was facing today
~ the encroaching of corporate power
= colossal wealth against those who were
Aelplsssly in its power and whom It
wanted to have chained to the oar. This
power claimed that . railroad employe
W enlisted as private soldier and il he
hR his post he was to be punished a. .
dssefter. He therefore felt IL his duty to
Introduce q resolution directing inquiry
= y what action might DO necessary tor
- better protection Of the laboring peo-
- and their greater security from the en-
aoechment of corporate power.
fiatt said it was not wise to attack the
Hdiciary Of the United States. 1t was not
~ to intimate that judges were a.
enn II was not wise TO talk about the
ehposition Of the judiciary to reduce
hhorsfs to the condition of serfs. The labor.
neman had confidence in the courts and
= would be protected in all his legal
nehts. but he did not believe and the
hooring man did not believe that, when
engaged in the employment of common
carrier. he could choose his own time to
saye that employment.
After further debate the question went
ever TIL tomorrow. when Palmer will have
Ne door to speak upon IL.
INDIAN AFFAIRS GO BIZ DEFAULr.