The herald., 1894-07-13
CLEVELAND wEAKENs.
The President Promises to Appoint an
Arbitration Committee.

The President Promises to Appoint an
Arbitration Committee.
WASHINGTON, July 12.-John w.
Hayes, the general ecretsry-treasurer
OF the Knights of Labor. tonight gave
out the following statement covering the
committee's interview with President
Cleveland:
"We had an hours talk with President
Cleveland this afternoon for the purpose
OF calling his attention to the Groitra-
tion bill of 1883, introduced in the house
of representatives at that time by John
O'Neill of Missouri.
81 had full authority from President
Debs, of ths A. R. u, and J. W. Heath
coat. of the Pullman employees, to rep
resent their interests and act on their
behalf.f
'"Che president seemed pleased to re-
ceise us and Immediately opened the
hxbiect by referring to the law which
the parties interested desired to see en-
forced. An hour was spent in discusE-
ing the various provisions OF the act,
which authorizes the president, on his
own motion, to appoint two arbitrstors,
together with the United States la Dor
commission. to act as a commission OF
arbitration and estigate and decide
wnst should be done by either party to
settle the controversy. The commission
has all the powers necessary TO admin
lister oaths, subpoena witnesses, etc.
''The president finally decided to ap-
point the commission, and said ne would
name the arbitrators either tomorrow or
next day.
"We expect to secure much more
from this arbitration than the final set
tlement OF the present difficulty in Chi
cago. While that is great victory for
labor organizations and everything the
A. r. U. has fought for, it gives official
recognition to the justice of their de-
mands for arbitration; and it will go
much further, for in the future, when
defects Of the present arbitration law
have been made apparent by actual ex.
perieace, prompt steps will be taken to
amend the same"
AN OFFICIAL STATEMENT.
1t is officially stated at the White
House that the president has promised
to appoint an arbitration commission as
soon as the disturbance in Chicago has
Huhsided, so far as the strikers are re-
eponsible for them, and peace restored.
After discussing the various features
OF the situation for more than an hour,
the president promised that if the lead
ers would return to Chicago and use
their influence toward restoring peace
and order, he would appoint the com
mission aa soon as the Gistur Dances had
ceased to such an extent as to render a
careful. thorough. thoughtful investiga-
tion possible. The president laid great
emphasis on the fact that no steps could
be, taken in this direction until lawless-
ness had ceased, and made his promise
contingent on the pledge of the labor
leaders to see to it that so far as organ
lied labor is concerned, the trouble at
Chicago and elsewhere will Immediately
disappear.
There is no disposition on the part of
the administration to weaken in the
stand which it has taken, but the presi-
dent fully realizes the gravity of the sit
uation, and while he will not temporizs
with the lawlees element, he is deter
mined to do all in his power to reach a
permanent solution Of labor questions.
THE o'NRIL LAW.
The O'Neil law. approved October |,
1888, provides that when controversies
arise between the companies engaged in
interstate commerce and their employ
ees, obatructing the transportation Of
property or passengers, an arbitrator
shall be selected by each OF the parties
to the dispute. these two arbitrators to
select third; this board after q full
investigation to publicly announce its
decision, which, with all the testimony.
ehall be FLED with the United States
commissioner of labor.
The statute further provides that the
president of the United States may
select two commissioners. one OF whom
st leaet shall be resident OF the
state or territory in which the cor
troverey arisen. who, together with the
commissioner of labor, shall constitute
q temporary commission for the pur-
pose of examining the causes OF the
controversy, the conditions accompany
ing and the beat means for adjusting
it, the result Of which examination
shall be Immediately reported to the
president and congress.
aoMrERs' TELEGRAM RECEIVED.
A telegram was received by the presi-
dent tonight from President Gompers 4
the Federation oil Labor, asking him to
come to Chicago or send represen ta-
tive to consider with prominent labor
leaders conce ming the situation No