The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-11-28
WHICH Is DEMAGOGIsMf

WHICH Is DEMAGOGISMf
Perhaps the most effective assault that
has been made on the report Of the Pull
man strike investigating committee is that
of the Journal Of Commerce and CONNER
cial Bulletin. II makes no effort TO ques-
ton the facts reported by the committee.
but dev0tes its attention to the recon-
mendations 1t is startled by the report
1t says:
On two public occasions Col. Wright has
exposed the absolute futility of compulsory
arbitration, but he is now recommending it
in the case OF railroads; the commission
recommends a permanent strike commits
sion, with power to investigate all labor
disputes. and i'm the case of railroads to fix
the rates OF wages and compel their pay
ment; Ii could not compel the men to work
If they didn't want to- but the commission
has no doubt the roads could get all the
men they needed at any price fixed by the
commission.
Certainly Col. Wright has expressed HIM
self as opposed TO compulsory arbitration,
but possibly he has changed his views to
some extent, and more probably he. as
many other men, considers the whole as
pect Of the arbitration question changed by
the proposition for the Incorporation of
labor unions. Many students Of the labor
question consider the Incorporation Of
unions as the primary remedy for all
known evils, and 1t has certainly had a
beneficial effect where it has been tried
1t gives standing and responsibility to the
worlIingmen as a body. And, as the Bulle-
tin says, THE commission wants labor
unions endowed with a legal status and
recognized and dealt with by the COM
panies." The Bulletin does not like such
revolutionary suggestions. 1t says:
The suggestion of the commission that
the government should foreclOse on the
Union Pacific railroad and operate ID as
an experiment in state ownership shows
the mental drift of the three commission
ers. They have far exceeded the legit-
mate functions II which they were ap-
pointed. and have used their opportunity
of making a fair statement Of facts for
making a display OF blatant demagogism.
But it was one Of the functions Of the
committee to consider remedies, and it
took large amount of testimony on that
subject. There were two remedies spe-
cially favored by the witnesses. One was
arbitration. The Sentinel opposes govern
ment ownership because it is purely social
istic and involves all the defects of that
form Of paternalism. Arbitration does not
in fact it seems the only mode of preserv-
ing individualism. The commissioners are
DESTROYS of trying both. and there is wis
dom in their recommendation, for there
must be some experimental legislation be-
fore the question is settled. But there is
no excuse for calling the commissioners
demagogues. The Bulletin is far more
open to that charge in the following:
Labor always has Jared the best. and
we believe always will fare the best, where
capital is safest and most profitable. and
where the largest measure OF liberty is
guaranteed TO men in the accumulation of
capital, its investment, and the terms on
which labor and materials are procured.
The man who makes the largest profit is
not necessarily the most liberal paymaster:
but where men have the largest liberty to
invest money as they please, and where
they have the widest margin Of profit, then
there is the best demand for labor and
there labor is the best paid.
This is the most harmful of demagogy.
1t is an appeal to workingmen to subordi-
nate everything to the question of wages
an appeal. on the ground of self-interest,
for the workingmen to support employers
in almost any system of making money,
so that wages may be greater in case the
employer sees fit to exercise his philan-
thropy. 1t would make the workingman
Lazarus, happy to get the crumbs from
the rich mans table. America is not ready
for any such doctrine. Doubtless t suits
the capitalists who read the Bulletin, but
the masses Of the people believe that 1.-The
laborer is worthy of his hire" They be-
lieve in a fair days wages for fair
days work." and they believe in it not as
a matter of charity. but as a matter of
right and justice. The labor question arises
from a conflict of rights, and if there be
no legal tribunal in which each contro-
versy may be settled, we must continue
our present anarchistic method OF settle
ment by lawlessness, violence and military
force.