The Helena independent., 1894-11-14

therein than che employees IN insisting
upon the wages OF June, 1898. Their,
was a little discussion NJ 90 rents, th,
company maintaining that rents has
nothing In do with wages.
The company had a legal right u
| t0kc thiH position, but as between mar
land man the demand for rent rcduc
! tloag WAS fair aud reasonable under al
circumstances. The strike ucCurrc,
MAY n. and from that time until che
soldiers went 60 Pullman. July T. S0l
strikers were placed about the com.
pUuys property, prOfcssedly To- guard Il
from destruction or interference. lt IL
In evidence and uncOntradictcd, that ne
violence or destruction or property by
strikers or sympathiEcra took place az
Pullman. ana that until July Z, no eN.
traorllnnry protection was had from
police or military against even antici-
patcd disorder Such dignihcd manly
and conservative conduct I'm the midst
of excitement aud threatened starvn-
tlon is worthy OF the highest American
citizenship and with like prudence IN
.all other directions result IN due time
IN lawful aud orderly redress of labor
wrongs To deny this Is 60 forswear
patriotism and 20 declure this govern
mcnt and It's people % failure
In conclusion, the report snysi since
nations have grown 10 the wisdom ol
avoiding disputes by Cancellation and
settling by arbitration, why should cap
ltal and labor In their dependence upon
each other persist In cutting each
others throat as acttlcment of diner
ence. Our railroads were constructed
upon the theory that their competition
would amply protect shippers rs 10
rates. etc. and employees M to wages.
Combination has largely destroyed this
theory ana seriously disturbed the nat
ural working OF the laws OF supply and
demand. AS We have shown, there is
no longer any competitive demand
among The twenty-four railroads
at Chicago FOR gwitchmcn. They
have ceased competing with each other;
they are no longer tweuty-four sepa-
rate and competing cmployerSi they are
virtually one. However men may CIT,
FER about the propriety and legality or
labor unions we must all recognize the
fact that we have them With ua 10 athN.
Is Il not wise TO fully recognize them
by law; 10 admit their necessity aa Ia
bor guides and protectors; increase
their responsibility and p>'vent their
follies aud aggressions by confeuinE
upon them the privileges enjoyed BY
corporations with like proper reStric-
tions and regulatlons2
THE growth of corporate power and
wealth has been the marvel OF the past
five years Corporations have undouht-
edly benefited the country and brought
it's resources to our doors, IL VIII not
be surprising II the marvel OF the next
fifty years be the advancement OF labor
to position Of like power and responsi.
bllity We have heretofore encouraged
one and neglected the other. Does not
wisdom demand that each be encour-
aged TO prosper legltlmately and Ia
grow into harmonious relations OF equal
standing and responsibility before law
This involves nothing hostile to the
true interests and rights OF either. The
deems recommendation OF
specific remedies premature. Should
continued combinations and consolida
tions result In half dozen or less own
erships Of our railroads within few
years. as II is by no means unlikely,
the question OF government ownership
would be forced to the front and we
need to be ready 10 dispose OF II intelli-
gently.
.'The commission recommends that
there be n permanent United States
strike commission of three members,
with duties and power OF investigation
and recommendation as TO disputes be-
tween railways and their employees sim
liar to those invested In the interstate
commerce commission as to rates, etc.
That as In the interstate commerce act,
power be given to the United states
courts 10 compel railways to obey the
decisions OF the commission and that
no DELAYS in obeying the decisions OF
~. 10 oil
peals. That whenever the parties to a
controversy in a matter within the jur-
lsdiction OF the commission are one or
more railroads on one side and one or
more national trades unions incorpo-
rated under chapter 567 of the United
States statutes of 1886, or under state
statutes upon the other, each side shall
have the right 10 select representa-
tive, who shall be appointed by the
president TO serve as a temporary mem
ber OF the commission in the hearing,
adjusting and determining that partlc-
ular controversy. That during the PEN
dency Of proceeding before the com
mission inaugurated by national trade
union. or by any incorporation OF en-
ployes, Il shall not be lawful Tor the
railroads 10 discharge employees belong
ing thereto except for violation OF law
or neglect OF DUTY VI lul StNh aiiI'ia'
during such pendency, To order, aid OF
abet strikes or boycotts against rail,
ways complained of. nor for a period OF
six months after the decision for such
railroads to discharge any such EN-
ployes I'm whose places others shall be
employed, except for the causes afore-
said: nor for any such employees dur
ing the like period written notice OF in
tention to do 50. That the statutes OF
isS5-G be amended SO as Ia require ma
tIonnl trades unions 60 provide in their
articles uf incorporation that ,memOere
shall cenTe to be such and forfeit al
rights and privileges conferred on them
by law aR such, by participating IN oi
by Navigating force or violence.
"The commission would suggest the
consideration by states of the ndoptior
Of some system Of Cancellation and arbi
tratiou like that. for instance, In Mas
snchusetts. Contracts requiring meT
not to Join labor organizations, or e
leave them as conditions OF employ
ment. should be made Illegal as al
ready done In some Of our states. Th'
commission urges employers b recog
nIze labor organizations, that such or
ganizations be dealt with through rep
Iregentatlyes. with special reference e
Cancellation and arbitration when dill
Cultics are threatened or arise"