The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-07-13
MERELY TO INVESTIGATE.
President CIcveland's Commfssion II
VIII Not Attempt to Arbitrate.

VIII Not Attempt to Arbitrate.
WASHINGTON, July 13, 1S94.-In deciding
to appoint commission to investigate the
late strike and the occasion of the contro-
versey between certain railroads which were
effected thereby and their employees" the
President and his advisers have construed
that the sections of the OsNeill act,
authorizing the appointment of Presi-
Dental Commissi on of Inquiry to convey an
authority separate and distinct from the
other sections providing for arbitration.
The commission will have power to investi-
gate and report only, not to arbltrate. The
arbitration provisions of the law las already
pointed OUT require the written consent of
both parties to the controversy and then pro-
vide for the selection of one person by the
railroad companies, one person by the en-
ployes and these two to select third, who
are to be constituted board of arbitration
with certain defined duties and powers.
No part of these provisions for arbitration
goes into effect with the proposed appoint
Inent of g. Presidential commission. 1t is
further noted that in the authorized state
ment furnished to the press by the Presi-
dents private secretary the pending diff
Guilty is significantly spoken of as '.the late
striken from which it is inferred that the
President has no intention Of setting the
commission to work to investigate until
peace has been restored and the
forcible interruption OF inter-
state commerce brought about by
the strike has been put an end to. The
duties of the commission will in no wise
differ from those of the special Committee
of Investigation recommended by the House
Committee on Interstate and Foreign Com
merce on Wednesday last. 1t will have the
same power to send for persons and papers,
to administer oaths and employ steno-
grapbers and report its findings to the Presi
dent and Congress. and nothing more
Nevertheless it is believed here that the
moral effect of the promised appointment by
the President of commission of investiga-
ton will be beneficial, and will tend to
hasten the utter disintegration of the strike,
which now seems near at hand Ii the strike
leaders choose to represent this action of the
Government as a concession to them and
sssubstantial victory" and under cover of
this claim to call off their forces, the author
tiles here will have no objection. but will
welcome the result as a public gain, however
brought about.
NO HURRIED ACTION.
The President has no intention of acting
precipitately in the inquiry he proposes to
institute into the Chicago strike, for the pur-
pose of examining the causes OF the contro
versy, the conditions accompanying and
the best means for adjusting it, under the
authority of the provisions of the O'Neill
law He will certainly not select the
two adjunct commissioners this week, and
it is doubtful if their names will be
announced before the middle or end of
next week The principal member of the
Investigation Committee, Hon. Carroll ID.
Wright, who is also provided for by
this act, is probably the strongest man
in the country for the place. HIS long
term oil service as the United States
Commissioner of Labor. having previously
held similar post for the State Of Mas
sachusetts, peculiarly qualities him 10
make a thorough investigation and a
valuable report Mr. WRIGHT. in addition
to his other duties, is acting superinten-
dent of the census, and is one of the
busiest men in the administration. His
views OH labor and arbitration coincide
exactly with those of The President as ex-
pressed ia tho ,ecial message to-
Congress ir 1856 aud ha will be virtually
the personal as well as official representative