The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-07-13
TO ARBITRATE
President Cleveland Yields to the
Wishes of Labor Leaders.
He Will Appoint Commission, Under
the Arbitration Act of 1888, to In
vestigate the Pullman Strike.
HIS PROMISE CONTINGENT
Lawlessness Throughout the COun-
try Must First Disappear.
Debs and Others Must Agree to Imme-
diately Put an End to the Trouble
at Chicago and Elsewhere.
K. Of l.. AT THE WHITE HOUSE
Secretary-Treasurer Hayes's Re-
port of the Conference.
Terms of the Almost Forgotten Law
Upon Which the Presidents Action
Last Night Is Based.
Terms of the Almost Forgotten Law
Upon Which the Presidents Action
Last Night Is Based.
EUGENE V. DEBS GRATIFlED
Says He Has ALI Along Been in
Favor of Arbitration.
Advice of Denver Knight of Labor
The Governor of Missouri OIL the
Rights of His State.

WASHINGTON, July 12.-It was official
ly announced at the White House to-
night that the President will appoint a
commission, by the authority given him
by the arbitration act of 1888, to investi-
gate the labor troubles at Chicago and
elsewhere and report to the President and
Congress. The commission to be appointed
has not been selected, and it will be a
number of days before the appointments
are announced. This determination the
part of the President was arrived at after
an interview with Secretary-treasurer
Hayes. of the Knights of Labor, T. ID.
Mcclure and c. n. French, of the execu-
tive committee and MIR. Schoenfaber. who
were introduced to the President this aft
ernoon by Senator Kyle, and who came
bearing credentials from the American
Railway Union, the Pullman employees and
several labor organizations. After discuss
ing the various features of the situation
for more than an hour the President prom
ised that If the leaders would return to
Chicago and their utmost influence
toward restoring peace and order he would
appoint the commission as soon as the
disturbances had ceased to such extent
as to render careful, thoughtful inves-
tigation possible.
The President laid great emphasis on the
fact that no steps could be taken in this
direction until lawlessness had ceased, and
he made his promise contingent on the
pledge of the labor leaders to see to it
that so far as organized labor is concerned
the trouble at Chicago and elsewhere will
Immediately disappear. There is no dispo-
stion on the part of the administration
TO weaken in the stand which it has taken,
but the President fully realizes the gravity
of the situation, and while he will not
temporize with the lawless element he is
determined to do all in his power to reach
a permanent solution OF labor questions
John w. Hayes, the general secretary
treasurer of the knights of Labor, tonight
gave out the following statement covering
the committees interview with President
Cleveland:
"we had an hours talk with President
Cleveland. this afternoon, for the purpose
of calling his attention to the arbitration
act of 1883, introduced in the House of Rep
resentatives at the time by Hon. John
O'Neill, of Missouri. The delegation con-
sisted of John w. Hayes, general secre-
tary-treasurer; Thos B. Mcguire and c. n.
French, of the general executive board, and
j. G.. Schoenfaber, editor of the Journal of
Knights of Labor. had full authority from
President f.. " Debs, of the American Rail-
way Union, and J. W. Heathcote of the
Pullman employees, to represent their in
terests and act their behalf. Senator
Kyle, of South Dakota, accompanied us,
and introduced us to the President. The
President seemed pleased to receive us, and
Immediately opened the subject by refer
ring TO the law which the parties interested
desired to see enforced. An hour was spent
in discussing the various provisions of the
act, which authorizes the President, on his
own motion. to appoint two arbitrators,
together with United States Labor Com
missioner Carroll d. Wright to act as a
commission of arbitration and investigate
and decide what should be done by either
party to settle the controversy. The COM
mission has all of the powers necessary
to administer oaths subpoena witnesses,
etc.
''The President finally decided 10 appoint
the commission. and at once so informed
us, at the same time stating that he would
name the arbitrators either tomorrow or
next day. We expect to secure much more
from this arbitration than the final settle
ment of the present difficulty in Chicago
While ii is in itself great victory for la
Dor organizations, and everything that the
A. X. L. has fought for, IL gives official
recognition TO the justice Of their demands
for arbitration. and it will lead much fur
ther, for in the future, when defects of
the present arbitration law have been
made apparent by actual experience.
prompt steps will be taken to amend the
same"
Mr.. Hayes said tonight that he was
strongly opposed 10 the investigation of the
Pullman boycott proposed by the House
committee on interstate commerce. OF all
the Investigations, he said, that had been
conducted by congressional committees, not
one OF them had ever resulted in any ben
eft to labor organizations. They had al
ways helped 10 defeat the objects of the
strike which they investigated and never
did any one any good. The arbitration
commission To be appointed by President
Cleveland would. in his opinion, be much
more effective and satisfactory In every
way. That commission would recommend
to the President what should be done. and
that way labor may hope TO get
proper recognition of some benefit. The