Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-11-15

union at any time participated in or
advised intimidation, violence or de
Struction OF property The reports
adds, that many impartial observ-
erS are reaching the view that much
of the real responsibility for these dis
orders rests with the people them
selves and with the government for
not adequately controlling monopolies
and corporations and FOR falling TO
reasonably protect the rights Of la
Dor and redress its wrongs
In conclusion the report says: BY
the rapid concentration Of power and
wealth. under the stimulation Of legis-
lation, the conditions in persons. cor
porations and mOnOpolies have greatly
changed the business and industrial
situation Our railroads were char
tered upon the theory that their COM
petition would amply protect shippers
as to rates, etc, and employees as to
wages and other conditions. COmbi-
nation is largely Il natural working of
the laws of supply and demand which.
in theory. are baesd upon competition
it, Corporations have undoubtedly
benefited the country and brought is
resources TO our doors. t will not be
surprising if the marvel OF the next
fifty years will be the advancement
Of labor TO 4 position of like power
and responsibility. We have hereto
fore encouraged one and comparative
" h.
dom demand that each line be Ell
cOuraged to progress le@itimately and
to grow into harmonious rela tons of
equal standing and responsibility be-
fore the law? The commission deems
the recommendations Of specifice rem
edieS premature. Such a problem for
instance, as the universal government
ownership of the railroads is too vast,
many-sided and far away, il attempt
ed, to be considered as an Immediate
practical remedy. 1t belongs to the
socialistic group of public questions
where government ownership is advO-
Gated Of several mOnOpOlies. These
questions should be we'll studied by
all citizens. Should continued combi-
nations and consultations result IN a
dozen or less ownerships of our rail
roads within a few years. as is by no
means unlikely, the question of gov
eminent ownership will be forced to
the front and we need TO be ready to
dispose Of it intelligently. We ought
now to inaugurate permanent system
of investigation into relations between
railroad employees in order TO prepare
to deal with them intelligently. The
commission contends that the law
should make it obligatory upon some
public tribunal to promptly intervene
by means of investigation and cOncili-
alton and report whenever a difficulty
of the charactered that occurred dur
ing the past season at Chicago arises.
The commission therefore recommends
Il permanent United States strike COM
mission of three members with duties
and powers of investigation and rec
ommendation as to disputes between
railways and their employees, similar
to those vested in the interstate conf
merce commission, as to rates, etc.
1t recommends that power be given
the United States courts to compel
railways to obey the decisions Of the
commission after a summary hearing
unattended by technicalities and that
10 delays iii obeying the decisions of
the commission be allowed pending ap-
pealS. Whenever the parties to a con-
tr0versy are the railroads on one side.
and national trade unions incOrpOrat-
ed, upon the other, each side shall
have the right to select representatives
who will be appointed by the presi
dent to serve as a temporary member
in the commission hearing, adjusting
and determining that particular con-
troversy This provision would make
it for the interest of labor organiza-
tons to incorporate under the law and
the commission would be practical
board of concilia ton. 1t would also
tend to create confidence in the COM
mission
The commission Celebrates On its
ideas on matters of permanent na-
tiOnal commission at some length and
also suggests the consideration by the
states Of the adoption of some system
of, Cancellation and arbitration like
that, for instance, III Massachusetts,
with some notifications. 1t adds:
CONTRACTS requiring men to agree not
to join the labor organizations or to
leave them, as conditions of employ
ment should be made illegal. The COM
mission also urges employers to recog
nize labor organizations. 1t is salts
fed the employers should come into
closer touch with labor and should rec
ogniZe that while the interests Of cap
ital and labor are not identical, they
are reciprocal"