The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1895-01-11

could be carried out literally. III IL also
desirable that some provision be made, in
case of persons sentenced for n term of
years, by providing either for the filing Of
the testimony complete, or of history of
the case, with any aggrayating or miti-
eating circumstances connected there
with in the Executive office TO be used in
cases where after years have elapsed an
application for pardon is made.
Act No. 126, public acts of 1893, enti-
tied IAN act TO regulate the employment
of women and children in manufacturing
establishments of this State, TO provide
for the inspection and regulation of such
manufacturing establishments, and to pro-
vide for the enforcement of such regula-
ton and inspection" has proven Il good
one. Upon this act the Commissioner of
Labor has appointed factory inspectors,
who have inspected more than 400 fac
tories and caused a large number of I'M
provements to be made in machinery, fire
escapes, etc, and has also prevented the
violation of the law in regard to the EN-
ployment of women and children, has pre-
served labor from unfair competition, AMI
has had tendency to keep children, who
have been in factories and who should
have been in school, in their proper places.
There is no doubt this work could properly
be extended further than it has been.
Salaries of State Officers.
l cannot too strongly urge that you
again submit to the people an amendment
TO the constitution increasing the salaries
OF State officers. While the people failed
to vote this increase both in 1901 and
1893 the resolution was Il meritorious
one, and had the people understood the
real situation they would have voted it
cheerfully. The officers comprising the
Board of State Auditors also hold the
important positions of Secretary of State,
State Treasurer, and Commissioner of
the State Land Office, respectively, two
of whom receive only $500 per annum,
while the other, the State Treasurer, re-
ceives but $1,000 Owing TO the meager
salary and the impossibility of compelling
a man of ordinary means TO leave his
business and live at the Capitol, or of
even attending habitually to his duties,
it has made it necessary to employ depu-
ties who are competent TO do the work
of the principal, and paying them lib
eral salary. There is n difference be-
tween power and responsibility, and
power without responsibility. 1t can
not be doubted that the interests Of the
State of Michigan would be greatly bene-
fitted by requiring all the State officers
to attend personally to the duties of their
Offices. 1t is not only in the interest of
economy but in the interest of good gov
eminent. The Superintendent of Public
instruction is another important State Of
fetal of whom very much is expected and
who is only paid $1,000 per year. The
Attorney General is paid only the in
significant salary of $500 per annum,
and he is expected to be the legal adviser
of all the State officers. elective and ap-
pointivc, and the legal adviser to the
prosecuting attorneys of the State and
various other officials, and is expected 10
give legal advice in real estate and Grim
ina matters, also in railroad, insurance,
and various other departments of law
where corporations employ attorneys edu-
Gated and experienced in these particular
branches. 1t cannot help resulting in n
loss to the State.
Labor Strikes.
During the summer Of 1894 Michigan,
rs well rs her sister States, suffered from
the great labor strikes which occurred
during the last days of July. The strikes
raise the pertinent question. What can
be done to prevent them in the future? is
there not some way in which the differ
ences between capital and labor can be
adjusted without the disastrous resort To
| strikes? Capital is sensitive, and il may
| be questioned whether the very means
| used by labor organiZa tons to increa Sc
| wages and get other concessions TO better
| their conditions does not in the end have
| the opposite effect, in causing capital 20
| seek investment in some other line which
| does not require the employment of labor.
| Labor organizations have done much in
educating and aiding each other in timas
of need. By their organization they have
welded power which has compelled
concessions from employers which in1i-
vidually they could not have obtained.
| No matter how orderly the managers of
| a strike start in, or how strong the resp
| lutions passed to preserve order and re.
| frain from violence or damage to property.
| it almost invariably happens that before
n settlement is effected there is more or
| less violence used. In any event il is n
| place where the lawless element congra-
gate ready for the first opportunity for
violence and plumber Among all the nu.
merous sufferers from strikes none suffer
so severely and in the end so disastrously
as those engaged in the strike. They alsu
| find ii much more difficult TO recover from
its effect than any others. Arbitration
compulsory and voluntary, is proposed
as n remedy for the existing evils, but
| this docs not seem 10 meet the require
ments. Voluntary arbitration involves q
mutual agreement TO submit matters OF
difference to arbtrators to bc agreed up
on, and further agreement to abide
| by the decision when rendered. There
is ample legal machinery for this
now. Compulsory arbitration will be
only establishing another court or courts,
in which these difficulties can be settled.
In case one party TO the disagreement
should invoke the aid of this new court
| he must show a violation of contract and
an infringement of personal or property
rights, or the court would have no juris-
diction. If any of these things have been
| done, then the courts now existing have
| jurisdiction and can furnish the remedy.
1t will be found impossible under our
| form of government TO compel any cor
poration or individual to employ men OF
to pay them any particular wages. Men
| of means VIZ suspend or abandon bust