Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1896-05-02

business which has Il market value and !
could he sold In the open market this
Is nCs the ease. The publishers of this |
great paper assume the right. almost. |
to dictate to the community upon every |
public question. They assume the right |
tc dcnouncc whomsocvcr they please. |
They are in sense above and beyond
the law. for Il poor private individual
has no practical remedy against an TN.
jusc attack upon its part, and yet they
managc to throw the burden of support.
ing our government upon the shoulders
Of others.
- cpiug Car Charges.
During the last twenty years the
prices of all commodities as we'll as the
carrying charges of railroads have been
reduced from 80 to GO per cent. but our
people still have to pay the old cxtor-
tionate rates for sleeping car service.
which has become a necessity of mod
crn travel just as much rs railroads
are. The travel on sleeping ears has in
creased so enormously that this fact
alone. aside from the general fall In
prices and carrying charges. long ago
called for large reduction In sleeping
ear rates. The people of this great
Stare should long ago have been pro-
tcctcd against this cxtortlon. and rec
Ommcad legislation on this subject and
the establishing Of rates that shall he
just to both the carrier and the public.
The Settlement of Labor Troubles.
Owing. to the division of labor. the
building of railroads and the great
consultations that have taken place
In the mercantile and Industrial fields.
many of the theories of government ap.
plicablc fifty years ago are now utter
~ Inadequate. In the great division
Of Industries each has become de-
pendent on the other and none can
shut down without affecting all. The
whole American people have adjusted
their affairs to the continued operation
of railroads. Any interruption affects
the entire public. Again. all of our
Industries depend on the regular sup
ply of coal. and II this Is intcrfered
with 1t Injuries not only those con.
nectcd with some mine. as was once
the case. but the whole community.
Our civilization makes us all inter-
dependent. Government must keep
pace with the progress Of the age and
meet the changed conditions. for II Is
the duty of government to protect all.
Whenever any men are pursuing a
course injurious to the rest of the COM
munity the government should deal
with the question on the lines of Justice
and not simply join hands with the
strong to crush the weak. In recent
years We have repeatedly had labor
disturbances In the form of strikes
country. 1t will no longer do TO say
that this IL the business of employer
and cmploye. for while these are fight
Ing. innocent noncombatants may be
ruined. The question of dealing with
these conditions II u most difficult
one, and no complete remedy has yet
been devised. Many advocate. COM
pulsory arbitration. but no practical
method OF enforcing decree or award
In every case of this character has yet
been found. There IL. however. TO
difficulty In the way of making COM
pulscry investigation In every ease. and
this alone would he n great prevent
i've as well as corrective. This method
has been tried elsewhere and has work.
ed well. Promptly ascertaining aud
making public the actual conditions In
each case arcuses moral sentiment
that often forces q settlement, and the
fear of such an investigation will some.
times do this. strongly urge legls'
lntion on this subject. and I would
suggest that the law would provide
for u new board In each case. allowing
snch party to select an arbitrator and
ahc two thus selected to name the third
or, u they disagree then lot the Count!
Judge name the third. II II permanent
board was created. the more powerful
interests would soon seek to get thc!l
friends appointed on 1t. anu no matter
what It did II would soon lose the con
Ndence of the workers anu of the pub
lie, and with this Its usefulness wOul,
bc gone. Again. nearly all the gren
interests Of this country. except farm
Ing. are controlled by combinations
Often one OF these combinations 60!
lccts together thousands Of laborcrs
representing many thousand people
mt u point where II IL almost the onl.
employer ana where they would othe'
wise not have settled. These are at
soluteIy ut its mercy. II for any reil
son II turns them ont they become
charge upon the State, that Is. upo
the public: the corporation at enc
washing it's hands Of all rcspoL3
bllity. The public. being the State
l,as the same right to protect Itself tina
individuals have. and these evils mus
in some way, be met. for governmei
that cannot deal with new problems n
they arise IL unworthy Of n free pcOpl
There should bc some legislation to pr
vent iabOrers lseing brought into I'll
state by squads. for they ge,ierall
have to displace an equal number. VIII
being suddenly thrown out. become
charge upon the public. Some yea
ago n number Of nonresident capita
lists bought large tracts of coal lands ;
Spring Valley. In this State, ana ope
ell n number of mines. Several tho
sand miners were induced tn mo'
there. II very large per cent. Of who
were Americans, many of whom we
induced to buy lots of the compar
The company then pursued 80 greco
and unconsciOnable n course towa'