The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-23
THE STATE LABOR COMMISSION.

A proposed change in the method of pay
ing the state labor commissioners seems SO
clearly based on good reason that there
should be no doubt about its adoption This
commission has accomplished so much good
during it's brief existence and promises to
accomplish so much more that the people
should be informed regarding its organiza-
ton and scope of action. The commission
has been in existence less than two years,
the law creating it having been approved
March 4, 1897 1t is model law not only
in purpose, but in form and phraseology.
If all laws were as well conceived and clear
ly expressed there would be less litigation
and fewer questions to be decided by the
Supreme Court. Unlike most boards, the
labor commission consists of only two mem
bers The law says:
One of said commissioners shall have been
for not less than ten years of his life an
employee for wages in some department of
industry in which it is usual to employ
number of persons under single direction
and control, and shall be at the time of his
appointment affiliated with the labor inter-
est as distinguished from the capitalist or
employing interest. The other of said COM
mssioners shall have been for not less than
ten years an employer of labor for wages
in some department of industry in which 1t
is usual to employ number Of persons un-
der single direction and control, and shall
be at the time of his appointment affiliated
with the employing interest as distinguished
from the labor interest. Neither of said
commissioners shall be less than forty years
of age and they shall not be members OF
the same political party.
This insures men of suitable age and ex
perience. of different politics and genuine
representatives, respectively, of the wage
earning and the employing class. Another
section of the law provides as follows:
1t shall be the duty of said commissioners,
upon receiving creditable information, in
any manner, of the existence of any strike,
lockout, boycott or other labor complicatlon
ment of fifty persons or more, to go to the
place where such complication exists, put
themselves into communication with the
parties to the controversy and offer their
services as mediators between them If they
shall not succeed in affecting an amicabie
they shall endeavor TO induce the parties to
submit their differences to arbitration,
either under the provisions of this act or
otherwise, as they may elect
Other sections of the law prescribe the
mode of procedure in cases of arbitration
and for giving effect to the finding of the
commission.
The first annual report of the commission,
recently filed with the Governor, shows
that during the eighteen months of its ex-
istence 1.-The commission has investigated
and reported on thirty-nine strikes and
lockouts OF this number failure to adjust
differences occurred in seven instances, and
in two of these the contestants on one side
were nonresidents of the State, over whom,
consequently. the commission could have no
jurisdiction. In four instances the commits
sion simply investigated and reported the
condlt4ons of settlement made between the
parties of their own volition. In twenty
eight contests satisfactory agreements were
reached through the mediations of the COM
mission, and in nineteen of these settle
ments the workmen secured either advance
in wages or other improved conditions"
We doubt if any other law in any State
ever accomplished more valuable results in
the same length of time Aside from the
money saved to wage earners by the pre-
vention of strikes and the increase of
wages the moral results in promoting good
feeling between employers and employees
and in emphasizing the superiority of peace
allie over violent methods have been of
great value. mis- is a lesson of lasting
value. and its influence viii be felt in the
legislation Of other States.
The proposition for a change in the
method OF paying the commissioners comes
from themselves. The Law provides that
said commissioners shall receive COM
pensation of $40 each per diem for the time
actually expended. and actual and neces-
sary travelling expenses while absent from