Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-01-31

trial economic conditions and philo-
Sophy
Those prepared by the commission
indicate a purpose to sweep with thor
oughness into every little corner of the
labor world-to learn where there are
conditions to be confronted. facts to be
| revealed. discontents to be eased, or
evils to be nbated. Invested by the act
OF Congress creating 1t with ample au-
thorlty to force the attendance of wit
nesses and the revelation of facts and
10 devise methods for the Improvement
OF industrial conditions that are not as
good as they should be- the commission
| is destined by it's work to arouse the
| keeneSt interest in every corner of the
| land.
TRADE UNIONISM.
For instance, there are the frictions
between skilled and unskilled labor. and
the restricted surroundings in which
trade unionlSm should probably be set
was former Commissioner Stump right,
| ON the one topic. when he urged be-
lore the industrial commission the other
day that the rough work OF the land
needs all the untutored foreigners who
can be tempted to our ports of entry?
or was Schulteis' contention that there
are so many OF them here already as to
crowd even the intelligent citizens of
the country into the poor houses?
When II comes to the other topic. OF
the relations of the employer to the en-
ployed. should the trade unions be
brought to proper sense of their re-
sponsibility as factors in the labor
world by being forced to incorporate?
shouldn't they be held 10 n corporate
responsibility. whether they desire 1t or
not. for their part in projecting and
fostering strikes and doing the other
things which fall within their line?
Ihat is only an illustrative question.
II does not begin to cover all the direc-
tons in which trade unionism is likely
TO be investigated by the commission.
PRINCIPLE OF ARBITRATION.
How can the principle OF arbitra-
ton be effectively applied to the set
Element OF industrial differences? Is
! compulsory arbitration possible, as
some say, and advisable. even il 1t is
| possible? How can the store order
| system which robs the ill-paid mine
hands. for instance at the other end of
| the line, be modified II not wiped out?
| Should the injunction he eliminated as
| an interference in the settlement of la
Dor differences? What has machinery
done for the Industrial classes? Has ii
helped them more by bringing new
comforts within their reach than 1t ha.
hurt them by closing old fields of ac-
tivity to them? Or Is the trend the
| other way?
In addition there are the subjects OF
woman's employment in the industrial
| fields and the employment of children
to cheaper wages. and that all-absorb-
| ing topic of convict labor. II the prIs-
| oner must not be condemned to mad
! deninG idleness in his cell, how can he
be employed to minimize the harm of
| his competition with the free labor?
| What. too of the overshadowinC
| trusts? Are they Growing the smaller
! factors out Of business. and Is the loss
N 4 = n tod f.a,>i in, l,N
prices OF the Staples they provide?
| These questions-even that concerning
| trusts-go largely into the economies or
| farm production as we'll as into that
| or manufacturing. There are corners
in wheat as there are in sugar and
bonanza farming in the West that is
to the agricultural what the depart
ment store is TO the mercantile com
| munity.
BLACkLISTlNG BY RAILROADS.
The evils Of blecklisting their dis
charged employees by railroad lines are
of such n character as to demapd the
shrewdest counteracting legislation on
me part of the State. No railroad dares
openly of course, 10 take steps to pre-
vent n competent man from Securing
employment elsewhere. But the com
mission was told The other day OF sys-
TEN OF freemasonry among the rail-
roads by which they make known 70
/ H.
mcndation. that the man who bears II
is blacklisted and is to be denied The
occupation he seeks. 1t is sometimes a
mere word in the letter: other times II
is the general form of the letter itself
that cautions the other conparv
against giving employment to the appji
cant.
There is moreover, the obligation of
railroads to employ the most trust
worthy safety appliances for the nro-
/ fn nd
workers. What also can be done IN
minimize the damage il the great trun,,
line. strikes that are wont from tins r.
tinfe tS]2ara!yze the trade of the ma
tlonE Secretary Moseley of the Inter
state commerce Commission. has told
inc Industrial Commission of an in
stance in which = railroad strike result,
ed In the actual starvation and dco,r
OF thousand people In an isoIotet
community. And that new fad Of Cav
eminent ownership-is 1t a step forward
or step backward?
"All these topics ere in tn, thrae s,.,
labi which the Industrial Commission
~ now spreading through the land
the SYLLABUS on agriculture. on man
ufactures and on transportation. These
references do not begin to recount ou
the topics that are 10 engage the com
mission. They are merely illustrative OF
/ the general character and scope of its
work 80
PERSONNEL OF COMMISSION
The Industrial Commission is com
posed of Senator James Ii. Kyle OF
South Dakota. chairman: Senators Pen
rose. of Pennsylvania: Mantle. ot Mon
tana: Mallory. OF Florida. and Daniel.
OF Nirgiria; Representatives Gardner.
Of New Jersey: Lorimer OF Illinois: Fell.
Of Colorado: Livingston. OF Georgia.
and Otgen, of Wisconsin. These were
appointed, respectively. bv Vice Presi-