The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-07-27
AN EVEN fight IN Ohio
Former Secretary of State Ryan
Discusses the Situation.
Though Republican. He Believes
the Democrats May Triumph-Fcar
the Members of His own Party
May he Too Apnthetic-The CIeve-
land Strike - How to Settle 1t.

Daniel j. Ryan. former Secretary of
State Of Ohio, and a prominent lawyer and
Republican of Columbus. talked at some
length yesterday regarding the aspects OF
the forthcoming campaign in his State, and
also Of the significance of the strike in
Cleveland
Mr.. Ryan is inclined to the belief that
the Republicans may carry Ohio this fall
because it is the year preceding the Pres
idential election, and also because Of the
present prosperous conditions of the labor
ing people generally throughout the State.
Every man in Ohio who wants work can
get it," said Mr.. Ryan. That fact alone
should elect the Republican candidate The
only thing we have to guard against now
is overconfidence. The Republicans may
teel SO sure of the election as TO become
apathetic- In case they do make that mis-
take they may have reason to regret it.
The Democrats will, in all probability,
nominate John R. Mclean. He is, in my
opinion, the strongest candidate they can
put in the field. MIR. Mclean is a magnifi-
cent organizer, and a politician of remark
able resource. The Republicans will COM
nit grave blunder if they imagine they
can defeat such man as Mr.. Mclean
without any particular effort.
Il hardly think the local differences OF
Republicans will affect apprecably the
probabilities of our carrying the State.
When full vote is out, Ohio is Republic
an We have seldom had walkover, how
ever. There are a half million of Demo-
Gratis In the State. and before any Repub-
iican attempts to boast he ought to look
over the vote in the last Presidential cleo
ton. In 1896 the Republican plurality was
less than one-half of one per cent OF the
total vote.
IF that one-half of one per cent of the
total vote should, through apathy or over
confidence. remain at home on election day,
and If the Democrats should with their
skilled organizer get out the full Demo-
cratic vote, it can readily be seen that
the outcome of the election will become
highly problematical.
No: | do not think the Cleveland strike
will seriously affect the election either
one way or another. Ii is singular fact
that labor troubles in Ohio have not thus
far proved 10 be much of factor in State
elections. The labor organizations seem
TO be run on non-political basis. They
have in the past not endorsed or sup
ported in mass either of the two great
parties.
Il have watched the developments in
the Cleveland strike with interest. Like
all Ohio men, l deplore the results re-
ported in the papers. | think, however
that the sympathy of the people generally
is with the strikers and against the Cor
porations. Speaking generally, | am in
clined to believe that when employees of
corporation unitedly go out on a strike,
their action, in a large majority of in
stances, is justified. / believe in the ever
lasting truth that intelligent men seldom
demand the unreasonable until the reason
able has been denied them Take this
Cleveland strike as an example. l am con-
vinced that the employees there are worked
longer hours than they should be. l agree
with them that they have the right to re-
sist what seems to me TO be an injustice
in the length of time they are compelled
to be continuously on duty. l hardly think
any scale of wages, however high, would
compensate men for the work they are
compelled to do under the time sched-
ules on many of our traction companies
throughout the country.
There is another phase of the subject
which is awakening great interest. l re-
fer TO the proposition for arbitration.
have observed in recent years that the
officers of corporations not infrequently take
the position that there is nothing to arbi-
trate-that the question is one of interest
only to employer and employe, and that II
the employer so desires, he may refuse alb
solutely to submit the question TO arbitra-
ton. The corporation seems to claim this
as its right
Now, l am inclined to dissent from
that opinion. ! think that any corporation
doing business under public franchise and
operating a system so closely allied to the
interests and conyeniences of the people as
is a street railway, for instance. should b.
compelled out of respect for the public
alone, if not for the strikers. to submit
all controverted questions TO an impartial
board of arbitration. | believe that the
people have the right to insist upon arbi-
tration in such a case. There is no law
which says that the officers of q public
corporation are infallible. They may be,
and indeed are, as frequently in error a,
the employees.
There is no reason, therefore, why they
should refuse to adjust their difficulties
through the medium OF unpreiudiced judge
In Belgium. in France, in Germany. and in
Switzerland. such a system OF arbitration
as have alluded to has operated beneficial
ly for number of years. l believe that
it would. if commonly adopted in this coun-
try, be followed by satisfactory results"