The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-07-02

under which these bodies have continued
to act till the present time. They are
authorized by the minister of commerce,
upon the application Of the municipal
authorities of the city in which the pro-
posed conseil is to be located. The Off
GERS are president and vice president.
named by the chief of state, whose term
is three years; secretary, appointed and
removed by the project, and a certain
number of members. not less than six
half of whom are employers and half en-
ployes, each class selecting its own rep
reSentatiVes.
Certain qualifications of age, residence.
character and experience are prescribed.
both for the members and the electors
they hold for six years, and are eligible
for the second term. They have no sal
airy, and each conseil is divided into two
chambers, called the private bureau and
the general bureau. The sole function of
the first, which consists of two members.
is to hear complaints informally, and to
conciliate, if possible, without trial. Fail
ing In this, the case is taken before the
general bureau, where another effort Is
made to settle the controversy by agree
ment. If this does not succeed, the mat
ter is tried and judgment rendered. A
majority of the members decides. Where
the amount in dispute does not exceed
2OO francs there is no appeal. Beyond
unal Of commerce or to the civil courts.
A WISE EXAMPLE.
The decisions have the authority of tu-
dicial determination. and can be enforced
like the Judgment of other courts The
parties to dispute can. by agreement.
submit the question on written state
ments and pleadfngs, but generally the
case is brought by complaint and sum-
mons, and witnesses are examined under
oath. The practical operation of these
conseils has been Of immense advantage
to French industry. In a single year
sixty-nine conseils. then existing, heard
nearly 10000 cases, of which $4,000 were
settled by Cancellation in the private bu-
reau. 95l by advice of the conseil and in
only 5l9 was formal Judgment entered
Strikes and lOckouts have almost entire
ly disappeared, because a competent trib-
una1 being established by law. where
right can be enforced and wrongs re-
dressed. public opinion no longer toler-
ates the brutal arbitrament of personal
and private violence, with the loss and
suffering and arrangement which this en-
tails. The existing condition of affairs
in the United States is not creditabie.
either to the courage or the intelligence
Of the people 1t Is e. repreaeh to popu-
lar self-government. 1t stains civiliza-
ton. We can learn something from the
practical genius Of Napoleon. Let con-
gress establish conseils OF Cancellation
for interstate industries, and the states
provide similar tribunals for local affairs,
whose decisions shall have force of tu
dicial DEGREES, and these barbarous and
degrading industrial wars will be waged
no more. They are tolerated now be-
cause there Is no forum where they can
be composed. There has been no strike
since the great outbreak at Pittsbure in
1877. in which the question at issue could
not have been settled in day by a. com
mission Of six average citizens upon the
basis Of exact and impartial justice.
John J. Ingalls,.