The evening times., 1900-09-18

James NJ. Gilbert, Chairman of the State
York, today testified before the Industrial
Commission on the subject of strikes.
The witness stated that the principal
cause OF all the labor troubles in the
United States was the uRwillingness On
the part of the employers to recognize
trades unions In this connection the Wit
ness said:
Capitalists and employers are opposed to
the organization Of labor in trades unions,
and oa!y tolerate their existence because
they are powerless TO prevent them, The
| reason Tor this opposition TO unionism is
that the employer recognizes the fact that
the employees who act individually in their
efforts to secure higher wages or better
conditions OF employment are at q decided
disadvantage as compared with those who
| are sustained by a union OF individual in
| lerests.
Many OF those who give employment
to labor absolutely refuse TO consider any
thing but their own interests and Will
recognize no rights of the workingman.
| In this way there is only one party TO the
| case and the capitalist is supreme
The witness then stated that in rare
| Instances Ia3oT troubles were caused by
! unwise leadership on the part of the
| woTkingman. but that these cases were so
| infrequent that they were net worthy of
| consideration.
| Another cause OF strikes and other tzcu-
| bles between labor and capital was given
/ by the witness as a lack OF cordial3ty Re
| tween the employer and MS employees IN
this connection, Mr.. Gilbert said capital
| is prone to be selfish and is inclined 10
| treat labor as it does The IA " material
! upon which it works. Capital prefers 10
| deal with the laborer at arms length and
/ thus creates a feeling of distFusL
! The witness then testified as to how he
| believed the differences beJE cen labor and
capital may best be settled. In this con-
nection he said the most rational sOlu-
| tion of labor differences lies in the max
| ing of agreements between employer and
! employe; in other words. arbitration
This method of settling strikes presup-
! poses the right on the part Of working
men TO organize, their right to know the
! facts concerning the true condition Of the
| trade hieh may be involved and their
/ equality as men with their employers.
The witness then spoke at some length
on the difficulty to get capital to aTbitrate,
| as it always desires to dictate its own
| terms. At this juncture tie witness was
what remedy he could sasgest for this
| condition Of affairs. He replied by saying
| that there should be compulsory arbitra-
| tion. ana in this connection said: Labor
/ is generally willing TO coneede 10 any rea-
sonabIe demand and by having cOmpuIso-
ry arbitration capital would be required
/ to do the same
| The witness then went on TO say that
| each State should have q Board of Ar
| bitration. and that its members should
| be composed Of an equal representation
| from labor unions and the capitalists.
| They should be given final authority in
| all strikes. and the witness believed this
| would put an end to the greater ma
| jority Of labor troubles Mr. Gilbert
| then made 4 statement regarding the
| number Of strikes in New York during
| the past three years In this connection
| he said:
| There was an increase Of 20 per cent
| in the number OF strikes IN 1889 over
| 1888. and in The current year the proper
| tion has been about the same. The
| witness SAID that in each case the labor
| ers we're compelled to strike for either
| higher wages or shorter hours. This
| was done, he said, because capital was
| enjoying an advance in price for COM
share with labor
| This ended the examination. and the
| presiding officer of the Commission an
| noHnced that on tomorrow the Hon. II
/ H Lusk a former member of the New
1 Zealand Parliament would he examined
on the labor conditions in his country.