The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-01-21

the workingmen as a whole, though 1t
may, uuthfully be said that their tenden-
Cy has been to put all their members
upon the same level and to deny superb
or most industrious Of their membership
We may safely assume, then, that or
ganizauon among the Workingmen will
proceed and that it will grow stronger
rather than weaker.
LAWS ARE AGAINST CAPITAL.
Capital, however, has not been organ
ICED. to any extent, and nearly all mod
ern legislation has been in the line OF
preventing 1t from organization, AMI the
very states that have been foremost In
trying to suppress any and every COM
hipatiOTl of capital, regardless of whether
its object be good. or bad, have looked
with Indulgence upon organizations of
labor, and have in many cases carefully
refrained from interfering even when
these organizations became open encouF-
ayers of laWleSSness and violence l
think no one in this day questions the
right of labor to organize for lawful de-
Tense, or even lawful aggression, nor
can any one who does not deny this con-
Slstently oppose the organization of cap
ital for the same purpose. Given, then,
an organiza ton of capital on the one
hand and of labor on the other, upon
what basis, upon what plan shall these
two meet, and how shall the profits aris-
ing from. their joint efforts be appor-
final arbiter of national and personal
grievances and disputes, except so far as
in modern times law has taken Its place,
and even law while placing restraint
upon individuals for the common good,
has very often been set aside in favor
OF war when it undertook to deal with
great numbers OF men united to attain
a common object or to redress a common
grievance. The strike is war, and do
8 rot believe this century, at least, Will
witness the passing of the strike In toto
hut all war is barbarous, and so are
strikes, and while neither nations nor
labor organizations are likely voluntarily
TO abandon force as the last resort, yet
1t is not too much to nope that means
may be found to avert its use fT many
cases, and to the discovery and applca-
ton of such means l understand your
committee to be addressing itself. There
is no more important work now In prog
ress;s in the world Coming now to your
questions, which /. quote in full,
II. Do you favor the organization OF
the railroad companies of the United
States for the purpose of dealing with
organized labor?"
FAvORS ORGANIZING RAILROADS.
I favor the most complete organization
possible among the railroads for protec-
ton of all sorts. including relations to Or
. ganized labor.
sc Would you favor compulsory arbi-
tration of all controversies between rail-
road companies and their employees, pro,
vided laws could be enacted which would
compel both parties to abide the award?'
= No. / would rather close up the road
than try to operate it with men that were
being compelled to remain at work.
IS. Do you favor the voluntary arbi-
q. tration OF any controversy between rail-
road employers and their employees?
not all controversies. 1t Is
possible for either side to advance propo-
sitions so, radical that even war would be
preferable to entertaining them even to
the extent of submitting them to a board
of arbitration but with a properly con-
etituted and permanent board many, per-
haps most questions could be satistactor-
lily settled.
az Do you favor the constitution of a
permanent board of arbitration 10 which
questions of dispute may be referred by
agreement, but to which neither the COM
T PaaE P9F the men can be compelled to
90 If the answer to question is in
the affirmative, how do you regard the
suggestion that the railroad companies
(not necessarily all of them) and thezdif-
ferent labor organizations contribute
equally amounts sufficient to provide an
nually a sum that will secure three men
of high standing and deserved reputation
who shall serve for long tenure and be
of labor Cor its leaders), one from the
ranks of capital Cor of its representa-
tiyesl and the third in his associations
and interests to be removed as far as
possible from each of the two classes:
such board to be sustained with the dis
tinct understanding that no contributor
to it, and that the sole purpose of lis
existence Is to provide a tribunal for the
amicable settlement Of controversies
where the parties desire to so adjust
Them"
ARBITRATION SHOULD BE voLUN-
TARY.
The plan suggested seems to me a good
one, it being distinctly understood that
while submission Of any question to this
board is wholly voluntary the decision
made upon such voluntary submission
shall be final and absolutely binding for
q fixed pe1od-I should say not less than
-. one year. oven then we should have but