The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-01-10

ture. We are bound to have good times
ana pad times, with price fluctuations
ana changes In wages, and demands for
changes, IN the future as in the past
These conditions inevitably ur;ng distu b.
'ances in the field OF labor. AS society
provided in advance by pubic
law an orderly way for the
settlement of differences between
citizens in other relations of life, l can
see no good reason why that rule
should not be extended to the relation
or wage employment, at least in cRses
believe that the safety and welfare of
society demand such legislation and the
present, 1t seems to me, Is q most OPP
perfume time, as we now have indus
trial peace and the delicate questions
involved can be considered without pas
sion or prejudice. 1t is a fundamental
principle Of law and ethics, as old as the
records Of the race, that no man has the
right to be judge in his own case. If
a differences arises between employers
of the character suggested and their en-
ployes, what right has the one or the
other to be the sole judge in his own
case, any more than in any other con-
troversy? What right has a corpora
ton to say. This suits me and is my
destroy you and your family" But this
we permit today. 1t Is the language Of
the lockout. We know that to the or
binary man, employed in an industrial
the loss of his job means almost de-
struction. On the other hand, what
right has labor to say, We will have
such wages and such terms of service
and no other. If you refuse, We will
not work. We will destroy your bust
ness" These two propositions, in one
form or the other, have confronted the
American people in different sections of
the land in almost every month of the
year as long as l can remember. such
a condition Of affairs naturally leads to
hlnndGhn6 violence
question Is, what is the remedy? This,
believe can best be answered by an
alogy: Society. has had to face similar
questions In the past. 1t abolished the
wager of battle, it abolished dueHng.
1t has made all resort to. physical con
flct for the settlement of private right
parties: Society will afford you OPP
poFturity to- submit your dinerence5 to
an umpire; Take his Judgment, abide
by his decision and keep the peace"
believe that the safety of society and
of our institutions demands that we
should solve this problem on the same
cisions could be enforced against the
empower, there is no way of enforcing
it against the employe; that the EN-,
ploye is irresponsible and cannot be held
to the payment of damages. l question
this The laboring man is not irrespon-
sible. In the first place, he .
am; amenabl everv to otbd 2nOG citizen 0oTT #.
after fair Investigation before an Impair
tial tribunal, with full access to the books
and papers of his. employer. a decision is
rendered that is fair to both sides, he is
Coirg to abide by that decision, although
it may fall short Of what he sought TO
obtain. On the other hand, labor organ
izations as SUCH If recognized oy law,
If Incorporated under the statutes as we
authorize the incorporation OF lodges OF
Odd Fellows, Workmen and other assoc
are, as able to respond in damages If
adjudged against them, as are any OF
the organizations referred to. many
branches of organized labor are already
as beneficial organizations, Such as the
Switchmens, Conductors and Tr9inmen
unions, and a great many others;
have never heard 1t suggested that these
oreaniZa tons do not comply with their
contracts or that decisions rende, ed
against them cannot be enforced Let
the law recognize labor organizations and
permit their incorporation, 1t now rec0g-
nizes benevolent associations and lodges.
So oIganized, with their charters and by
laws filed in the office of the commits
sioner OF labor, they, and through them
their members, could be dealt with the
same as other corporations are reached
If a difference then arose between the
employer and his employees the employer
would not, as he now objects. nave to
Geal with ar irresponsible walking dele
gate" He would instead have to d.al
with a duly Incorporated body, acting
through its legal officers. If any differ
ence could not be amicably adjusted,
then a law, providing that either party
to the controversy might apply for COM
pulsory arbitration and that pending ar
tration wages and employment should
continue as though no difference existed,
would remove every occasion for both
the lockout and the strike. The arbitra-
ton tribunal might be constituted of two
members selected by each side and a
fifth member to be either judge of the
district court in the district where the
difference arose or a judge of the SUI
prone court Such tribunal would be
R1g,1 H.
tice to beth sides as any plan that human
ingenuity can devise. It's decision, we
are bound to assume, would be fair. 1t
would have the support of public opinion
hundred would be cheerfully accepted by
both parties, as has been the result in
Forfeiture of membership in the union
could be imposed for failure to comply
with a decision fairly rendered. 1t is not
in my judgment, the penalties which such
that would give It's decisions effectiveness
1t is the fact that the decision, when MADE
after a full and fair hearing by a fairly
constituted tribunal, would be the judg-
ment of the law and would have tie
sanction Of public opinion, that would
make it acceptable.
These suggestions are. of course in the
nature CT things, tentative. Nothing
should be done rashly or that would
be likely to create more strife than the
conditions sought to be prevented but
enc thing is certain. Sooner or later
society. must take action, not only to
maintain peace and order under ali cir
cumstance (for this Is the first law Of
society," but equally so tc protect the
weaker members against the aggressions
and arbitrary conduct of the stronger.
COUNTY ACCOUNTING.
Repeated efforts have been made by the
rr esent public examiner, and by former
incumbents of that office, to secure a
modification of the system of county az
counting. and of the handling of the
county funds, so as to simplify the work,
eliminate opportunities for error and in.
sure the safety of the funds. Ali who
have investigated the subject are Of The
opinion that this can best be accomplish
ed by making the auditor the sole ac-
counting officer of the county. in other
words It's bookkeeper, and by limiting
functions of the treasurer to the re-
ceipts and disbursement of the funds;
the receipts to be upon the statement is
sued end countersigned by the auditor:
disbursements to be made by the auditors
warrant, countersigncd by the treasurer
This system in. its main features has
already been introduced IN some counties
in the state, under the direction Of the
public examiner. but to secure uniformity
and its adoption generally. it was deemed
necessary to secure some amendatory leg
ISLE ffon