The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-06-01

cociatian Judge Winston's address
was fitting and appropriate evoking
ernat volumes of cheers and laughter
from The audience, throughout his
whole discourse.
The Alumni Debate.
The annual debate between the two
literary societies, the PhiIanthropic
and Dialectic societies, was held here
This evening at o'clock. The query
was:
Resolved. That the National Gov
rrnment should compel the settlement
of All labor troubles of national i'm
portance through a Board of Arbitra-
ton.
The Dialectic Society had the affir-
NATIVE side Of the question, and was
erlands. Watauga county, N. c., and
| G. G. Rarnhardt, Whitsett, Guilford
county. n. C. The Philanthropic had
| the negative and was represented by
| II s. Lewis. OF Jackson, Warren coun-
ty. N. c.. and j. II. Wilson, of Eliza
beth City, N. Z.
c. w. Miller Opens.
Mr.. G. w. Miller, first speaker on
The affirmative opened the debate in
pleasing manner and his speech, in
| substance, was as follows:
Ii is a fundamental law of man s
nature that he finds only in relations
with his fellow men those conditions
for the most complete development
of his inherent capabilities. In obedi-
ence to this law all organizations have
been formed. The purpose of all Or
| CARNATIONS is to furnish conditions
| tor development in some particular
lines To furnish these conditions the
organization must compel each of it's
| members to work for the good of the
organization as whole.
| In obedience to this same law has
| been the the evolution of government.
| Despotism is the first stage of gov
| ernmental evolution. But despotism
| dies with a realization of the law Of
/ progress. Civilized society, bound in
q social compact, delegates author
! ity to certain individuals to make and
maintain equitable conditions for SO
| cial development. In the early stages
| CT growth this can be done in a mega
| tive manner-by protecting from inVa-
sion and maintaining society. But as
| civilization advances, government must
assume more positive functions to aid
|. social development. 1t must encour-
| age the spirit of invention, protect the
| manufacturer and prevent organiza-
tons from encroNching upon society.
idea of government. In it's early
stages it's functions were necessarily
simple solely protective in nature.
But society gradually increased in size
and completely. The sail became cul-
tivated, factories sprang up and COM
merce began to develop. The inven-
| ton of the steam engine~ caused a
great Industrial revolution. All So
Ciety became inter-dependent.
With these changed conditions the
functions of our government necessa-
rily increased. 1t was forced to protect
the manufacturer. to assume the right
| of eminent domain and to grant pat
ents. It's inherent principle of action
is to make and maintain equitable
conditions for social development.
Government can do this only by pro-
viding that the parts that compose
society work in harmony and for the
good of society as a whole. Compul-
sorry arbitration ought to be adopted
il it will bring about harmonious re-
lations among any of the parts
The individual has no absolute
rights. All his rights are relative. His
right to life is taken away if he preys
upon the security of society. His right
to private property is infringed upon,
His freedom of speech is restricted.
Compulsory arbitration may take
away certain individual right, but all
| laws do the same thing: True free
dom only comes through law and or
der.
Our government is not individual
istic. The individual must throw him.
self in line with social progress. Com
pulsory arbitration only compels Ia
Dor and capital to throw themselves in
line with industrial progress.
Our government is as near an abb
solute democracy as is consistent with
the progress of civilization. It's whole
purpose is to make and maintain eq-
| uitable conditions for social Develop
ment
1t must do what our industrial con-
ditions demand and remove any him
| drance to the continuous and harmo-
l.niouS working of the agents of pro-
duction-Labor, Capital and Business
management.
G. c. Earnhardt.
Mr.. G. c. Barnhardt, second speaker
on affirmative, spoke next. Below may
| be seen the substance of his speech
Present conditions demand a settle
ment of the labor troubles because
they grievously hinder the continu-
ance and harmonious work of the
| agents of production; labor. capital
and business management. There is
| not Il vocation in our life that has
not been injured by the evil effects OF
| labor troubles; there is scarcely q
! State in the Union that has not felt
| this paralyzing influence, and many of
| our largest and busiest cities have
! undergone battle of fire and blood.
The great city of Chicago, for example,
| is so infested with labor troubl e,s
! that many large companies have been
! compelled to abandon the city.
| Troubles like the Homestead strike Of
! 1892 and the coal strikes of 1900 and
| 1902, have greatly damaged industry
and have spread misery and destruc-
| ton throughout the country Even
our shipping industry is seriously
crippled by labor troubles. These great
! disturbances in our industrial life are
nothing more than fights between the
agents of production, fights which
lack the wheels of progress and bring
oppression on millions of innocent
| people.
With such evils expressing our in
| dustrial life. it became the duty of
! the government, for the sake of in
| dustry and the people for whom it
was instituted, to provide a means
| of settlement.
Comrulsory arbitration is the best