Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1906-09-06
8 AND CAPITAL.
ARBITRATION Advocated.

ATIslTdlIUI NuNOCdLCus
have referred to the investigation of
international controversies under a sys-
tenn which does not bind the parties to
accept the findings of the court of in
auiry. This plan can be used in disputes
between labor and capital, in fact, it was
proposed as a means of setting such dis
putes before 1t was applied to information
al controversies 1t is as important that
we shall nave peace at home as that we
shall live peaceably with neighboring ma
lions, and peace is only possible when
it rests upon justice. In advocating arbi-
tration of differences between large cor
porate employers and their employees, |
believe we are defending the highest in
terests of the three parties to the dispute,
viz. the employers, the employees and the
public. The employe cannot be turned
over to the employer to be dealt with as
Sometimes or asked ed Can ! not conduct my
business to suit myself?' is a plausible
business attempts to arbitrarily fix the
conditions under which hundreds of en-
ployes are to live, and to determine the
answer, without hesitation, that he has
no right to conduct his own business in
such a way as to deprive his employees
of their right to life; liberty and the pur-
ton, | need only refer to the laws regu-
lating the safety of mines, the factory
laws fixing the age at which children can
be employed, and usury laws establishing
employer to settle differences without ar
bitration has done much to emhittef him
against those who work for him and to
estrange them from him-a condition de-
plorable from every standpoint.
The Strike a Two Edged Sword.
But if it is unwise to make the en-
ployer the sole custodian of the rights
and interests of the employees. it is equally
unwise to give the employees uncontrolled
authority over the rights and interests
of the employer. The employees are nc
disinterestedly than the employers. In
their zeal to secure a present advantage
they may not do injustice but even for
felt a large future gain. The strike, the
a two-edged sword, and may injure the
workman as much as the employer, and
even when wholly successful is apt to
leave a ranking in the bosom of the
wage Garner that should not be there.
Society's Claim.
Society, moreover, has something at
stake as well as the employer and en-
ploye, for there can be no considerable
strike without considerable loss to the
public. Society, therefore. is justified in
demanding that the differences between
capital and labor shall be settled by
peaceful means. If the permanent, Impair
party of an industrial dispute may appeal,
or which can of it's motion institute an
inquiry, public opinion may be relied on
to force the finding. II there Is compulsory
| SuDlIIlSololl w a A' W ilNS
cssary that there shall be compulsory
acceptance of the decision, for a full and
fair investigation will in almost every
case bring about a settlement.
Government by injunction.
No reference to the labor question is
complete that does not include some men
ton of what is known as government by
injunction As the tnioi man hI purpose e Of o1 IT,
! an attack upon the jury system, ant
! ought to arouse an unanimous protest
So long as the meanest thief is guaran
teed a trial by jury. a jury ought not u
be denied to wage earners. However. a
I the writ is usually invoked in case of
a strike, the Importance, OF the subiec
/ would be reduced by the ADOPTION Of
u system of arbitration, because arbitration
would very much reduce, even il it di
u not entirely remove, the probability of
a. strike.
y Just another word in regard to TIL
il laboringman. The struggle to secure a
d eight-hour day is an international strug
y. gle, and it is sure to be settled in fave
,,e Z iabor-saving machine have not been dis
!. tributed with equity. The producer hs
ie enormously multiplied his capacity, b.
70 so far the owner of the machine has r.
~ laborer too little, Those who oppose tt
4 eight-hour day do it, l am convince
+, more because Of ignorance OF condition
IA than because, Of lack OF sympathy Wi
p the house to the factory has separate
u, the husband from his wife and the faith
III from his children. while the growth
y our cities has put an increasing distan
q. between the home and the worksho
LIZ Then, too, more Is demanded of the labo
ing man now than formerly. He is a cit
zen as well as a laborer, and must ha
he time to study questions If he Is to be
We intelligent sovereign. To drive him fro
n his bed to his task, and from his ia
re back to his bed. Is to. deprive the fam
of his company. society of his servlt
ny and politics of his influence.
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IA ~oNttoNEH 1NI ITtNN