The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-08-31
BRYAN EXPOUNDS
PRINCIPLES Of
DEMOCRACY
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emergency compel wealth to bear its
which protects it.
Arbitration.
I have referred to the investigation
of international controversies under a
system which does not bind the parties
to accept the findings of the court Of in
quiry. This plan can be used in disputes
between labor and capital. in fact it was
proposed as a means of settling such dis
putes before it was applied to inter-
national controversies. 1t is as impor-
tant that we shall have peace at home
as that we shall live peaceably with
nations and peace is only pos
sible when it rests upon justice. In adj
vocating arbitration of difficulties between
large corporate employers and their en-
ployes I believe we are defending the
highest interests of the three parties to
the disputes. viz: The employers, the en-
ployees and the public. The employee
cannot be turned over to the employer
to be dealt with as the employer NAV
please. The question sometimes asked,
MYSELF" is a plausible one, but when a
man in conducting his business attempts
to arbitrarily fix the conditions under
which hundreds Of employees are to live
and to determine the future of thousands
OF human beings, / answer without hest
tation that he has no right to conduct
his own buiness in such way as to de-
prive his employees of their right to
life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
To support this position, need only refer
to the laws regulating the safety of mines,
the factory laws fixing the age at which
children cannot be. employed and usury
laws establishing the rate of interest.
The effort of the employer to settle diff
culties without arbitration has done much
to embitter him against those who work
for him and to estrange them from him
condition deplorable from every stand
point.
A Two-Edged Sword.
But If it is unwise to make the en-
ployer the sole custodian of the rights and
interest of the employees, it is equally
unwise to give to the employees uncon-
trolled authority over the rights and in
terests of the employer. The employees
are no more to be trusted to act unseIfish-
ly and disinterestedly than the EMPLOYERS.
In their zeal to secure the present advan-
tage they may not only do injustice, but
even forfeit a larger future gain. The
strike, the only weapon of the employee
at present is two edged sword and may
inJure the workmen as much as the en-
ployer and even when wholly successful is
apt to leave a ranking in the bosom Of
the wage Garner that should not be there.
Society moreover has something at
stake as well as the employer and en-
ployees for there can be no considerable
strike without a great loss to the pub
lie. Society therefore, is justified in de-
handing that the difficulties between capt.
tai and labor shall be settled by peace
full means. If permanent impartial
board Is created to which either
party may appeal, which can
OF its own motion institute an in
quiry, public opinion may be relied upon
to enforce the finding. If there is COM
pulsory submission to investigation it is
not necessary there should be compul-
sorry acceptance of the decision for a
full and fair investigation will in almost
every case bring about settlement
Government by Injunction
No reference to the labor question is
complete that does not include some mem
ton of what is known as government bv
injunction. AS the main purpose of the
writ is to evade trial by jury it is really
an attack upon the jury system and
ought to arouse an unanimous protest So
long as the meanest thief is guaranteed
a trial by jury. jury ought not to be
denied to wage earners. However, as
the writ is usually invoked in case of a
strike the Importance of the subject
would be very much reduced by the adop-
ton of the system of arbitration because
arbitration would very much reduce, even
If it did not entirely remove the probable
ity of a strike.
Just another word in regard to the lab
oring man. The struggle to secure an
eight-hour day is an international truggle
and it is sure to be settled in favor of the
working mans contention. The benefits
Of the labor saving machine have not
been distributed with equity The pro-
Queer has enormously Multiplied his ca
pacity, but so far the owner of the ma
chine has received too much of the in
crease and the laborer too little. Those
who oppose the eight-hour day do it..
l am convinced, more because of igno-
rance of conditions than because of lack
OF sympathy with those who toll The re-
moval of work from the house to the fac
tory has separated the husband from
his wife and the father from his children
while the growth of our cities has nut
an increasing distance between the home
and the workshop. Then, too, more is de-
manded of the laboring man now than
formerly: he is citizen as well as a lab
orer and must have time for the study of
public questions If he is to be an intelli-
gent sovereign. To drive from his bed to
his task and from his task back to his
bed is to deprive the family of his COM
partnership. society Of his service and
politics of his influence
Democratic Policies.
Thus far 1 have dwelt upon subjects
which may not be regarded as strictly
partisan, but l am sure that you will
pardon me if in this presence 1 betray my
interest in those policies for which the
Democratic party stands. have not had
an opportunity to make a Democratic
speech for almost a year and no one-not
even political enemy-could be So cruel