Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-08-18
operation. 1t has ignored the fact that

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regulation unless it is to be progress
sively destructive must take into &C
count the whole subject of revenue,
balancing the rights Of the shipper to
fair rates with the right of labor to
fair wages and of invested capital
to fair dividend returns.
The present situation is a striking
example of our inefficient and I'M
equal system of control. Eighteen or
20 per cent of railroad employees are
holding up the nation, figuratiyely
speaking, at the point of gun. Their
demands involve a very increase OF
the cost of transportation. If granted
it will therefore follow that freight
rates must be greatly increased or the
fund from which dividends, mainten-
ance and extension and wages for the
80 per cent of the employees not in.
cluded in the raise are provided for
will be greatly decreased,
In the first alternative the shipper
and consumer are interested. -...
In the second alternative there are
interested the 80 per cent of employees
not included in the raise, the invest
ors in railroad securities, of which
there are nearly twice as many as
there are employees demanding the
raise, and finally the general public,
which is interested in the proper
maintenance and extension of our
system Of transportation.
There is a deadlock between two
parties which vitality affects at least
four parties. Representatives of, say
20 per cent of the employesJthat is,
between 100000 and 100000 men-are
in a controversy with representatives.
say, or 625,000 shareholders, although
that controversy cannot be fairly de-
termined without consulting the inter-
ests Of the remaining 80 per cent of
employees, or about 100000 men and
women, and the interests of the gen.
eral public, some 10O,00O,00O of men
and women. go
A strike in such situation ought
to be unthinkable. The assertion of
the union leaders that arbitration
cannot be honest and unprecedented is
not, worthy of respect. The American
public does not think so i'll of human
nature as to accept any such theory.
We know that honest arbitration can
be assured and that no fair considera-
ton of the union demands can be CIV
en- except through arbitration. The
interstate commerce commission ifs
the best equipped tribunal to deter
mine this controversy and it ought to
have full power to deal with it. But
If it is not to be given such power
now and the unions are afraid to sub.
init their demands to it voluntarily,
then special tribunal SHOULD be com.
posed at once and all threat of strike
withdrawn.
Whatever the outcome of the pres
ent difficulty, there is no excuse for
further postponemeht of a thorough
revision of our system of railroad
regulation so as to bring within the
authority of the regulating agency,
the interstate commerce commission,
all the interests concerned. Our pres
ent unbalanced regulation is unjust
and inefficient and in cases of nation
al concern it is impotent to do justice
to all parties or to protect the public
interest. This is a governmental prob.
lem of first Importance and should
no longer be left unsolved. Only the
selfish fears of the politician prevent
its prompt solution. Chicago Tribune.
Grand Forks: Warner A. Lee, col
ored, charged with grand larceny on
three counts, who was bound over to
the district court by Justice of the
Peace, Phil Mclaughlin, pleaded
guilty to the charge before Judge C.