Year: 1871

The public must become accustomed
to see many discussions upon this ab
sorbing question. 1t is destined to oc'
cupy, possibly for many years to come,
a prominent place among current topics
of newspaper and magazine literature.
To those who, as capitalists or as work
ing men, are Immediately interested in
its permanent settlement upon an equita-
bic basis, as we'll as to such as make So
cial science study, it must, until set
tied. possess interest second to no other
likely to be agitsted during the present
century. Like other social and political
questions that involve the welfare of the
masses, it has engendered and will yet
give birth to bitterness and rancor, and
perhaps-though h God forbid such an
event-to civil and international wars
No human eye can pierce the future !;
but any intelligent person may read, in
the constant growth Of the agitation, III
the organized marshalling of the TWO
great powers in the conflict, aud iu the
d.hant attitude of each, that neither
will surrender until one or the other
has obtained victory. or such mutual
concessions and compromises shall have
been made as shall bring about the de-
sired adjustment.


At present the attention, of those who
have carefully watched the signs of the
times, is especially called to the failure,
or partial failure, of the courts of arbi.
tration established in England, and
from which SO much was hoped by Mr..
Hughes, their ardent promoter, whose
eloquent address at the Cooper lnsti.
tute, during his visit 20 this country
last November, was quoted and com
mented upon in this journal at the time.


We also shared the hope that through
these courts, the difficulties and disa-
greements that have so long burdened
the industries of the world would find
amicabe adjustment, and that their
wholesome influence would bring prece
dents for the establishment of similar
courts in other lauds. We regret that
the result has not justified our hopes.
The courts have satisfied neither the
capitalist nor the working man, and
though they have been the means of re-
tarding crises they have not been eff
cient in preventing them.


At the last meeting Of the Board of
Arbitration and Cancellation for the
North of England Iron District this
dissatisfaction was SO apparent that Mr.
Hughes deemed it necessary to make a
long and eloquent address in behalf of
the continuance of the system, admit
ting that its value had been seriously
called in question, aud that the method
is charged with being both expensive
and unsatisfactory.


In the course Of his argument, that
gentleman admitted that neither the
working men nor the iron masters would
abandon their organizations, but thought
that their being brought face to face
from time to time was not without suf.
hcient advantage to pay for its cost.
This is virtual admission that the sys-
tenn has failed to meet the purpose for
which it was originated, and it is not
probable that it will long continue.


We need not allude to special de-
cisions and awards that have dissatisfied
both employers and employed. 1t is
enough shat the dissatisfaction exists,
even upder the administration of such
single minded and true philanthropism
as that of Mr.. Hughes and Mr.. Mundel.
la. Possibly there are features of the
system, that, modified or abolished,
would render it more acceptable, and
we sincerely wish this may be found to
be the case for if, in such deliberations
as have been held under this system,
the differences have been seen to be 80
great that peaceabe arbitration is not
possible, what will the end be :


The persistent blindness of many to
the magnitude of this labor question is a
prominent feature of journalism There
are those who either ridicule, or treat in
q jocose manner, evchts which are uf the
g,avost importance, while others seem
t. think everything will all come out
right, without social revolutions or, if
the latter occur, that they are far dis
tant. Others sec that there are con
tingcpces that may bring about labor
crisis at any moment, and who raise the
voice of warning.


| TO prove that the demands of the
trades unions are arbitrary and unjust
amounts to nothing They have found
themselves in position to enforce com.
pliance with unreasonable demands
Though only few of their leaders and
comparatively few of those who oppose
them realize il, they are making war
against the wages system. They will
drive capital SO hard as to either compel
it to withdraw from industrial enter
prses or admit the employed into part
nership. The wages system, as it ex
lists, will ultimately be compelled to
yield to another, if not better, order
o.things.