The Most Important Issue Unsettled

MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE UNSETTLED.

The findings of the coal strike commission are before the country and as most thinking people expected, no doubt, the verdict is a compromise. It is very rarely that justice is all on one side in any such contest and an arbitration court seems to be peculiarly disposed in all such matters to find the middle ground. By the terms of the award the men gain a ten per cent increase in wages or a nine-hour day with ten hours' pay for probably 90,000 men. A board of conciliation is also one of the general recommendations which undoubtedly will operate to the advantage of the men.

On the side of the operators, the strike commission does not recognize the union, there is to be no discrimination against non-union men and a minimum wage scale is to be adopted, together with the adoption of the sliding scale first proposed by President Baer.

In the nature of general findings the commission provides for compulsory investigation of all troubles, but not compulsory arbitration. A stricter enforcement of all the laws against the employment of child labor is required.

The cost of the strike to those directly concerned is placed at $99,100,000 as follows: To mine owners $46,100,000; to employees, $25,000,000; to transportation companies, $28,000,000.

The miners are to receive an increase of wages from November last and it is estimated that this will mean the distribution among the workmen of something like $3,000,000.

A strange thing about the findings of the commission is that not one word is said relative to the existence of a coal trust operating in defiance of the constitution and the laws of Pennsylvania. The constitution of the state prohibits the coal railroads being also operators of the coal mines, yet it is well understood that the coal roads and the operators are practically one and the extortionate charges made by the coal roads which control all avenues of entrance to the mines, is really the actual cause of the strike. The operators in many, and in fact most, instances are a fiction, they being the same as the coal carrying roads. This arrangement is made for the purpose of evading the law and securing advantages to themselves in dealing with their employes. But for the existence and the workings of this unconstitutional and unlawful trust, it is not at all probable that there would have been any strike. So long as this organization continues the danger of a repetition of the strike remains.

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The loss the University is suffering in the personnel of the faculty is serious. Real A1 teachers are more than brick or mortar and all other of the equipments of a great school. And the number of such teachers is not legion. The duty devolving on the board of regents in filling these places will not be an easy one. If the University is to keep on its upward development, their places must be filled with just as good men. But the woods are not full of such by any matter of means. Michigan has been remarkably successful in getting and holding, too, first class men, in spite of the fact that many other universities pay greater salaries. Let it be hoped that this success may be continued.

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The United States treasury department is advertising for bids for a site for a new post office building in Ann Arbor. This will open up the question of the location and undoubtedly the issue will warm up our people. The matter will be one of general interest and no mistake should be made as to the location. Where the site is located there the site of the post office wile be destined to remain for a long term of years and consequently the present and the future accommodation of the people should be given consideration as far as may be. The future growth of the city should be anticipated as far as may be possible.

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Grover Cleveland is a sort of a red rag to a Kentucky bovine by the name of Watterson and a Nebraska one called Bryan. Watterson and Bryan manifest the same traits in their anger at Cleveland that the bovine does in his antipathy to the red rag. There is no more reason, or judgment, or sense in their antics.

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Injunctions seem to be the feature of the hour in Ann Arbor. It ought not to be difficult for the city and the Ann Arbor road to get together on a line of action. The troublesome question is which has the bigger interest in their common attorney and how issues are to be handled which conflict. This does not seem to trouble the common attorney of the two, however.

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In a new election law it is proposed to prohibit the expenditure by any candidate of an amount greater than half the salary of the office for which he is running. This is a direct blow to millionaire candidates and should arouse their earnest opposition. If a millionaire candidate cannot make use of the only thing which gives him ordinarily any chance of winning, then he is practically excluded from office holding and this is a discrimination that should not be tolerated in a land of equality. What could the Blisses and the Algers and the Stearnses and the Ferrys do under such a law to secure public recognition?