New-York tribune., 1871-12-14
xLIIn COy0REss-IIn sssmox

SUBSTITUTE OFFERED FOk Mr.. TRUMBULLs
BILL-MR. SCHURz on THE NEw.Y0sX Gus.
TOM-HOUsE ABUsKS-A BOARD OF LABOR
COMMISSIONERS PROPOSED IN The HOUSE.
lBY rELDaRAPH TO rHs rRIBusRi
WASHINGTON, Wednesday, Dec. u, iaI
Nothing was palmer, when the Senate ID.
,ourned this afternoon. than that Mr. Trumbus rosnr
tion for the revival Of tho Rstrenohment Committee
doomed to FAIL and that tho substitute agreed upon 10
csucus making Q now Senate Standing Committee k
Retrenchment and Investigation. withous suy of ths
extrsornary powers enjoyed By the old Joint Commit
tee on Retronchment, will be eocod In IL place. Ths
debate on this question. which occupied tho vboe day.
was on the whole, comparatively FREQ from bitter per-
opslities and will place all parties before tho country In
the Of their own choce After tho customary quota
Of BILLS petitions, resolutions. etc. had oesn presented
Mr. Anthony tho Chairman OF the Republican csucuA
offered tho resolution which had been prepared BY sen
ator Norton and agreed by tho majority of the Rspub
cun Senators Il provides for the election Of commit
tee Of five MEMBERS be known a. the C0mmittro on
Retenohent and Investigation whose duty II snail bs
inquire and report all topics which may r ~
ferrcd to IT, II will he seen that this resolution fA
far short OF what Mr. Trumbull and those who supported
his resolution wanted It has no power " hold neoinHS
ia the rcoess, power originate Gil investigation.
and no power TO send for persons and papers
In order tn infuse into such committee tho bfe that
would make it valuable In tho Of reform. Mr.
ing the substance Of his former resolution being con-
coded on all hands that Senate COMMITTEES would be
better than Joint COMMITTEES. Tho debats opened ~
once on giving the added powers to IT, Mr. Trumou led
OF in support Of his resolution. and wss followed BY
sherman in opposition, bis CHIEF point ocing
that 1t was dangerous to confer upon StanI
ing Committee Of the Senate such extraordinary powers
~ Mr. Trurnbulls resolution proposed. At ths s,ns
time he assured Mr. Trunbull that H. st any time. tas
committee felt the need OF the increased power woui
be conferred upon them temporarily by vote of ths
Senate The morning hour expired. and Mr. Edinunis
had the floor Mr. Trumbulls original res0lnton Tho
Senator from Vermont said that he had learned from
THE NEw-YORK TRIBUNE day or two ago. that when
he last spoke on this subject he made pretty heavy
failure of it." and the Senator seemed 70 think that iS
criticism WAS lust one for though he msds two short
speeches. he essay to speak again in defense OF
the management Of the New-YOrk Custom HOUSE
The telling speeches Of the day made by Senator's
Schurz and COnklng the former. to show the necessity
of having committee with the powers OF the oid hS
trenchmen Committee. reviewed the history q" tho ""
eral Order business III New York, and showed now l"
spite of the protests Of the merchants OF that CITY, In
spite Of q report condemning the syst'm man"
by a special commission sent to New fork
by Secretary Boutwell,, IN spite or tns rep"r'
of the isto Rrtrenchment Committee. AMI thS
sworn testimony taken before 1t, which had been 10 tho
hands the Government since the Sd of last March,
and finally. spite Of the public declaration OF sscre
that has made under the present Administration
the abuse still continued, and the merchants were daily
robbed for benefit Of unknown person. ind the
robbery ia still sustained by power that seems " os
than that Of the Secretary Of the Treasury him
self though admitted that no testimony had been Oh
tanned which pointed to the White House While suco
abuses az this continued the Senator thought that there
was need of some such committee as Mr.. Trum6ulit
amendment contemplated; refuse to have such com
mttee now would either be 10 say that aouSes hava
ceased or that the Senate did wrong IN previous Con
| gresses.
Mr. Conkling. speech the strongest made on thas
side Of the question. He claimed that Mr. 5chuixs Ar
ment proved nothing since the investigation he cited
was ordered by resolution OF the Senate and hen went
on to enlarge on the points which had previously been
nade by Sherman and Others. The only striking part OF
his speech that in which. in very guarded way no
accused Mr. Schurz Of having somc object other thsn
desire for reform in pushing 50 hard for the extrsof
binary powers for the Committee.
Mr. Norton speech later in the afternoon repeated
this charge more explicitly saying that tho wno'e dr
OF the debate assault on the anu
an attempt crate the impression that it was very
corrupt while he asserted and no one denied tnat WIZ
freer from frauds than any prior ono.
Another days debate will probably take piscs before
vote Ia reached and then Mr Trumbus resolution will
voted down by about 3o to & While all OF those who
sustained the csucusi resolution to-day claimed to DO
anxious to have every abuse probed to the bottom.
not ANXIOUS to have independently committee eaof'
ing into all Of the secret machinery Of the Government
unless they know beforehand just what Ia going to bc
investigated, and how far the inquiry IA to 90. They
have decided majority in the Senate. and they
willing to give up the power Of deciding what shall be
inquired into and who shall mako the examination.
At the opening Of the session Of the House. Mr. Conner
wanted to know who the Governors Of tho Territories
are and whether any Of them travelling abroad
otherwise neglectng their dutiss but on the
Republican side objected to his resolution calling for this
information.
| Mr. Hoar reported from the Committee Educstisn
and Labor his bill ,idng for the appointment Of
Board OF Commissioners 10 collect Information respect
ing hours and wages Of labor the Uuited atates
and supported by brilliant little speech III advocacy
the part Of Congress Of ths elaine
| Of the workingmen for protection by legislation
| against the combinations aud monopoos orssnised
| by capital. He defended the International En-
clrty, und, speaking Of tho Paris Commune sail
the world bound to take notice of principles tor
which cheerfuy laid down their lives "a tho COM
munists did He wanted day act IN January for the
full consideration Of his bill; but Mr.. Fernando Wool
and Mr. Kerr who had not listened To his speeeb AMI
saw nothing tho bill but proposition to create thro
or four new offices, promptly objected This gave nr.
Dawes a capital opportunity to make the Democritc
sIe OF tho House appear In an attitude ot opposinEa
the benefit Of the worknsmen. which hes st
once improved. He said there was no Sublrrt IN thc
future looming up llks tilN oI luo rei'""" W
Labor and Capital; that 1t was time this was rea%ed ana
that parties stopped making professions and 'unenood
doing something He sorry to sss thu Democrats
were opposed taking seton in behalf of tina aA"iny
classes Thp Democrats az once 'aw that they h"ma"
serious bldddrr and Mr.. Kerr. III Al cxctod msnner'
insisted on having the door 10 explain his position Mr.
Hoar who still controlled the oOr refused ~ giV9 kr
auy time; but after allowing further champion
ship Of work. nginen by Mess Shanss and Ke'y"n' Tue
Republican sidc he permitted Mr.. Storm. D"n~ratio