Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-03-07
EVENING STAR.
CONGRESSIONAL.
Co~elu.ieu Yesterdays Proceeds
sENATF-After onr rrpnrt cIo-ed-


. FoE THE BUREAU or EDUCATION
from so SEQ to $50 $50, and urged the necessity
of making the appropriation
The amendment was rel cted-ayes IL, noes
-
Mr.. FreIinghuysen moved an amendment al
lowing $500 per annum for the editing OF the
agricultural report; which WAS agreed To.
Mr.. FreliDghuysen moved an amendment au-
tEorZFg the President TO make private CON-
pensatiOn 70 such memb. r. OF
THE CIVIL SERVICES COMMISSION
as are otherwise in the employ ut the govern
ment He explained that three members OF
the comm ssiOn were employed in the Depart
ments and under existing law no compensa-
ton outside Of their regular salary could be,
allowed.
The chair said that TN. amendment would
not be III order until the hid wss reported to the
Senate.
mentary ON this whole business of civil service
reform. Here three in the emp'Oy of
the government who are assigned the duty of
preparing rules to reform the civil service, and
the first thing they come ia AMI want to be paid
extra compensation for tn ir services. He asked
whether these men were performing their regu-
lar duties while they were engaged in the civil
service commission. He now gave notice that
when the Cpl Ortunity offered he would move to
strike out the appropriation OF S500o0 for carry
ing into eject the new civil service regula-
tiOns.
Mr.. Frelinghuysen said it was eminently pro-
per that these three gentit men should receive
extra cOmpe nsatiOn for their services, as during
the period Of their employment on the commits
zion they had attended To their regular duties
in the department
MI Logan expressed himself as in favor of
civil service reform, but not in the manner in
which il had been organized. which was a hum
bug. One of these very men Mr.. COxl had
been appointed to an office without undergoing
any examination. He proposed TO move to re-
peal the law creating the commission. In his
view, the proper manner was tor Congress itself
10 prescribe the regulations which should govern
the civil service.
Mr.. Cole stated that the motions indicated by
Mr. Carpe inter- and Mr.. Logan could be made
when the bill was reported TO the Senate.
Mr.. Sawyer moved an amendment, in behalf
of the Committee on the District OF Columbia,
making an additional allowance of 8, 900 per
annum 10 the District Attorney for the District
OF Columbia; rejected
The bill having been considered in Committee
Of the Whole, was reported to the Senate.
The Senate then went into executive session.
and then adjourned.
HOUSE.-After our report closed
The House. on molten OF Mr. Garfield, of Ohio
went into Committee of the Whole on the def
cheney bill
A long debate followed on a motion TO strike
ont the appropriation for the enforcement Of
the kukux act, which was particip ,ted in by
Nessrs. Wood. Dawes. Eldridge, Butler Gar
rett, Brooks, Beck, Garfield and others.
The question was finally taken on the motion,
and it was rejected.
MIR Dawes (Mass.) offered an amendment to
the bill. 30 a. to make appropriation OF SO much
money a. may be necessary to paw to workmen
in the aIIpOries, aTsenals and workshops OF the
United States the same amount for eight hours
work a. was paid for nine hours work; this to
apply only to the time between the passage of
THE EIGHT-HOUR LAW
and the date of the Presidents proclamation
directing that the full pay should be given for
eight hours work.
Mr.. Dawes said this was necessary because
after the passage of the eight hour law some of
the superintendents of the government works
had construed the reduction OF the hours of labor
a. carrying with IL a reduction OF the per diem
compensation; and il was to pay the workingmen
the two-tenths of wages or which they had thus
been deprived that this amendment was offered.
Mr.. FarnswOrth Ill said he though the pass
age of the eight hour law a mistake in the
first instance. and he thought that the superiu-
tendents had acted properly when they paid by
the hour instead of giving a full days paw for
only eight hours work. Ii they did less work
they were entitled only to less pay.
Mr.. Farnsworth made the point of order that
bill.
MIR. Hoar disputed the point that less work
was done under the eight hou law. 1t was the
testimony from all government shops that the
eight hour law operated adyantageously to the
country.
Mr.. Banks Mass said the eight-hour law had
nothing to do with wages. IL only proposed to
limit and designate the hours of labor, and he
thought I'll at the OsicerS who reduced the wages
had violated the law, which prescribed the RATE
Of wages which should be paid. The work
men were entitled to this money, and it wa,
clear deficiency
MT. Hawley iU.) and Mr. l.. Myers (Pa.) took
the same view that Gen. Banks did and con-
tended that this was clearly deficiency which
should be paid.
The chair (Mr. Stevenson. of Ohio) ruled
tNat the amendment was in order.
Mr.. Farnsworth then rose to oppose the
amendment. He commended that to pass it would
opera'e uniustly. When the law was first passed
some OF the men worked ten hours and were
paid a full days work, and now YOU propose to
pay the men who worked eight hours the same
as those who worked ten hours. This would
take at least 500 600 out of the Treasury.
Mr. Dawes said it would only take out An
amount that the Treasury had taken from the
fAh0reTS nI
law.
Mr.. Hoar Mas. thong hit Mr.. Farnsworth mis-
not understand what the eight.hour law really
meant He thought it was good policy to exer-
else generosity toward the laborers.
MIR. Dawes said il was a matter of ight to nav
the laborer this money. They did not ask Il
as loan, but demanded il as a riCht-the
money being due them for services rendered.
The Treasury got this money by erroneous
construction of law, and il should be returned.
Mr. Butler Mass contended that the faith
OF the government was pledged in this case, and
he wanted TO know whether We should keep fai n
with the laboring man.
Mr.. Haley tIn.) said that at the Rock Island
arsenal no man was compelled to work ten hours
hut after workingcight hours, they worked otter
two hours, and were paid extrs.
Mr.. Peters Me wanted TO know whether Mr.
Haley believed that man could do as much
work IN eight hours As he did in ten?
Mr.. Haley replied affrmatively.
Mr.. Peters said that in that case, then, the
man who worked ten hours did not do more than
MI Banks thought this experiment OF eighs
hours would show that the government got as
much work now, and as good work, as was
formerly obtained in more hours. because men
had only certain capacity, and could nat worx
beyond certain number OF hours.
Mr. farnsworth moved to amend by a proyiSo
that the other laboring men OF the country
should not be taxed TO pay this increase.
Mr.. Dawes amendment was then voted on.
and was declared rejected by a rising vote.
MIR. Dawes De manded tollers.
Mr.. Butler (Nass-) asked, as a parliamentary
inquiry, where all the Dawes men were? On
the other side OF the House?
The Chair said that was not a parliamentary
inquiry.
On the vote by tellers the amendment was re-
Jected by a vote OF As yeas TO as NAYS
The committee then rose, and the bill As
amended was reported TO the House.
Mr.. Dawes, in the House. then renewed his
Amendment IN relation to the pay of laborers
Pending further consideration, the House. al
4 80 +. m, adjourned
@"Chamber Music."-Baby!-Pxsc4