The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-04-21
THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
Passage Of the Bill Providing for a Bureau of
Labor Statistics.

calling on the Secretary of State for q COPY of
the list of certificates issued by the late VeneZue
Ian Mixed Commission and for information as to
the amount of money on hand applicable for the
payment of new awards. Adopted
The Speaker laid before the House the follow
lowing messages from the President, which were
appropriately adopted
Transmitting the report of the Secretary of
State III regard to the final awards made by the
late French and American Claims Commission
against the United States for S625 526 for the
payment of claims of French citizens against the
United States The President recommends the
appropriation of that sum to enable the govern
ment to fulfill its obligation under the treaty of
January 15 1850.
Transmitting a communication from the Score
tary of State relative to the approachingvisit of
a special embassy from Siam. The President
recommends an appropriation of $4,000 to de-
fray the expenses of the embassy while in this
country
Transmitting the communication from the Sec
| rotary of Scate respecting the approaching in
ternational conference at Washington, for the
purpose OF fixing a meridian proper to be en-
ployed as the common Of longitude and
standard reckoning throughout the globe. The
President recommends an appropriation of
$40, to defray the expenses of the same.
The House then went into committee of the
whole with Mr. Wellburn in the chair on the
bills reported from the committee on labor
The first bill considered was that establishing
and maintaining a department of labor Stats
tics.
Mr.. Hopkins, chairman on the committee on
labor, briefly called attention to tho provisions
of the bill and to the advantages to be derived
from its passage. The labor problem was one of
the most important questions which demand and
command the consideration of the people, and it
was of the greatest benefit to all that depart
ment be established which should furnish sure
and reliable data on the subject The bill was not
in the interest of any school of political econo
my, but was intended to complete information
for the use of protectiOnists and frce-traders
alike. A great deal of attention had been given
to the American hog and American steer and it
was time Congress should give more attention
to the American man. Capital always receives
consideration here, but legislation in the inter
est of the laboring people had been rare and
stinted. The present House had shown some
disposition to atone for the past neglect by
creating a committee on labor, and the action
had been greatly appreciated by the laborng
classes all over the land They looked upon
this bill as of immense benefit to them,
because it would bring to the attention of the
country a full and truthful statement of their
condition.
Mr. ONeil, of Missouri, said the passage of
this bill was demanded by laboring men all over
the country. They realize that agriculture had
been recognized Ivy the creation of Department
of Agriculture. that the signal service protected
the shipping interests, that commerce was bene-
fitted by bureau to collect informatonfr from con-
sular officers. and for the past twenty years they
had been asking for a bureau to compile informa-
ton as to labor. The statistical bureau of the
Treasury Department could not accomplish what
was needed.
Mr.. Young had no doubt that when the report
of this discussion went out to the country the la
boring classes would be startled at tine discovery
that they had so many ardent friends this
floor The tone and temper of the House had
not seemed friendly week ago when the
committee ON public buildings had brought in
number of bills the effect of which would have
been to confer on the laboring men more prac-
teal good than would ever be ac complished by
the measures coming from the COMM ttee on
labor Thousands of idle men and willing
workers would have been given profitable en-
ployment. He proposed to give the pending bill
his most cheerful and earnest support but hoped
it would be amended so as to establish bureau
of labor statistics as an adjunct of the Agreul-
tural Department No question which could be
considered by this body was more far-reaching
in it's influence than this none more earnestly
demanded by the highest considerations of pub
lie policy.
Mr.. Wolford said, if the object of the bill was
alone to show to the men engaged in labor where
they could get better compensation for their
work, it would commend itself to every man who
loved his country, but, as he was not thoroughly
confident that that alone was the object, he had
some hesitation in giving his unqualified support
to the measure. If the object was to point out
to the cupidity Of men where cheap labor could
be found and brought into competition with the
honest labor of the American people, he was ut
terly opposed TO it.
Mr. Bedford spoke in support of the proposed
amendment prohibiting corporations from inn
porting foreign labor to compete with American
citizens. He reiterated the statement made to
him some days ago that the riot in Cincinnati
had been but the beginning of communism in this
country. The riot at Braddock Pa, had been
occasioned by the cupidity of corporations in inn
porting foreign laborers to compete with Auer1
can worknen, and in preventing the latter from
having a fair chance to earn their honest bread
and butter.
Mr. Bland suggested that protection did not
protect American labor.
Mr. Bedford replied that at meeting of opera
were adopted declaring that while the system
protected the manufacturer, the wages of the la
borer WERE constantly diminishing.
Mr. Foran favored the bill and strongly antag
onized the proposition to put the work of col
lecting labor statistics in the hands of the Agri-
cultural Department
Mr. Blount said there was not single thing in
the bill to justify the creation of this depart
ment.
Mr.. Hopkins replied to the criticisms made
against the BILL and maintained that the people
who would be vastly benefited by the compila
ton of this information did not want to see the
bureau buried in the Agricultural or Treasury
Departments.
Mr.. Bayne, while heartily supporting the gen
eral purport of the BILL thought the section pro
viding for an investigation into the religious
views of the laboring classes was in plain viola
ton of the spirit of the Constitution.
The bill then being open for amendment, Mr..
Kasson moved to change the word department"
wherever it to bureau" so as to read
bureau of labor statistics" Adopted.
On motion of Mr. Kasson, an amendment was
adopted, changing the word religious to
moral" wherever it occurs.
Mr.. Bland offered an amendment providing
that the Bureau shall be under the charge of the
President of the Knights of Labor.
Mr.. Weller offered as substitute for this
amendment proposition that the Commissioner
of the Bureau shall be appointed by the Pres
dent from list of names presented by the leg
islatiye committee of the Federation of Labor.
After desultory discussion Mr.. Weller with
drew his substitute and Mr.. BANDS amendment
was lost.
Mr.. Aiken offered an amendment striking out
the provision for Commissioner of Labor
Statistics and providing that information shall
be acquired by the Commissioner of Agrieu
ture through the Bureau of Statistics Losts-6S
to 81
On motion of Mr.. Bayne, an amendment was