National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-03-08
The Senate Debate as to Establishing Bureau
for Their Collection.
Mr. Congers Remarks Upon the Pay
ment Of Southern Claims.
Il. Says There Are Cords Of Them in Congress,
Which Involve Millions Of Dollars
Tho Private Calendar Considered by the
Reconsideration Bill Passed.
THE SENATE.

hiT. fo0uletOu pTobcuteu 80 hCulolioi Ioihh
resolution Of the general assembly of Ohio urg-
ing the passage by congress. in the interest OF
American labor, OF some such bill as that intro
duced by Congressman Foran, TO prohibit the i'm
portatlon of foreigners under agreement 10 per-
form labor In the United States.
On motion Of Mr.. Cameron, OF Wisconsin, the
senate agreed that when 1t adjourn to-day IL be
10 Monday next.
Tho following bills were introduced and appro.
By Mr.. George: To authorize the Mississippi
river commission to mako agreements in certain
BY Mr.. Dawes: For the erection OF a public
building at Lynn Mass.
on military. affairs from the consideration OF a
bill to regulate the retiring of army Officers. IL
was bill, Mr. Williams said, which had been in
ing for Mr. Williams, and the name Of Mr. Will.
Jams had been noted as having introduced 1t. He
S and aiseisime sg ali G TespoasiSiiiy for Il 'u
Mr.. Beck explained that he had introduced the
bill for his colleague, as he supposed. a young
gentleman had come iu looking for MT Williams,
and saying that that senator had agreed to intro
In Mr.. Williams absence Mr. Beck had intro.
duced il. But he now found that there were pro.
visions In II for which neither he nor his col
leagues would consent to be responsible. He
supposed they had been imposed upon.
The committee was discharged from further
consideration Of the bill, which was laid on the
The senate then took up and, after short de-
bate, passed bill authorizing the construction of
fire.pt oof building of brick aud metal In the
city OF Washington. 10 be used as hall of records
The bill as passed appropriates $4,000 for the
II the course of the debate Mr.. Vest stated that
and II a spark should fall among them 1t would
result In a fire which, though II might not, per.
haps, destroy the capitol. would probably result
Referring 10 a fire which had occurred in one Of
the government buildings in Washington, MI:
W.. ttaNt a. had bad hA A.u. nd
burnt the building 1t would have resulted in the
destruction of certificates and papers whose loss
would have involved congress in an endless num-
Der Of claims
On the motion of Mr.. Harrison, tho bill to regu.
late the practice in patent cases was made tho
special order for Tuesday next.
The bill to establish bureau Of statistics Of
labor being reached on the calendar Of unobjected
cases and being subject TO the operation Of the
rule limiting the remarks of each senator to i've
minutes, Mr. Morrill, suggested the propriety of
postponing its consideration and changing its
ciiity OF debate, the subject being one that could
hardly be dealt with Justly under Limitation of
debate.
Mr.. Blair expressed the hope that no delay
would occur in the consideration OF the bill
There was widespread expectation, he said,
among the people Of this country who work for a
passed at this session OF congress. If this bill were
to be placed at the foot of tho calendar Of cases
would not be reached in time TO be acted upon Mt
this session. Mr.. Blar laid tho question involved
was one which to-day agtated the minds of mill
ions Of the American people. and was perhaps the
one which above all others was being most ur-
gently and unitedly pressed by the workingmen
Mr. Morrill, said he had no objection whatever
to the substantial part Of the bill-the collection
of statistics of labor-but, as 1t was case involy.
ing the creation OF new bureau, lie had thought
that perhaps free interchange OF views upon the
question might result in a provision which would
make the collection OF such statistics the work OF
one of the bureaus Of statistics already existing
for example, perhaps, that OF the bureau Of agri-
culture.
portance. 1t bore upon the collection Of statistics
relating to the wages OF American labor and
wa MI saS OF ba any
listing rate Of wages paid to workingmen in this
country could not be maintained aud Increased
he, for his part, despaired of the maintenance OF
the republic for many generations, 1t seemed to
him impossible to have republic founded on
universal suffrage unless the great mass Of the
community could receive as the reward OF theii
labor sum sufficient TO afford them comfort and
enable them to educate their children, aud 10 de-
Mr.. Morrill, remarked that II other senators
were ready TO discuss the question involved be
would not object. For himself he had all hi;
lie been Il laboring man and never expected TO be
Mr. Hawey presumed nobody had any objec.
ton TO the collection of the statistics referred to
Hut there was already bur eau ofstatstics in thu
treasury department, and he would make thu
suggestion that the work of collecting and COL
lating statistics Of labor, agriculture, commerce
manufactures &C., should all be placed uude
the direction Of one very capable man w no should
have bright aud capable chlefs OF divisions
Mr.. Plumb said that there were already two o
three bureaus OF statistics, enough to accomplish
tile purpose sought by the bill under cDnsidera-
tion and an arrangement might be made to plac
the collection of the statistics in question in thu
charge of one of those bureaus.
MIR, Blair remarked tn all the bureaus already
established were working without clearly defined
jurisdict GUS and did not Interfere with eaci
other Commerce alone was II large subject 81
auripullure and the work of pOllepliup n
tics relating to those subjects might well occup!
the attention OF separate bureaus. The subject .
labor was as broad MS the continent, and If Their
was TO be any grouping OF functions relating I,
statistics. he thought The better plan would be I,
broaden The scope of the bill nov. under consider
alton, and let the statistical functions of the otne
departments oil industry and trade reyolve arount
1t. The work was one which might well claln
the best talent in the country.
MI. Call did not bellevetna too much attention
could lie paid 10 this subjec! Of labor statistics
The laboring people Of The country, he said, wer
themselves TOO much with tho interests OF capital
and too little with those of labor. And apAr
from the quest on, whether economically Their
was any conflict between capital and labor
which Mr. Cali did not aomil-the laborn
classes were united in their demand to have
full gathering of statistics relating to labol, AM
Mr.. Call could see no reason why that demlnt
should not be grathed.
MIR Miller, Of California, thought that in orde
to avoid too mucr do ay, aud III order to MAKE
beginning It would be well TO take W and pas
the present bill o. some inoI itcation OF It, aud
statistical labor should h eater be decided on
II could then be acco uplished.
Mr.. AldIiCh reinarked That the bill had had tn
unanimous APPROVAL oil tbs committee On labor. IL
cOncurred in the opinions exres cd that Their
shOu,d be general bureau OF STA .istlCs, prefer
ably unuer the department OF tho interior, nm
under the direction ufa man of capacity enoug!
to have cha ge, ut the propSr time, OF the UniteC
StatOs census. lie thought, however that tn
salary of 1880 provided by the bill for the hea
Of the bureau was TOO small and he moved /
amend by making the amount 49, 800.
Mr. Garland suggested that II would he better /
amend the revised statul es relative 10 the burea
OF statistics OF the treasury department. ii
thought II better to keep the statistics to!ethe
than 10 have them scattered He did not wish /
interfere with the accomplishment sought by tn
BILL but thought the subject had better be deal
Mr., Blair stated that all the representatives O
the laboring organizations, who ware familia
with the bin, were in favor Of all Its prOys ON
except as to the salary, and 1t had been objects
to by them that man of sufficient capacity 70
the Office could not be secured for 81 800. In thi
opinion he shared aud he therefore heartily con
Cured In the amendment TO crease the salary,
The hour Off o'clock having arrived the bill
went over
On motion OF Mr.. Allison. the naval appropria
ton BILL which had been r. ceved from the hous
Of representatives was referred to the commltle
on appropriations.
Mr. Dol III called up. in order to make some re
marks upon II, the bill to provide for the improve
ment of The Columbia river. III speech OF som
length, Mr.. DOlph entered into part culars SHOW
ing the great increase in the commerce and popu
laton OF OREGON, Washington, aud Idaho, and IN
Importance Of preparing for the great future
priationS for the improvement of its navigt
HE waters, IL WINS almost inDOAsible, M