St. Paul daily globe., 1884-04-21
TRepublished from the Sunday Globe.
LABOR LEGISLATION.
The Main Points Of the Hop
kins Bill Which Passed
the House
Chances Favorable to the Passage
Of a Similar Bill by the
Senate.
Walsh, the Witness Wanted to Con-
Wet Kellogg, Seems Beyond
Reach of Attachment.
Knox to Become President of the Bank OF
the Republic, the Boston Charges
Notwithstanding.
Blow at PoIygamy-MissouriR River Com
mission-Surprised Mexicans-Gen-
eral Capital Notes.
Blow at oIygamy-NIissouri River Com
nission-Surprised Mexicans-Gen-
eraI Capital Notes.
Especial Telegram to the Globe.]


tee First-To establish a department of
labor statistics. Second-To prohibit impor-
tations of laborers under contracts made in
foreign countries. Third-To enforce the eight
hour law, and to provide for the payment
of wages withheld from government en-
ployes in violation Of the eight-hour law
FOurth-to prohibit contract labor by con-
Victs so far as federal prisoners are concerned.
The bill creating the department of labor
statistics provides for the appointment of q
commissioner who shall hold his office for
four years and receive q salary of $4,000;
that he shall acquire all useful information
upon the subject OF labor its relations to capi-
tai and the means of promoting the
material, social intellectual and religious
prosperity of the laboring women of the
country. The various labor organizations Of
the country have been endeavoring for sew
eral years past to secure such national legis-
lation as would bring to the attention of the
country, through an executive bureau, the
tue relations between labor and capital, but
III every instance were defeated by repre-
sentatives Of corporations on the floors of
the house and senate. Whenever any
member raised his voice in behalf Of the
rights Of labor he was at once denounced as
demagogue and the subject literally bulled
off the floors Of both the senate and the
house. The New England delegations were
foremost in this opposition until the break
was made by Senator Blair, of New Hamp
shire, who succeeded in the last con-
gress in securing the appointment of
a special committee to visit New York
and elsewere to inquire into the condition
of the laboring classes. The testimony adj
duced before that committee last summer
was interesting and voluminous and the re-
suit made apparent by the passage to-day of
Mr.. Hopkins bill The religious condition
clause was eliminated.
TIE BLAIR BILL.
pending in the senate, is kindred in purpose,
but creates division Of labor statistics under
the charge of the commissioner of agricul-
ture. Mr. Hopkins believes that this
bureau should be equal with
other governmental bureaus and not
be reduced to secondary Importance by at
tacking it as a dependency of the agricul-
tural department. The effort made in the
house to-day to accomplish this signally
failed, and although the bill was amended in
various particulars and the debate took such
wide range as to keep the body in session
until o'clock, the report of the labor COM
mittee was substantially endorsed by its
triumphant passage. The sentiment in its
favor was pronounced. Little doubt exists
of the concurrence of the senate. The other
bills, important as they are, not being
reached, must take the chances of passage
hereafter, and it will require unanimous
consent for their consideration as the special
order did not last beyond to-day.
WHERE Is WALSH?
The department Of justice is making her
culean efforts, now it is too late, to find John
A. Walsh, the recalcitrant witness in the
Kellogg case, which is set for trial next Mon
day. The impression prevails that Walsh
was not really wanted until he had gotten I'M
der cover and beyond reach of attachment.
Without Walsh's testimony the case against
Kellogg is likely to fail, but as Kellogg is a
delegate to the Republican national conven-
ton, the situation at this juncture becomes
specially interesting.
KNOX AND THE BANK OF THE REPUBLIC.
The New York Herald of to-day says: Mr..
E. H. Pullen, cashier of the National Bank
ofthe Republic, stated authoritatively yester-
day afternoon that on May 1 Mr.. John Jay
Knox, who yesterday resigned as controller
of the currency, will assume the presidency
of that bank. He viii bring with him to act
as vice president of the bank Mr.. Orson
Adams, who has been United States bank
examiner for the states of Virginia, Mary
land, North Carolina and South Carolina.
TO IMPROVE THE MISSOURI.
Messrs. Dockerey, Buckner, Bland, Burns, |
Grace, Cosgrove, O'Nefl and Alexander, of
the Missouri delegation in congress, made
arguments before the river and harbor COM
mittee to-day in favor of an appropriation of
$1,000,00 for the improvement of the Mis- |
souri, river Congressman from Missouri, |
Kansas, Nebraska and Western Iowa are to |
hold meeting at an early date to secure
united action on the passage of a bill Great
ing Missouri river commission. The Mis-
souri, delegation urged the Importance of
q systematic i'm provement of the Missouri |
from its mouth to Fort Benton upon the |
plan now in operation respecting the Missis- !
sippi river. They complain that the region
watercd by the Missouri river has been neg
lected, Notwithstanding its excess of the Mis-
sissippi river region in the value of its pro-
ducts of agriculture and manufacture. Part |
OF the 81, 600, 600 asked for is needed for i'm
mediate use at Kansas City and Leayen-
worth.
HoMESTEADs AND PRE-EMPTIoNs.
At meeting of the house committee on
public lands to-day Messrs. Henley, Oates
and Strait were appointed a subcommittee to
prepare bill to repeal the pre-emption and
timber culture acts and so amend the home |
stead laws as to prevent fraudulent entries.
DEATH TO PoLYGAMY.
The house committee on territories agreed |
to report bill providing for commission to
be appointed by the president to govern
Utah. It is provided by the bill that mar
riage shall be solemnized by a minister,
judge or justice of the peace, and a record |
filed, 1t makes marriage, when either party |
has husband or wife living, a misdemeanor,
punishable by imprisonment in jail not less
than six months and not more than twelve.
POSTAL MATTERS.
Elijah H. Strong has been appointed post
master at Danforth and Washington H.
switzer at Webb, Dakota.
VISITING MEXICANs.
A large number of Mexican citizens ar
rived to-day direct from that country on the
first through train. They are much pleased
with the adornments of our federal capitol.
RATIoNs DISTRIBUTED.
The secretary Of war to-day received q tele-
gram from Capt Viele, quartcrmaster of the