, 1885-02-14
IMPORTANT MEASURES.
The Senate Considers the Land
Forfeiture Bill.
A Prolonged Argument About
Imported Labor.
The Great Dumping Ground for
Paupers and Criminals.
CONGRESSIONAL.


special order. was placed before the
senate.
Mr.. Blair asked unanimous consent to
take up the anti-foreign contract labor
bill.
Mr.. Van Wyck declined to yield. He
said the senate and the country under
stood the nature Of the bill. Heidi not
wish to R1t it in further peril. 1t had
been displaced by taking up another bill
whose principal feature made it impossible
10 get the concurrence Of the other house.
The principal features Of this forfeiture
bill were so plain, that, if he might be al
lowed, he would say they had been passed
by the house of representatives almost
unanimously
The chair said it was not in order to
make reference to the proceedings Of the
house Of representatives
Mr.. Van Wyck said he merely wanted
to get the idea in some way before the
senate Something's, he said, were very
remarkable. The very moment the land
grant forfeiture bill doomed up in this
body. terror seized it in some directions.
The bill was demanded by the unanimous
consent Of the American people. There
was at least unanimity there, whether
there had or had not been unanimity in
the other place. he had not been per
mitted to refer to. We could not falter,
in a double sense, with a matter of this
kind The people had demanded, and
the platforms of both political parties
had demanded that there should
be action in the direction Of this bill
prompt and speedy action. Every days
delay imperilled the bill Soon the bill
would be met by appropriation bills, and
then ingenious gentlemen would, by long
speeches, be able to prevent its consider
alton. The only.one of the forfeiture bills
he had been able TO get through congress
was the bill that the railroad company
itself has been anxious to get passed
Had the senator's forgotten the eeieb1ted
letter written by the celebrated historian,
Huntington, OF the Central Pacific, as to
what was lone about the Texas Pacific,
when he was lobbying theref We should
be admonished by that history to furnish
no opportunity for any other historian
like Huntington, or possibly Huntington
himself. TO duplicate or reproduce similar
historical chapters Van Wyck wished to
say this much now because he did not
know whether, owing to rules and pro-
cesses OF obstruction, he would have n
chance to say anything more on the sub
lect
Senator Blair moved that the senate
proceed TO the consideration OF the labor
bill.
Mr.. Van Wyck asked the chair If this
would not again dlsplace the Texas Pacific
forfeiture bill and regulate 1t to the cal
endar.
The chair said it would
Van Wyck-Then | want that distinctly
understood
Van Wyck called for the yeas and nays
on MIR. Blair's motion and 1t was agreed
TO- yeas 81, nays ~ Inc iaDor pni was
therefore taken up ana i'S eons'uerauon
proceeded with.
Inc iapor III Is the mouse Dni' n en-
utled an act TO pronipit the importation
anu migra'oh Oh ioreigners anu anenS
unoef contract OF agreement 10 perform
iaDor IN tDe onitea otates, us territories
anu Disefict Oh Columpla- Oonsioeraoie
ueDa'e arose on .ne Dill
MI ha"iey hougnt u pui IN contra-
'enson oi na'ura r,Rn's,
We '"crnerSoh 'nousn' "ouiu pre-
vent people from coming mere even as
coionists.
mI' Diair saiu 1ne wages Vi sne WORK
ing classes snouio De protested rom inc
enec's Oh imported gang Oh iapoles In
.he course Oh MS REMARKS Mr. nAlr a.
inoeo 10 tne recent disturbances IN HOOK
ing Vaiey' wnicn were a'tiiDu'eo 70 q
class tna' TINS D,i wouia eAciuoe- inose
disturbances mao aireauy reSui'eu III q 'os'
Oh sf'Voo'ooo'
Mr.. ingalls, said he sy~mpathized witt
MIR. Hawley in his regard for natural
rights, but we were confronted with
portentious exigency. We should soon
be called on to decide whether every man
woman and child on the face Of the earth,