The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-04-24

underlying cause Of the present labor
troubles.
Ms. Gibson nv. Va regretted that
the gentleman from Ohio should un-
dertake 70 bring politics into a discus
sion Of this question. The gentleman
had charged the IN j1rity OF the
House with not bringing forward
proposition which would have any
practical effect on the labor troubles.
The trouS eS the country was suffering
| from were the result of the powers
given By corr1pt Congresses to great
corporations under the thirty years of
Republican administration. It was
the watered stock and the unjust
charters granted by Congress against
which labor was Iebellipg. Gentle
men on the other side ought not 10
assail this House because il could not
bring about a remedy in q day, but
ought rather to confess the crimes and
sins OF the thirty years legislation.
Mr.. 0'Neill Mo. said the arbitra-
ton bill had been discu ssed by the
House for four days, and not one
word of partisan bias had been in
jected into the debate. 1t had passed
by four-ifths vote; it had been re-
ported unanimously by Senate COM
mittee it had been Endorsed by the
journals of the country, and by the
intelligence Of the country, and 1t
rested with the gentleman from Ohio
to take this pretext Of injecting par
tsan bias into the question. The gen.
tleman was like the man with one
story-the gun story-if the con-
versation did not give him an oppor-
tunity of telling his story, he would
stamp his feet on the floor and say,
"That sounds like gun, and talking
of guns" etc, the gentleman was 30
full of partisan bills that he could lose
no opportunity of showing it.
Me- Reed Ne. expressed his satis-
faction with the vote he had cast for
the arbitration bill. The gentlemen
from Pennsylvania (Mr. RandalD, in
undertaking to excuse the President
for his messsge, was the only man
who had accused him. Nobody on
the Republican side had found any
fault with the President or had even
complained of the lateness OF his
arousing 10 the subject. The question
which was stir ing among the people
should be deliberately considered by
Congress. 1t might be that Congress
could devise a remedy; 1t might be
that it could not; but it was bound 10
consider the question aud bound to
consider with regard to something else
besides the November elections.
Mr.. McCrary Ky wac gratifi d
with the Presidents message, regard.
Jog il as a wise and forcible document.
The relations between labor and
capital were not as harmonious az
they should be and the message looked
toward bringing them into harmony.
He did not believe that the proper
way to settle the difficulties between
labor and capital was to use violence.
He believed that sr5itra'ion was the
better plan. Congress should recognize
that labor had rights, but also that
capital had rights and it was the duty
of Congress o cultivate harmony and
pleasant relations between the two.
Mr.. Springer III ] supported his
motion, )ntendi G that the Commit
tie on Labor was the proper commit
tee to consider the message. He had
moved the instructions because he de-
sired t. respond properly to the
recommendation of the Presideut.
The wise and taonghtful message of
the President should be considered in
proper spiit. He opposed the mo-
ton to refer it to the committee OF the
whole, because it would be buried
there.
Mr.. Voorhees, Wash. T rising 10
question OF privilege, offered the
fol owing resolution:
Resolced, That the Committee on
Rules be instructed TO il qulre wheth-
or the Hon. l. D. NJ. Sweet, or any
other ex-member Of the House, who
has availed himself OF the privilege of
admission to the floor under rule "a, is
interested as agent or attorney for any
railroad or corporation, or interested
in any claim or bill pending before
Ctngiess, and report to the House the
result of such inquiry, with such rec
ommeD dations as may be necesta airy.
1t had been an open secret, he said,
that ever since the beginning of this
CONGRESS a powerful lobby, organized
in the interest OF various railroad cor
poratiOns, had invested the Capitol.
end that the rules Of the House bad
been openly, repeatedly and notori-
ously set at d fi4nce by some men,
beers of that lobby. He protested
esainst the continuance OF that ank
and crying abuse. He did not intend
to rt fleet upon Mr. Sweet, but had in
serted his name because he personally
knew that Mr.. Sweet was attorney for
the Northern Pacific Company.
Accepting sugges tions made bv Mr..
Blount and Mr.. Randall, Mr.. Voor.
bees modified bis Teso u.lon by
emitting the name Of Mr.. Sweet and by
providing that the inquiry shall be
carried on by a select committee OF
five members. As modified the reso-
luton was adopted.
The House then went into commit
tee Of the whole (Mr. Hatch Mo- in
the chair on the private calendar.
When the committee rose a Senats
bill was passed for the relief Of EmeI-
son Etheridge and VIM. B. Stokes.
The House then took recess until
1880 o'clock, the evening session to be
for the consideration Of pension bills
The House, its evening session,
passed XIV pension bills, and at ii :35
O'Clock adjourned.
In tbe Committees