The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-05-19
THE NATIONS CAPITAL.
The Congressional Investigating Committee Re-
turn, but Are Not Ready to Report
Trying to Corner the President-LOgan's
Coming DOubtful-Antagonizing the
Presidential Veto-The Curtin
Committee-Etc., Etc.
Special to the Sentinel.

Special to the Sentinel.
WASHINGTON, May 1.-THE Congressional
Committee appointed to investigate the
recent labor troubles in the Southwest have
returned to Washington. The general
opinion that the appointment of this COM
mittee was mistake has been strengthened
since the probable result ri its labors has be-
come apparent. The committee has un-
doubtedly done great deal of work and
probably collected a quantity of valuable
information concerning the causes of the
recent strike on the Gould lines, but whether
this information will be of any value in the
solution OF future difficulties is serious
question in the minds of many Congress
men interested in the labor question. These
gentlemen are congratulatiDg themselves
that they were not appointed on the COM
mittee. Gentlemen from the Southwest say
they never before saw harder and less suc-
cessful struggle to sit on both sides of
fence. There was a strong temptation to
members of the committee to make bid for
the votes of the knights of Labor but On the
other side was strong corporation interests
represented by the Missouri Pacific Road,
and between the two the business interest
which suffered by the great strike and
which considered itself outraged by both
parties to the difficulty. The traditional
joys of the travelling Congressional COM
mitteeman were not the lot of the
Investigating Committee, and it is
said their bill of expenses will be
surprisingly small, the Item" of ''inci
dentals" occurring IN less than dozen
places. The committee will take a brief rest
now, while the members inform them
selves concerning what Congress has
not done during their absence. When the
stenographers have completed the transcript
ton of their notes. and the testimony taken
has been printed, a few meetings will be
held to wind up the business of the COM
mittee. Governor Curtins idea of investi
eating the mining troubles in Pennsylvania
will not be carried out, as the House has not
extended the scope in the resolution under
which the committee was appointed.
Congressman Grain, of Texas, who returned
Sunday in advance of the committee, believes
that the investigation has done some good.
"It has revolutionized the ideas of the
Knights of Laber on the subject of strikes"
he said this afternoon, "and do not think
we will again see such strike as that on the
Southwestern system. Our investigation, l
am informed by the Secretary OF
the knights of Labor, will enable
that organization to make a change
in its constitution placing the government OF
strikes in the hands of the Executive Com
mittee. There is little doubt that the strike
on the Southwestern system was mistake.
The man Hall. on whose account the strike
was ordered told US he thought it was q
mistake.
The committee will probably have moth
ing to prepare in the way of additional legis-
lation. The only practical suggestion in
that direction was made to US by ex-Gover-
nor Brown. He suggested that the constitu-
ton be so amended to give certain courts Of
the United States the jurisdiction of railways
that Admiralty Courts have over ships"