Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-04-04
ARBITRATION BILL.
Heated Debate I'm the House OF Repre-
sentatives Friday.

ARBITRATION BILL.
Heated Debate I'm the House OF Repre-
sentatives Friday.
WASHINGTON, April I'm the long
debate in the House on Mr.. O'Neiirs
arbitration bill to-day as much heat was
displayed at times as though the bill
had been a party measure, but neither
the opposition to nor support Of the bill
were upon any defined lines. Each
speech was an expression Of the indi'
yidual views of the speaker, and very
little was heard of the political effect OF
the bill.
Mr.. Foran, Of Ohio, offered an
amendment to the first section pro-
viding that if on the written PROPOSE
ton Of either party to the controversy
to submit the differences to arbitration
the other party shall refuse, the party
submitting the proposition may request
the Judge Of the United States Court to
appoint an arbiter. He regarded the
bill in its present shape as an entering
wedge for the enactment Of such legis-
lation in the future as would crush out
organized labor. Through organiza-
ton, and organization alone, the labor
ipg-men Of this country could work out
their salvation, and he was willing to
leave this question and all questions OF
this character to organized labor.
Mr.. Dibble, of South Carolina, offered
an amendment providing that the Com
missioner of Labor, on the request of
either party to controversy, shall
order an investigation to be made. The
Bureau of Labor, he said, had been ig-
nored at a great emergency. The pur-
pose of his amendment was to make
the Commissioner Of Labor factor ia
gathering this information.
Mr.. Negley, of Pennsylvania, offered
an amendment providing that the board
OF arbitration shall inquire into the
practice of certain railroad companies of
maintaining a company system of life
insurance to evade the payment of dam
ages for loss Of life through negligence
or otherwise.
Each of these amendments was lost.
MIR. Willis, of Kentucky, expected
to vote for the bill. Its opponents
agreed that it was a harmless measure,
and then proceeded to pour out the
walls of their wrath upon it. They de-
nounced it; they epitheted it; they
called it Trojan horse; they called it
a fraud and trick. He believed that
the bill had some meat in it. lie
favored it not because it was harmless,
but because it took forward step in
the settlement Of the greatest problem
of the age. 1t was q problem Of ages
on which had been founded the French
revolution, and which had disturbed
England and every country of the
world. Some legislation was ne
cessary, and the Committee on
Labor had brought in the pending
bill. If it needed amendment, let the
wisdom of Congress amend it. Ii II
were harmless, let it be passed as
sentimental declaration that Congress
felt for the woes of the workingmen,
This hall had been called the audience.
hall of the nation. He had seen all the
monopolies Of the country here, and
when this organization of Knights o
Labor came, though their voice be bu
a whisper, as this bill was, for one hi
would listen to and heed it. A few
years ago the tonnage Of the rivers and
canals and lakes of the country
had been twelve million tons
To-day four men in the Union held II
their grasp and controlled four times
that amount of tonnage. Those foul
men could reduce the wages Of $4,000
men. Those four men, organized il
their own interest, could control an az
gregate capital amounting to 5000, 900.
600. If laborers organized and askeC
Congress for the poor privilege OF beinl
heard by arbitration, in the name o
Justice and equal rights let their com
plants be heard and public opinion b
invoked.
Mr.. O'Neill, of Missouri, declared
that the Knights ofLabor were in fsvo
of arbitration. lie stood here appeal
ing for law, for justice, and for right
for to-day the country was almost On tn
verge of a volcano. The people wer
standing idle and suffering for food il
the West on account Of the strike, Will
constitutional cranks stood quibblin
on the floor Of the House. He appeale'
to members to stand by the Committe
on Labor, to vote down amendments
and to put their heels on that class Q
men who could suggest nothing-wh
were obstructionists and barnacles o.
party who ought to have better sense
Mr.. Breckenridge, of Kentucky
moved to strike out so much of th
second section as gives the board Q
arbitration power to administer oaths
etc. lie said that the effect Of hi
motion would be to make the bill
less Objectionable. On constitutions
grounds he protested against the pas
sage of the bill, believing that it was
grave and, might be, dangerous mis-
take. II was the cornerstone of
superstructure which was to be erecte
upon it; it was . seed the growth Q
which would hereafter give the countr
trouble it was the beginning Of ne'
Jurisprudence; it was the foundatio
Of . new, and indefinite, and dangerou
jurisdiction; it was the creation of
novel, uncertain, and indefinite tribu
nal; il seemed to him that before Con
grsss took SO grave step more consid
Grafton should be given to it. For on
he did not believe that there was an
virtue in legislation a. . solution of
great problem. He denied that thi
was patsrnal government, to be con
stantly interfering with the progress
Of civilization BY putting its hand, IN
hallowed and unwise, to that progress
Every step taken in that direction n
nsvsd the too common disposition Q
mankind to seek remedy for oil all
ments IN legislation. instead Of find
ing some philosophical solution Of ID
problem. He pleaded for . noble
manhood, an amplsr liberty than tbs
which was found within the statute
book. In The nsus Of labor b. pre-
tested s6sinst this interference withprs