National Republican., 1888-05-23
THE PRISON LABOR CANCER
= BREEZY DGsCU ssION ON THE
SUBJECT IN THE HOUSE.
Mr.. Buttcrworth Uses Unmistakable
Language in Opposition to the Pend
ing Bill-A Constitutional Question
in the Senate The Railroad Question.

In the Senate yesterday message from
the President returning, without his APP
proval, the Senate bill for the relief of l.,
!. Walden was laid before the Senate. The
ill directs the allowance of $695 to Mr.
Warden, recently postmaster at Lawrence,
Kan, for extra clerk hire, from July !, 1882,
to June 30, 1888. The grounds OF the veto
are that the allowances to postmasters for
clerk hire are fixed by the Postoilice Depart
ment; that In this case 80, 100 was allowed;
that applications for additional allowance
were twice declined; that the expenses were
therefore incurred at the postmaster's own
risk, and that the passage Of special acts in
such eases would have dangerous ten
dency to encourage postmastcrs to substi
tute their own judgment for that Of the
department. and TO relax wholesome disci-
plinc.
The President adds that the time allowed
by the constitution for the approval of bills
expired IN this case on the 18th instant; that
the Senate adjourned from May II till May
81: that the message was drawn and en-
crossed on the 18th; that on the 10Th the
message and bill were rendered to the Secrc-
tary of the Senate, who declined to receive
them; that they were then rendered TO the
President of the Senate, who also declined
TO receive them on the ground that they
could only he presented to the Senate In
actual session, and that they were therefore
transmitted rs soon as the Senate convened
Monday with this explanation.
Mr.. lioar remarked that tile cOmmunica-
ton raised very important constitutional
question, to which the Senate should give
its careful consideration. He, therefore,
moved its reference to the committee on
privileges and elections. Agreed to.
committee OF conference was ordered
ON the pension appropriation bill, and Sen
ators Allison, Dawes, and German were APP
pointed.
Among the bills reported from commit
tees and placed on the calendar was one to
provide pneumatic gun carriages for the
War Department.
Mr.. Farwell moved to take up the bill to
authorize the Baltimore and Potomac Rail-
road Company to acquire and use real estate
for railway purposes in the District Of Co
lumba.
Mr.. Morrill,, however, claimed that its
consideration had been last week postponed
Till next week, and said that he was not pre-
pared to-day to present his objections to the
bill.
After discussion involving the propriety
of considering this bill in connection with
the bill for the change of the station and
tracks of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Company, the motion to proceed to its con-
sideration was defeated on a viva voce vote
by very decided majority.
The Senate then lat 1:40) proceeded to
the consideration Of executive business.
The doors were reopened at 9 p. M, when
the Senate proceeded to the consideration of
The unfinished business" being the House
bill to establish department OF labor, and
Mr. Reagan addressed the Senate in oppo-
sition, and after a. lengthy expression of his
views moved substitute bill creating de-
partment of industry.
On vote by yeas and nays on the substi-
tute there were yeas and % nays Qess than
r" guQrlm), and then Mr.. Reagan withdrew
would bring; IN v,.ore long a measure to ii
crease the compensation of postmasteyf
that class. The increase of :S1y 10.
aPprooPriatiioanl fort for the aud a new section
n.,sslUn u compile annually from the best
and most authentic sources and to prepare
and publish book, to be called the Regis
ter Of Labor, and to be at least the size of
the Army and Navy Registers combined, to
contain the names and addresses (selected
and alphabetically arranged with reference
TO occupations) Of persons Of known excel
lence In their vicinity in any line of skilled
fully revised every year. He spoke In ad-
vocacy of the amendment as proposing a
work mere worthy of the expenditure Of
public money than the Army and Navy
Registers or the Congressional Directory.
Mr.. Edmunds expressed the idea that the
amendment contained some points worthy
Of consideration, and suggested that 1t be
printed and that the bill go over till to-
morrow.
Mr. Blair, who has charge of the bill, said
he had supposed at first the amendment to
be offered IN spirit of facetiousness, and to
give the senatoran opportunity of ridiculing
the army and navy registers. He hoped
that it would not be engrafted on the bill.
The amendment was rejected, the bill
passed, and a conference committee Or
dered, and Senators Blair, Wilson, Of Iowa,
and George were appointed conferees on
part Of the Senate.
Mr.. Stewart gave notice that he would to-
day submit some remarks on the joint reso-
luton introduced by him to reduce to n
simple majority the vote necessary to over.
ride presidential veto.
Among the bills taken from the calendar
and passed were
The Senate bill to incorporate the Ma
tional Academy of Dental Science.
The Senate bill appropriating 10000 for
~the Improvement and enlargement of the
7lnbiic building at Petersburg, Va.
The Senate then, at $40, adjourned. :