Morning journal and courier., 1888-03-06
Fiftieth Congress--First Session.
WASHINGTON, March 8

!
WASHINGTON, March 5.
SENATE-On melton of Mr. Hale the un-
finished business-the pension bill-was
laid aside and the urgent deficiency appfo-
priation bill was taken up for consideration.
Among the more important amendments
recommended by the committee and adopted
by the senate were the following: Inserting
an item of $500, 900 for the expenses of the
revenue cutter service. Inserting an item of
S6U0 for office expenses of the coast and
geodet1c survey. Inserting an item of So, 900
for the salary of the commissioner of fish and
| fisheries from the date of his qualification in
I office. Inserting the item of So, GEO for the
support of United States prisoners, inelud-
ing necessary clothing and medical aid and
transportation to places of confinement. The
amendment to strike out the following para
graph: "And the public printer is hereby
| directed to rigidly enforce the provisions of
the eight hour law in the department. under
| his (the public printer's) charge. :" a.
MIR. Hear inquired of Mr.. Hale why the
| committee had recommended the striking
| out of those lines
| Mr.. Hale replied that in the first place the
committee had no knowledge that the eight
| hour law was not enforced in the department
| of public printing. There were persons en-
ployed there working by the piece who de-
| sired to work more than eight hours; who
preferred to work twelve hours, and the
adoption of the law might be construed that
these men should stop work at the end of
eight hours. The result of that might be to
| compel good workingmen to stop work after
eight hours and to allow new untried green
hands to be brought into the Office. In fact
1t had been said that the object of the pro-
vision was to introduce one hundred and
fifty new untried men in the public printing
Office.
Arguments against striking out the provis-
ions were made by Senators Hoar, Teller and
hn ofak thok& 10 kr,1r /
out would be an Indication that the Senate
was Indifferent to the subject or that it did
not favor the eight hour law.
Mr.. Hale said there was evidently feel
ing in the Senate that to strike out the pro-
vision would be considered an interference
with the execution of the eight hour law. He
did not suppose that the Senate desired to
take that position. So far as he was con-
cerned, he was willing to let the provision 90.
Mr.. Hawley said that, having been absent
during most of the discussion, he would say
that the purpose of the provision was to for
bid man working in the pub
lie printing Office more than eight
hours a day. He had been for seven
years a member of the committee on
printing and Ito the best of his recollection)
he had never heard a word of complaint
from anyone in the printing Office concern
ing the enforcement or non-enforcement of
the eight-hour law. If the provision had
any meaning whatever it was an attempt to
forbid a man to work more than eight hours
and therefore in behalf of the workingmen
he protested against it. 1t seemed piece of
demagoguism and nothing else. 1t was an in
reference with the natural right of the work
ingmen and workingmen who advocated such
a proposition we're unwittingly advancing
themselves to a condition of slavery.
Mr.. Hoar objected to the suggestion of
demagoguism.
Mr.. Hawley-I did not know the Senator
E. L
it. It struck me that it was an effort of
demagog uism and I repeat that remark.
Mr.. Hoar-This proposition of political
economy, whether wise or foolish, whether
demagoguism or whether opposition to it, is
shallow-pated assurance, is one which has
had the support of such profound thinkers as
John Stuart Mills and of such practical rea-
soners as Thomas B. Macauley.
After further discussion Mr.. Hale moved
to add to the provision that it should not be
construed as to interfere with the piece
work or extra work in the government print
ing Office. He wished the discussion to close
and said that senators would have three or
four months to look up the great question
Qaughter). He finally withdrew his amend
ment and also withdrew his opposition to the
original House provision.
Without taking vote the Senate proceed
ed to the consideration of executive business,
and at 5;25 adjourned.
HoUsE.-Mr Richardson, Of Tennessee,
from the committee on printing, reported
back a resolution directing that committee to
inquire whether the scale of prices in vogue
in the government printing Office prior to
January, 1887, should not be established;
adopted.
The House then proceeded to the consider
alton of the McDuffie Davidson Alabama
contested election case. MIR. Marsh of Penn
sylvania, opened the case for the contestee,
%ho do
nority report that the case involved no legal
question proceeded to discuss the legal bear
ings of the contest, as well as the facts elicit
ed in this testimony, which he contended was
utterly insufficient to prove the allegations Of
fraud made by the contestant. The commit
tee had given fair and thorough considera
ton to the case and the majority had come
to the conclusion that the contestee David
son, had clear majority over McDuffie of
$500 votes.
Mr.. Simmons. of North Carolina, followed
with brief speech on the same side.
Mr.. Lodge, of Massachusetts, said that the
case illustrated the advance of civilization
in the Fourth Alabama district Instead of
resorting to the jackpot and sabre policy
the Democrats had resorted to fraud upon
the ballot box in order to overcome the Re
publican majority. There was evidence of
general fraud throughout the district, while
the poll lists of the Selma precincts showed
that the Etsheeted dead" were made to vote.
Of course they voted the Democratic ticket.
He reviewed in detail the testimony taken
in regard to the votes given at the various
precincts to substantiate the charge of
fraud which he declared was found to exist
wherever it was probed for. For the good
name of Congress and in the lame of hon
est elections he believed the House should
reject the sitting member and seat the con-
testant.
Mr.. Outhwait, of Ohio, congratulated the
Republicans as to the progress they had made
in their doctrine as to what should be done
with the negro vote. Heretofore they had
been satisfied to assume and declare that the
negro vote belonged to the Republican party
and should be cast for Republican candi-
dates. But here they advanced step far
Their and asserted that the negro vote must be
cast for the Republican candidate, but not
for eoIored Republican. He referred to
the fact that the minority report complained
that while Turner, the colored independent
Republican candidate, did not receive 100
votes the returns had given him 2, 519 votes.
He then proceeded to speak in support of the
majority report.
Mr.. Rowell, of Illinois, briefly advocated
the minority report, and then the case went
over until tomorrow.
On motion of Mr.. Boutelle, of Maine, a
joint resolution was passed allowing Pay
master J. o. Barton, U. S. N, to accept from |
the emperor of Japan decoration of the or