Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-03-06


reported.
Mr.. Plat argued that the bill reported
by Mr.. Reagan should be referred to the
Interstate Committee. He would feel
anxious either to have that committee,
OF which he was member. discharged
from further consideration of the subject,
or let it have its untrammelled and I'M
embarrassed consideration. He pre-
sumed the bill reported was not a bill in
the interest of the postal service, but in
the interest of commerce.
Mr.. Beck thought it hardly fair
thing to take control OF the bill from the
Post-O Office Committee and give it to the
Interstate Committee. The Senate
ought certainly to have chance to see
the bill on the calendar, and then if the
Senate thought it should be sent to the
Committee on Interstate Commerce
that might be done hereafter. The dis
cussion was further continued by Sena-
tors Cullom, Chace, Blair, Reagan,
Salisbury, Hoar. and German.
Mr.. Reagan said the Post-Ofice Com
mittee. in order to avoid a dangerous ex-
pertinent. had preferred to report the
bill regulating telegraphy-the transmits
sion of news. The purport OF the bill
was to provide means OF regulating rates
for the transmission of intelligence. The
object of The committee had been to
frame bill that would not do injustice
TO the telegraph companies but leave
them secure in their rights, while at the
same time it would secure the people
against improper discrimination and I'M
just charges.
Mr.. German expressed his regret that
the Post Office Committee had not con-
fined itself to the subject referred to
that OF establishing postal-telegraph
system. Rapid transmission OF Intelll-
gence was now in the hands OF single
corporation, which had wiped out all
competition heretofore attempted. And
yet that great question referred to the
Post-Ofice Committee had been set
aside and the bill to regulate telegraphy
with which the Post-Office Committee
had nothing to do) substituted for 1t.
The Post Office Committee had gone be-
yond anything referred to it, and ne
therefore hoped that the bill would be
sent to the Committee on Interstate
Commerce.
Mr.. Cullom consented to withdraw his
motion to refer the bill to the Commit
tee on Interstate Commerce and to have
the bill and reports laid on the table at
present.
The Senate passed House concurrent
resolution directing the Secretary OF the
Navy to designate a national vessel OF
war to convey the remains of ex-Presi-
dent Paez, of Venezuela, from the port
of New York to the port of Laguayra,
and it was passed.
Mr.. Colquitt gave notice that he would
on Thursday next submit remarks on the
motion to refer the Presidents message.
The unfinished business (pension bll)
was laid aside and the urgent deficiency
appropriation bill was taken up for con-
sideratiOn.
A great many amendments recon-
mended by the Senate Committee on
Appropriations were agreed to, nearly
as many striking items from the bill as
adding to it, but the majority of them
involving small amounts.
The amendment to strike out the fol-
lowing paragraph. "And the Public
Printer is hereby directed TO ri9idly en-
force the provisions of the eight-hour
law in the department under his (the
Public Printer'sD charge" having been
reached, Mr.. Hoar 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 employed there
working by the piece who desired to
work more than eight hours who pre-
ferred to work twelve hours, and the
adoption of the item might be construed
to make these men 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 provision was to
introduce one hundred and fifty new, I'M
tried men in the Public Printing-Ofice.
Arguments against striking out the
provision were made by Messrs. Hoar,
Teller, and Blair, the former stating that
to strike it out would be an indication
that the Senate was Indifferent to the
subject or that it did not favor the eight
hour law
Mr.. Reagan argued that the Committee
on Appropriations was right in recon-
mending the provision to be struck out
If it meant anything it meant that
the Public Printer should suspend all
work at the end of eight hours each
day. If he did so, large number of
employees would have to suspend work
to their great injury and to the injury
OF the service. This was one of those
extraordinary things which Congress
was liable to do under the sort of pres
sure which could not be, it seemed,
resisted in either branch of Congress.
Mr.. Evarts said he WAS not disposed to
prevent the insertion of the clause if the
Senate desired it. He only wished to
know on what grounds the Senate de-
sired it. 1t did not belong to Congress,
he said.
Mr.. Hawley said that having been at
rest during most of the discussion be
would like to have it distinctly under
stood that the purpose of the provision
was to forbid a man working in the Pub
lie Printing Office to work 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
one solitary word of complaint
from any one employed in the
Printing Office concerning the enforce
ment or non-enforcement of the eight
hour law. If the provision had any
meaning whatever it was an attempt to
forbid man to work more than eight
hours, and therefore in behalf of the
workingmen ne protested against 1t. 1t
seemed to him piece of demagogism,
and nothing else. 1t was an interference
with the natural right of workingmen,
and workingmen who advocated such a
proposition were unwittipgly advancing