National Republican., 1888-06-07
EMPLOYING ALIEN LABOR
SENATOR'S VENTILtTE AN IN
TEREsTING QUESTION.
A ProTusion of Roses and Bandauas in
the House Democrats and Republi-
cans Applaud the News From st.
Loui,-Mr. Weaver and MIR. Funston.

Immediately after the reading of the jour.
nal yesterday the Senate, on motion Of Mr..
Sherman, proceeded to executive business
After few minutes the doors were re-
opened and the presiding officer laid before
the Senate message from the President re.
turning, without his approval, bill peu-
sioning widow on the ground that the
death of the husband (forwbich the pension
was allowed) had nothing to do with mill
tary service, but was the result of suicide.
On motion to refer the message and bill
TO the committee on pensions, Mr.. Blair re-
marked that these veto messages were uni
formly unjust, and that they might as well
be discussed at once, as they are neverre-
ported back.
MIR. Cockrell took issue with that state
ment, and remarked that the Legitimate
way to deal with such vetoes was to refer
thom to the committee, and for that com
mittec to report them back, when they could
he discussed and voted on on their merits.
The message and bill were referred TO the
committee on pensions.
The Senate then resumed consideration of
the diplomatic and consular appropriation
bill
Mr. Hale stated that the committee on
foreign relations had considered the propo-
stion Of Mr.. Call to fix the salary of the
minister resident to Paraguay and Uruguay
at $500, and had agreed to It. The bill
was therefore amended accordingly
On motion OF Mr.. SpOoner the consulate
at Prague Austria-llungary) was taken
from class . SALARY S2,0O0) and placed In
class 3 (salary $4,000. The bill was then
passed.
The Senate then proceeded to business on
the calendar, rcsuming consideration of the
House bill to prevent the employment of
alien labor upon public buildings or other
public works and in the various depart
ments of the government, the question be-
ing ON the amendment offered last Monday
by Mr.. Teller adding u clause requiring
public works to be constructed wholly OF
materials made and prepared within the
United States and bids and contracts to be
confined to citizens of the United States.
Mr.. Blair objected to- the amendment rs
calculated to retard the passage of the act.
Mr.. Teller insisted that If the bill was
right the amendment was right.
Mr.. liawley expressed the hope that the
Senate was aware of the nature of the bill.
lie regarded 1t as belonging to q narrow and
iliberal class of legislation.
1t shut out from employment all poor
men who had Just arrived from n foreign
country, and who were looking around for
the chance to earn dollar by carrying
hod or wheeling barrow,
Was IL possible (he asked) to imagine the
car Of Russia (often held up as the wick
eldest man going) adopting more severe
measures against an American stranded in
Russian The penalties provided in the bill
against contractor who happened to EN-.
ploy alien labor were out of proportion,
cruel, and unusual. He feared that the
committee on education and labor (Which
had reported the bill) had not given 1t that
consideration which 1t should have given IL.
Mr.. Blair, chairman of the committee on
education and labor, defended the bill. 1t
was not new proposition, he sail. A like
bill had passed both houses IN the last Con-
gress, hut had failed to get executive ap-
proval-probably from lack Of time. II
would work no hardship on bona flde immi-
grants, who could, Immediately on their
arrival, declare their intention to become
citizens.
Mr.. Vance remarked that II was very
important bill, embracing considerable
departure from the principles of both great
parties. lnasmuch as there was no quorum
present, he objected to further considera-
tion of the bill.
The bill was therefore laid aside and Mr..
Blair gave notice that he would call itup as
soon as possible.
On motion of Mr.. Morrill, the Senate bill
authorizing the purchase Of a site for the
accommodation of the Supreme Court of
the United States bounded by B street
north, First and Second streets east, and
East Capitol street, was taken up aud
passed, after the rejection Of an amendment
offered by Mr.. Stewart to strike out pro
vision that the prices paid shall not exceed
those at which the same lots have heretofore
been offered to the government.
On motion Of Mr.. Cameron, the Senate
bill IN relation TO cadets at the naval acad-
emy was passed. Ut provides that the
number of appointments from graduates Of
the naval academy to positions In the lower
grades Of the line and engineer corps Of the
| navy or the marine corps shall not he less
| than twenty IN each year-iifteen to the
| line, four to the engineer corps, and one to
| the marine corps, and that appointees shall
| be admitted to the academy only between
the ages of 16 and 81 years.) -......
| Among the other bills taken from the
! calendar and passed were the following:
Senate bill to incorporate the George
| town Barge, Dock, and Railway Company.
| Senate bill to incorporate the District OF
| Columbia Southern Railway Company.
All the pension bills on the calendar
ll6--5were passed, "a of them being House
| bills.
Among them were bills increasing the
| pensions of the widows of Maj. Gen. ThOs.
hllDy Smltn 10 so. OF MAI. Gel. 1lclnJZel-
man to 500; and Of Brig. Gen. Schimmel.
fenning to $50, and giving pension Of $5t
q month to the widow Of Commodore
| TruXton.
Mr.. Stewart gave notice that he would to
day move suspension of the rule agans
| general legislation In appropriation bills SC
as to allow him to offer an amendment tc
the legislative appropriation bill.
. The amendment proposes to allow an,
person to deposit at any United States min
or assay Office gold or silver bullion (no
less than ounces of gold or SO ounces o
silver) and demand and receive therefor
coin certificates to be legal tender. Por
| tions of the bullion so deposited are TO b,
coined from time TO time to supply coin 70
the redemption of such certificates, aud tn,
provision of the act Of Feb 2S, 1873, re
quiring the purchase of not less thar
$2,000,O00 worth of silver per month is TO b,
repealed. !:
The following bills were taken from th
calendar and passed:
Senate bill to provide for the disposition
of useless papers in the executive depart
ments.
Senate bill appropriating $l25,000 for
public building at Salt Lake City, Utah.
Senate bill to provide for two additiona
associate justices of the supreme court o
| Dakota.
House bill to authorize the construction
| of bridge across the Missouri river a
Omaha, Neb., with an amendment.
The Senate then, at $3.50, adjourned.