Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-05-23
CONGRESSIONAL:
The Bill far The Establishment u q
Department OF Agriculture
Passes the Senate.
A Veto Sent In BY the Prssident-fhs Com
mitses on Labor Occupies the
Time OF the House.
Efffieth Congress,
THE SENATE,

L
Ifftieth Congress.
THE SENATE.
| WASHINGTON, May 22.-The Senate has
decided by vote OF &c to % not to con-
slider the fishery treaty in open session
The division was drawn in strictly party
lines, except in the case Of Mr. Hale, who
voted with the. Democrats adversely on
Mr.. Riddleberget's resolution.
Upon the announcement of the result
the body ct once went into Legislative
session. No time has yet been fixed fol
taking up the treaty.
| The doors were reopened at 2 O'Clock,
when the Senate proceeded to conslders-
ton Of unfinished business, being House
bill to establish department OF
labor and Mr.. Reagan addressed the
Senate in opposition. His speech was
brief and at its conclusion he moved as q
substitute bill creating department Of
industry.
Ca vote by yeas and nays on the sub.
stitute there were 8 yeas and 10 nays,
less than quorum, and then Mr.. Reagan
| withdrew the substitute. The bill then
passed. A conference committee was
ordered, and Senators Blair, Wilson Cl
Iowa and George were appointed con-
ferees on the part of the Senate.
The bill provides for q department OF
labor, the general design and duties OF
which shall be 10 acquire aHd diftuse
AMONG the people of the United States
useful information on subjects con
nected with labor in the most
general and comprehensive sense,
and especially upon its relation
capital, hours Of labor, earnings
of lsboring men and women, and the
means of promoting their material, in
tellectual and moral prosperity. The
personnel is to consist Of Q commissioner
TO be appointed by the President, ny and
with the advice and consent Of the Senate,
who is to hold office for four years and
to receive salary of $1,000; chief clerk,
ssenographer, and various minor clerks,
copyists and messengers.
message from the President, return
ing without his approval the Senate bill
for the relief of L. j. Warden, was laid
before the Senate. The bill directs an
allowance of $3.50 to Mt. Warden, fe-
Gently postmaster at Lawrence, K,n.. for
extra clerk hire from June l, 1882, to
June 8, 1883. The grounds for the veto
are allowances to postmasters for clerk
hire are fixed by the Posto fl ;e Department;
that in this case $500 Was allowed, that
applications for additional allowance
were declined, that the expenses were
therefore incurred at the Postmaster's
own risk, and that the passage Of special
acts in such cases would have 8 danger.
Gus tendency to encourage postmasters
to substitute their own judgment for that
of the department and to relax whole
some discipline.
Mr. Hoar remarked that the communi.
cation raised 8 very important constitu-
tiopal question to which the Senate
ehould give its careful consideration.
He therefore moved It's reference to the
committee on privileges and elections.
Agreed to.
A conference was ordered On the pen
sion appropriation bill and Senators Alli-
son, Dawes and German were appointed.
The bill to authorize the construction
of q railrosd bridge at Fort Smith, Ark I,
was reported and plsced on the cslsnder.
Several bills were taken from the Cal n
der and passed, among them the nate
bill to amend the law making an annual
appropriation to provide arms and equip
ments for the militia Increasing the
amount TO $500 900.
Senate then adjourned.
TRE HOUSE.
WASHINGTON, Msy 22.-The floor was
accorded to the committee on labor, and
Mr.. O'Neill of Missouri, chairman OF that
committee, called up the bill to confne
the sales of the products OF convict labor
| to the state in which they are PRODUCES
! Mr. O'Neill endeevored to have an ar.
rangement executed whereby the DEBATE
on the bill should be limited to two hoeEGs
but opposition was made on the GROUND
that the principle involved in the bill was
too indefinite to be established with0ut
full discussion and consideration. Tbs
majority and minority reports were reed
at length. Mr.. O'Neill explained that the
measure originated In a'visit to this city
Of the manufacturers of New York, Brook
| Ign Jersey City 2 ,iladelphia and other cit
les who appeared before the committee and
pictured the absolute ruin that stared them
| in the fsce from the competition OF con-
vict labor. Ooe industry after another
was hurt By this convict labar system,
and in each the industry WAS obliged to
lower the rate of wages or 60 out OF
business. The men who are paying 81
and 81 80 per day to employees
found themselves face to face
with competition with labor paid
only cents an hour. The labor orgsni-
z,tions Of the country, through their rep
resentatives, had urged upon the com.
mittee the necessity for the passage OF
4 the bill. The tariff question sank into
| insignincance when 1t WAS realized that
there wss cancer ut home eating the
heart out of every trade and industry.
A general and lengthy discussion fol
lowed, in which the constitutionality OF
the bill was attacked, and other weak
| features were shown up.
Mr. Butterworth and Mr.. Reed urged
the postpouement of the bill to sford an
opportunity for future consideration and
correction.
Mr. O'Neill asked consent to postpone
the bill until next Saturday, but objec.
ton was mad and Mr.. Dodge of Massa-
chusetts addressed the House in support
Of the bill.
Mr.. Csruth of Kentucky held that the
courts should be allowed to decide the
point of urconstitutionality raised about
the bill. It was the duty Of the peoples
representatives to protect their people
1 os IN at tho cnmnefifinn nf convict lahor