Morning journal and courier., 1888-03-22
Fiftieth Congress--First Session
WASHINGTON. March 81.

WASHINGTON, March 81.
SENATE.-The bill providing for an in
spection of meats for expectation and prohib-
iting the importation of adulterated articles
of food or drink was taken up. Mr.. Evarts
offered an amendment, which was adopted,
allowing the inspec ion of meats at places
of packing. The bill was then passed.
Public bills passed were the following: To
allow soldiers and sailors who have lost both
hands pension of 500 month; the House
bill to amend the laws relating to navigation
as TO fees of shipping commissioners, the ex-
penses of discharged seamen, etc.; the House
bill to facilitate the prosecution of works
projected for the impro vement of rivers and
harbors with amendments on which cons
ference committee was ordered and Senators
Dolph, Frye and Vest were appointed.
The bill allowing pension of $25 month
TO women enrolled during the war as army
nurses and who rendered six months service
having been reached the report was read, in
which it was stated that the benefciaries I'M
der it would not average more than six or
eight to each State.
Mr. Beck called for the yeas and nays, re-
marking of course that this bill, like all pen
sion bills, would pass. 1t would apply to
every eolored woman who had cooked for SOL
diers during six months, and, according to
the report just read, such women were emit
titled ''Roman matrons."
Mr.. Edmunds did not see on what princi-
pie the bill went. The association of nurses,
whose memorial has been read, had not asked
for it. They only asked apparently to be
placed on the footing of soldiers who had
been disabled in the service. No pensions
were yet given to soldiers disabled,
and as friend of women's rights he did not
believe in making such an invidious distinc-
ton.
Mr.. Blair, who had reported the bill from
the committee on pensions, said it had been
prepared by the National Relief board Of
women-an association connected with the
G. A. R.; that it had been endorsed by the
g. A. R.; that it had been introduced and re-
ferred to the committee on pensions and re-
ported to the Senate from that committee.
The association of army nurses, he said, reps
resented about one hun dred and fifty mem.
bers.
Mr.. Beck inquired where the enrolment of
nurses was to be found.
Mr.. Blair supposed that it was to be found
in the War department..
Mr. Beck objected to the further consi der
alton of the bill and hoped the committee on
pensions would at least do the Senate the JUS
tice to call on the Secretary of War for the
number of enrolled female nurses during the
war so the Senate might know within at
least million of dollars what the bill was
to take out of the treasury.
The bill under objection went over.
The House bill to divide the great Sioux
Indian reservation into separate smaller res
ervations was passed with a substitute, being
the Senate bill to ''divide portion of the
reservation of the Sioux nation of Indians in
Dakota into separate reservations and to
secure the REIMBURSEMENT of the Indian title
to the remainder"
Mr.. Spooner, from the committee on pub
lie buildings and grounds, reported bills ap-
propriating $50, 200 for public building at
Pawtuoket, r. l., and 81 60, 900 for public
building at Bridgeport, Conn; calendar.
Mr. Frye, from the committee en- foreign
relations, reported back the House bill au.
thorizing the President to arrange CONFER
enee fer the purpose of promoting arbitration
and encouraging reciprocal commercial rela-
tions between the United States and Mexico,
Central and South America and Brazil; call
endar.
The Senate adjourned at $40.
HousE.-Bills were passed to prevent the
product of convict labor from being furnish
ed to or for the use of any department of the
government and from being used in public
buildings or other public works and to pre-
vent the employment of alien labor on public
buildings and other public works and in the
various departments of the government.
The House then went into committee on
the bill to establish a department Of labor.
A long and at tiaes exciting debate followed.
Mr.. Buchanan, of New Jersey, moved to
strike out the clause charging the commits
sioner to ascertain the cost of producing
| articles at the time dutiable in the United
| States in leading countries where such articles
| are produced by fully specified units of pro-
| duetion and under classification showing
| the different elements of cost of such articles
| of production. The motion to strike out was
defeated.
Mr. Randall offered an amendment, which
was adopted, extending the inquiry to be
made by the commissioner of labor to the
amount of wages paid in various industries
| A number of other amendments extending
the scope of the inquiry were also adopted sc
as to include Information as to whether AMI
convict-made goods are imported into this
country and from what countries; the profits