Morning journal and courier., 1889-01-24
Fiftieth Congressional Session
WASHINGTON, Jan. 23.

FlICl0Gn COngroSS-SeCOnQ SoSSIOn WASHINGTON. Jan. 23. SENATE.-After several bills of minor im- portance were disposed of MT. Frye asked unanimous consent that the special order (the Pacific railroad funding bilD should be given the precedence over other special orders. MT. Riddleberger asked whether that would in- terfere with the consideration of the British extradition treaty. MT. Frye said it would not. Mr. Mitchell asked MT. Frye whether there had been any consideration of or action on his amendment (relating to the Central Pacific company by the committee. MT. Frye replied that there had been considera- tion of 1t, but no final action on 1t. MT. Mitchell said he would not object if he were bill this week. MT. Frye gave him that as- surance.
 Mir. Hale gave notice that he would call up the census bill soon ss the Union Pacific bill was out of the way.
 No objection was made to Mir. Frye's re- quest and the Union Pacific funding bill was taken up and then laid aside as "the unfn- ished business"
 The District of Columbia appropriation bill was then taken up.
 Mir Vest offered an amendment requiring all street railway companies in Washington to cause their rails and road beds to be made level with the surface of the street on each
 
 obstruction to vehicles crossing the tracks.
 A long discussion followed and without disposing of the amendment the Senate pro- ceeded to executive business and at 5:25 p.m.- adjourned.
 HoUsE.-After some routine business Mir. Davis of Massachusetts offered an amend ment appropriating $15, 900 for the establish ment and maintenance of refuge station at or near Point Barrow, Alaska; adopted.
 .eT der against the clause of the bill providing that for the use of the steam presses in the bureau of engraving and printing royalty shall be paid not exceeding one cent per thousand impressions. The point having been overruled by the chair Mr. Landes moved to strike out the clause.
 MT. McAdoo of New Jersey said that our currency printed on the steam presses when compared with that of other nations looked simply disgraceful. It was 50 easily counter feited that it's use was simply tempting the criminal ingenuity of the world. He held up three notes, one of them counterfeit and the others printed on steam presses, and chal- lenged any member to distinguish between them.
 Mrr Long, of Mass, said that Chief Graves, one of the best officers in the public service had stated on his honor that the use of the steam presses had saved the government $102, ,000, year. Having the presses money should be appropriated to pay for their use. No more absurd proposition was ever made in an enlightened age than the proposition to abandon these steam presses.
 MT. Butterworth, of Ohio, said if it was true that the work of the steam presses was of an inferior character and could be easily counterfeited the presses should be promptly got rid of. But the superintendent of bureau denied this. The organization of the hand-plate printers had declared war upon fhoaa rnoobinna and ho1 dota hot they should go. If they ought to go on their Merits let them go, but if they ought not to go on their merits the fact that these gentle men desired them to go was not the slightest reason for putting them out. He had been told, he did not know what truth there was in it, that the men who worked on the steam presses were hissed and annoyed while going to and from work by the hand-printers. If this were true the Secretary of the Treasury and the superintendent of the bureau ought to be impeached for not vindicating the right of man to earn his bread. (Applause.) If he had been superintendent the man who had hissed would not have come into the bu reau if he could prevent it. This was still America. and his boy had right to work without asking the permission of any organ- ization of men. If he could not he (Mr. But.- ter worth) was in favor of revolution. (Ap- plause) He had been informed that as the steam paessmen went to work the dead
 
 was an unspeakable outrage committed with- in the shadow of the capitol. He (Mr. But terworth) wanted to put himself in this po- sition-that not by his vote should there be 8 change in the presses at the behest or dic- tstion of any combination, society or collec- ton of individuals. He believed in standing by the blacksmith, not because he was a blacksmith, but because he was man. He believed in standing by the carpenter, not because he was carpenter, but because he was @ man.
 A committee has been appointed by the House to look into the character of the work of the steam presses; and he was solieitous to know whether the witnesses testified as they would have testified had it Eot been for the reign of terror established in the bureau if such reign had been established.
 MT. Foran-By Mir. Graves, or by the meni Who has the right to dischargea
 Mr. Butterworth-We have pretty nearly reached condition of things in this country when nobody has the right to discharge Uaughter.) I recommend to the Knights of Labor to establish whipping post in front of the Capitol and lick about twenty five members of the House on the last Saturday in each month. Usughter.) hope that in Gods providence that the time will come when our manhood will assert itself and we will not sneak like poltroons, as have seen the House do over and over again at the dic-
 
 (Applause.) have compromised my man hood once or more. I hope that the next time do it shall be paralyzed where I stand. (Applause,) We have witnesses enough of the vassalage of the Senate and House and members of the government in various places.
 After lengthy dissertation on the labor subject MT. Blount of Georgia said that he was here not to do the bidding of the Knights of Labor, but to make an honest effort to do what was right. He was unwilling that the use of the steam presses should be continued, not because of any dictum from the Knights of Labor, but because he believed that the interests of the people were involved in the soundness of the currency that was to circu late among them.
 MT. Farquhsr offered an amendment that none of the money appropriated shall be used in the repair of the steam presses, and Mr. White of New York an amendment fix ing the royalty at $1 per thousand impress sions.
 Pending vote on any amendment the committee rose and the House at 4:45 ad- iourned