The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1891-02-08

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7.-[Speciall-
The House bill for adjustment of &C.
counts under the eight-hour law was
taken up in the Senate to-day. After sew
eral notifications Mr.. Blair's amend
ment offered yesterday was withdrawn in
favor OF Mr.. Dawes. Mr.. Carlisle
asked Mr.. Dawes what he meant by
the provision in his amendment apply
ing to piece work as we'll as to work
by tho day. Mr.. Dawes confessed that
he could not very we'll explain why it
should apply to piece work; but he had
found tn Vt in the House bill and had
simply adopted it. Mr.. Dawes further
modified his amendment on suggestion
OF MIR. Dolph, by adding to it pro-
vision that payment shall be made di-
rectly to the claimant or to his legal
representative, he also struck out refer
ences to piece work.
Mr.. Harris said that the bill could
not possibly DO put in any shape that he
could entertain the idea of supporting
higher in dignity than tho claim of a
highway robber who thought he
possessed the power to seize n mans
purse.
Mr.. Cockrell made an argument
against the bill which had been held, he
said, in terror over the Senate and
House. No greater wrong had ever
been attempted to be imposed on n
legislative body in the name of toiling
millions 1t was not bill for tho great
mass Of those who toiled by day and by
night, but was n bill for the benefit OF a
select, favored and aristocratic govern
mental class.
In the course Of his speech Mr.. Cock
rell ridiculed the assumption that men
who worked ten hours q day were under
duress-that they were forced to do it.
Poor, deluded creatures, "he exclaimed,
they come here and plead the baby
act, and ask that they shall be paid
twenty-five per cent. more for their
work than other men get for like work
at the same time. There is no justice.
no right, no equity, no honesty in these
pretended claims. They are not claims,
They do not rise to the dignity of
| claims. In the name of the tax PAYERS,
in the name of the farmers and laborcrs
OF tho country, l protest against this
bill of legalized robbery which takes
| from three to thirty millions out OF their
pockets for the benefit of class of 49,
600 favored Government workmen."
After long debate. in course of which
III was asserted ana denied with equal
! positiveness, that its effect would be to
kill the bill, Mr.. Morrill, moved to add
to the substitute an appropriation OF six
million dollars-although he had no
doubt, ho said, that it would cost good
deal more than that. lie did not want
to conceal what the Senate was doing in
passing the bill. Mr.. German said that
after the adoption of Mr.. Cockrell's
amendment there was no necessity for
making any appropriation, as nothing
would be expended under it. Tho
Morrill, amendment was agreed to with
ont division.
The question being on the passage of
the bill, statements were made by sew
cral Senators rs to the reasons for their
votes Mr.. Wolcott fancied that all
Senators had the Same quality Of SYM
pathy with laboring men, and thought.
that it was about time to have some
| sympathy with the Government. Tho
| bill was an absurdity, and he moved
that it be recommitted to the commit
tee on education. The motion was
agreed to-yeas, 81; nays, "a. Pending
action on motion to lay motion for
reconsideration on the table the death
of Mr.. Phelan, of Tennessee, was an
nounced, and as n mark of respect the
Senate adjourned.