People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1892-07-15

proaches and you want to play to Tho
galleries and to pretend friendship
for the workingmen, you bring in Z
resolution at this late hour, when the
shedding of blood might have beer
prevented had you acted in time.
Mr.. Speaker, thought the last bill
to which | have referred should have
gone to the Committee on Labor, and
when introduced it sought to have
it referred to the Committee on La
Dor; but it was faken out of my
hands and sent to the Committe on
the Judiciary, where it has slept the
sleep of the righteous and the dead
Now, [ am in favor of any sort OF
an investigation of this subject by a
committee. I have no pride of au-
thorship about it. The work ought
to be done. If you will do it on the
resolution of the gentleman from
Massachusetts, Mr., Williams in
Gods name, do it. If you will do it
upon the resolution of the gentleman
from California Mr.. Caminetti |, in
Gods name do it, for it is a piece of
work in regard to which Congress
ought to discharge its duty before it
adjourns. We are on the eve Of a
social outbreak. We are at the crisis
of our republican government. In a
few months it will be decided wheth-
er we have a government of law and
order, whether peace can be man.
tanned by the constituted authorities,
or whether each side will arm itself
with the deadliest weapons of de-
struction and fight out their griev-
ances. Gentlemen, in the name Of
patriotism and not of party, in the
name of humanity and principle and
not of policy, invoke at your hands
a speedy investigation Of this evil
and prompt suppression of it. Ap-
plause.
Mr.. Oates. Mr.. Speaker, in reply
to what has fallen from the gentle
man from Georgia Mr.. Watson,
will say that his resolution which he
sent to the Committee on the judi
ciary was referred to a sub committee
of which | am a member. The gen
tleman was afforded an opportunity
to appear before that sub committee
and furnish it with information upon
which it could act, and he failed to
do it.
Mr.. Watson. Did I not go there
twice?
Mr.. Oates. The resolution was re-
ported to the full committee, and the
gentleman from Georgia Mr.. Wat
son was invited to come before the
full committee for the same pur-
pose. He did come, and every mem
Der of the committee who was pres
ent knows that after he had made his
statement and had been catechized
there was no substantial thing of
which the gentleman was informed
or could give information upon which
the committee could act.
Mr.. Watson. Did not I try twice
to do it?
Mr. Oates. You came before the
committee. You were allowed to
appear there and make such state
ments as you thought proper to make.
Mr.. Watson. And you said that
the law did not authorize it, and your
committee fought it on the floor of
the House.
Mr.. Oates. And you could give
no information of any particular or
substantial character upon which the
committee could act.
Mr.. Watson. Have you subppnaed
any of the witnesses whose names |
gave you?
Mr.. Oates. I do not yield for any
question of that kind.
Mr.. Watson. 1t is pertinent
question.
Mr.. Oates. Twill answer the ques-
ton. [ have. You gave me the
names of the three persons; for one
of them a subpoena has been issued,
and he could not be found.
Mr.. Watson. Have you subpoena
ed the other two?
Mr.. Oates. | have not, but | ex-
pect to do SO.
Mr.. Watson. Why did you sub
poena the one you could not reach,
and not attempt to subpoena the two
whose residences | gave you?
Mr.. Oates. | did not know he
could not be reached. You gave me
his residence in this city; I sent for
him, and he could not be found at
that address.
Mr.. Watson. Did not give you
the name of Mr.. Powderly, of Scran-
ton, Pa?
Mr.. Oates. Yes, sir.
Mr.. Watson. Did not give you
his street number?
Mr.. Oates. | know we could not
get Mr.. Powderly while he was in
opo+bor mort of tho cOI1n+rv