The herald., 1894-05-10
Congress to Institute an In
vestigatiOn.
The House Labor Committee
FavOrs 1t.
Coxey and Other Leaders Before the
Committee.
Arguments In Favor of Legislation Tor
Good Roads and Non-Intsrest-
Bearing Bonds-Coxey's
Camp Nuisance.

BY the Associated Press
WASHINGTON, May 9.-After hearing
General Coxey today the house commit
tee on labor, by q vote OF to 2. decided
to report a resolution for joint investi-
CATION, by special committee OF the
senate and house, of the Coxey move
ment and the depressed condition of
labor. This decision was hailed with
satisfaction by Messrs. Coxey and
Browne and by number OF prominent
Populist and Farmers Alliance leaders,
including the president OF the alliance
and the chairman and secretary of the
Peoples party. The vote to report the
resolution was:
Yeas-Erdman of Pennsylvania, Wells
of Wisconsin, Ryan of New York, Tai
bert of South Carolina, Democrats; !;
Pence of Colorado, Populist; Phillips OF
Pennsylvania and Kiefer of Minnesota,
Republicans.
Nays-Dunn of New Jersey. Democrat,
and Apsley of Massachusetts.
Congressman McGann says the favor
able re port will be made tomorrow and
he will soon thereafter press for sua-
pension of the rules and the immediate
passage OF the resolution. Mr.. Dunn
says there will be minority report.
Coxey appeared before the house COM
mittee on labor today to speak on Rep
resentative McGsnu's resolution for the
appointment of joint committee to in
vestigate the causes OF the prevailing
industrial depression. He presented a
petition from the Commonweal army
that he and Browne be permitted to ad-
dress the committee on behalf of the
Coxey bill for the construction of good
roads and to issue non-interest bearing
bonds.
There are, he said, billions of dollars
worth of improvements throughout the
country to be made and millions of men
to make them. There is but one thing
in the way, and that ia the want Of
money. The passage OF his two bills
would set all men at work. He asked
for SO per cent of the people the came
privileges as are enjoyed by the national
bank class, who alone are represented
in congress.
Have you any showing to make, any
proofs of the assertion that you represent
SO per cent of the people?" asked Ryan
(Dem.) of New York.
"No," said Coxey, 81 don't claim
that"
J. E. Dean, q member OF the executive
committee Of the FarIners' Alliance, fol-
lowed with a recital OF the depressed
condition of labor.
Representative Dunn OF New Jersey
asked A1r. Dean:
''Do you believe the American people
have reached stage when they want
threats and coercion used against their
Legislatures by these moving bodies?"
mo-" said Mr.. Dean, "threats are not
intended"
''Then," said Mr.. Dunn. "what can
be accom- plished by these steps, equiva-
lent to coercion? ?"
"You have habit in congress-" said
Mr.. Dean, "of consigning petitions to
pigeonholes and wastebaskets. The OBJ
ject of Coxey was to present to you a
petition that would be seen and heard. ="
When the committee was about to 60
into secret session Mr.. Coxey said:
"We have thousands of petitions ii
we only have chance to present them.
"We will give you a committee" said
Chairman McGann, ito receive them" ="
Messrs. Coxey, Browne and their
friends then withdrew to let the COM
mittee consider the resolutions. With
Coxey and Browne were a group of Pop
ulists and Farmers Alliance leaders,
including Marion Butler, president OF
the National Farmers Alliance, Chair
man Taubeneck and Secretary Turner OF
the Peoples party executive committee
N. T. Dunning, editor of the Populiat
organ, and Representatives Pence, Boon
and KEN.
Representative Ikert (Dem.) today
introduced the following. which WAS re-
ferred to the committee on rules:
Whereas, in view OF the fact that
American citizens, however misguided
in the methods they may employ,
are reported as coming to Washington
in the belief that by so doing they may
be benefited, and
Whereas, The right Of petition is q
constitutional right that no one has as
sailed therefore,
Resolved, That special committee oi
five representatives, to include the
chairman of the committee on labor and
the chairman of the committee on bank
ing and currency, be appointed to hear
9he requests of the leaders, receive their
petitions and report as promptly as pos
sible, with such recommendations as
they may deem proper, either to the
committee on labor or to the committee
on banking and currency.
Representative McGann, chairman oi
the labor committee, predicts that q
turn in the tide of immigration is not
far off, and that when it comes it will
offer the solution to the depressed con-
dition of American labor now existing.
''The tide of immigration has been
steadily lowered in the United States for
years." said Mr.. McGann, until the
labor market OF Europe is being drained
SO that the commercial classes are awake
to the necessity of keeping their laborers
at home. Furthermore, the leading men
of Germany. France and Great Britain
place the labor question foremost among
the great national questions. while here
the public man who seeks to advocate
the cause of Labor ia set down as dema'
sgogue."