The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-01-16

- opoiiAC GHo Glfne because ne was not
6hen the organ of the House. The COM
mlttee on ways and means was the organ
VI Gne House. Whenever Mr.. Wilson spoke
III MS ofhclal capacity as chairman of the
G9IninlJtee he was the organ of the
mouse. He did not mean to say that lit
1ao Deen the universal custom, without
deviation, to pass amendments from one
sloe OF the House to another, but he did
say 1t was a custom almost up broken, to
pass from one side to the other in speak
ing, and in every, other way, under the
nve minute rule. He laid it down as a
principle that it was the duty of the
Chair to so alternate recognition as to do
justice on both sides The alienation
would seem to be the simplest and
lustest way.
Mr.. Snodgrass, Democrat of Tennessee,
suggested that the question might be
settled by the Chair without SO much
debate.
The gentleman, said Mr.. Reed, seems to
be more anxious for settlement than
for a just settlement.
Mr.. Wilson said he had no disposition
to prevent any member offering amend
ments and having them disposed of
When the Mckinley bill was before the
House, Mr.. Mckinley offered amend
mentS not authorized by the committee
on ways and means The chairman said
he had been asked by the gentleman
from West Virginia to recognize him,
and he had done SO.
asked privately or publicly?n queried
Mr.. Reed.
The Chairman" Privately, in the
ordinary manner.
Mr.. Reed Ito the Chairman)-"W Was the
gentleman from West Virginia on his
feet when the gentleman from Michigan
addressed the Chair?n
The Chairman-"The question of
recOOnifi0n rests IarUpIy- in tho r.
OF the Chair. The gentleman from West
Virginia informed the Chair that he had
certain amendments to offer which
would occupy but a short time. The
record of the proceedings when the Nc
klnley bill was under consideration,
shows that Mr.. Mckinley offered twent-
eight amendments before any one else
was recognized. Mr. Mckinley being in.
terrogated by the then minority as to
how many amendments he had in his
desk declined to state, and said he would
offer amendments until he got action on
all of them. In addition to that gentle
men representing the then majority
offered fourteen amendments and were
recognized for that purpose Demo
cratic applause.)
The Chair recognized the gentleman
from West Virginia, who offered an
amendment which was adopted to in
clude New Zealand hemp in the pro-
visions of the bill as to cables,
cordage and twine.
An amendment to insert on page SO,
paragraph 415, line 81, tie words land
sweat feathers, bindings, braids and tips
when cut in lengths for trimming felt or
wool hats" gave rise
To Heated Discussion,
in the course of which Mr.. DeForest,
Democrat of Connecticut, admitted that
it was suggested by him. He spoke of
the 1000 hatters in Danbury, Connecticut,
who had been shut out by their employers
under pretense that they were afraid of
the effects of the passage of the Wilson
bill. Nothing, he said could be more
false than that objection. The fact was
the suspension of operations in Danbury
by the hat manufacturers was due to a
persistent effort on their part to crush
out trades unions. That effort had been
carried on almost since the Mckinley
bill went into operation.
Mr.. Cochran, Democrat of New York,
asked Mr.. DeForest whether he meant to
maintain that the rate of wages depended
on trades unions or upon the law of
supply and demand.
Mr. Payne said: "You must first give
the manufacturer ability to pay the
wages demanded as condition
precedent"
"But will he do it," Mr.. Cochran asked
impetuously. will he do it if he can
YES" from the Republicans; @non
from the Democrats, amid great excite
ment.
"He will not do it of his own free willn
Mr.. Payne admitted, unless he is COM
PEELED to by trade unions The trades
unions will compel him." (The crowd in
the galleries cheered.)
MIR. Cochran" When trades unions
sought to maintain wages they were met
with bullets" (derisive hooting from
the Republicans They were met with
bullets" he repeated when he could make
himself heard, =" i'll the hands of hired
assassins in the protective interests"
"A Democratic governor" said Mr..
Boutelle "sent the militia theren
YES" Mr.. Cochran asserted, "A Demo-
erat sent an officer of the law to supplant
the volunteers of anarchy.n Demo
cratic applause
did they not carry bullets with
them?" Mr.. Boutelle asked.
They did," shouted Mr.. Cochran "but
they had no occasion to use them for
Democrats and all the people of this
country have shown their readiness to
submit to law just as they have sho wn
their. readiness to resist invasion, oppres-
sion and assassination at the hands of
oppressors,"
In the further course of the contro-
wersy, Mr.. Boutelle expressed satisfaction
at hearing the gentleman from New
York asserting the rights and dignity of
the House.
The gentleman from Maine," Mr..
Cochran rejoined "may always rely on
my assisting to maintain the rights,
dignity and principles of the House. The
gentleman must first show that he un-
dersJands them himself"
Il will show that tomorrow" replied
Mr.. Boutelle."
In reference to the Homestead trouble,
Mr.. Paine said, the proprletors thought
better to lose a few hundred thousand
dollars in a few months than to increase.
wages for long period which would per-
haps, destroy ability to pay any.
Now" said Mr.. Cochran with an air
of triumph "we have the statement in
full at last. Now it can go to the
country. We have then this statement,
1T is better to have spent hundreds of
thousands of dollars to settle the question
OF wages by reducing them than to distri-
butte that amount among the employees
But what Was the method of reduction?
Breaking down trades unions. What
principle of division of profits has been
used which enables the manufacturer to