Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1895-03-08

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UNANIMOUS COMMITTEES sUPPoH1
1t Provides for : Board Of ConciIiatson
to setsis the Ninerenoss Between
Common Cexftess and the Men unsass'
Their Employ.
WASHINGTON, February 2S.-The house
met at IL o'clock to-day. Henderson OF
North Carolina, chairman of the COM
mittee on postoffices and postroads,
| called up the conference report on the
postoffice appropriation bill, much to
the disappointment of the members who
were clamoring for unanimous consent
to consider bills.
The senate amendment providing that
hereafter mail clerks should live some
where along the route to which they are
assigned, but clerks heretofore appointed
should not be required to change their
residence, was the only question in dis
pute between the two houses. The
amendment was designed to destroy the
effect of general order No. $40, issued by
the postmaster-general requiring clerks
to live on the line of their routes. When
the order was issued some 1900 clerks
lived off their lines. Since then 800
have changed their residence.
Henderson had read letter from the
postmaster-general protesting against
the senate amendment. But as it was
evident the amendment would occasion
some debate, Henderson withdrew the
conf@snce report in order to give Catch
ings an opportunity to present the spe-
cial order giving to-day until O'Clock
to the committee on labor and to-mor-
row to the committee on public build
ings and grounds. The special order
was adopted without division, and Nc
Gam, of the labor commission, called
up the national arbitration bill, entitled
"a bill concerning carriers engaged in
the interstate commerce and their en-
ployes."
The purpose of the bill is to provide q
board of Cancellation consisting of the
commissioner of labor and the chairman
of the Interstate commerce commission,
whose duty it shall be when a contro-
versey concerning wages, hours of labor
or conditions of employment arose be-
tween a carrier under this act and the
employees of such carrier, seriously in
terrupting or threatening to interrupt
the business of said carrier, to put them
selves in communication with the parties
to such controversy and use their best
efforts, by mediation and Cancellation,
30 loo 10 nd
efforts should be unsuccessful, to at once
endeavor to bring about an arbitration
of said controversy by submitting the
some to board consisting of three per-
sons, one to be chosen by the employees,
one by the employer and these two &C.
Letting third.
Erdman of Pennsylvania explained
the provisions of the bill, which he said
we're originally drawn by the attorney
general, and being carefully considered
Ind perfected by the committee on la
Dor. day had the support OF all the
chiefs of labor organizations involved
and of the commissioner of labor.
''Does the bill provide a compulsory
arbitration" asked Simpson.
"By no MEANS" replied Erdman.
"The railroads favor it. The laboring
men have adopted it in all its phases,
and their representatives are here to-
day urging it. The bill has behind it
the unanimous support of our commit
tee."
''When a difference is submitted to
arbitration under the provisions of this
BILL" interrupted Dingley, land the ar
bitrators render decision, how is to be
enforced?"
"The DEGREES are to be enforced by the
COURTS" replied Erdman.
"The courts can enforce a decree or
awards against a railroad company"
suggested Dingley, "but how can it en-
force it against employes"
"The employees are to be treated as
lar as possible as incorporated bodies,"
replied Erdman.
McLeary of Minnesota called attention
to the section of the bill which provided
that all labor organizations claiming
rights under it should have in their ar
ticles of Incorporation clause providing
that members should forfeit their MEM
berships if they failed to comply with
an arbitration award.
Fithian took occasion to make bitter
speech denouncing the action of the
president In sending troops to Chicago
last year to suppress the strike. He de-
clared Mr.. Cleveland's act was unconsti-
tutional, and that when the full facts
were known, Governor Altgeld's posi-.
ton would be commended everywhere.
~ predict" said he, ''the name of
Altgeld will live in history as one who
In the great crisis in the events of our
common country stood for lawful and
government by injunction,
government by force and government in
of the law, which is anarchy
Of the worst and most violent kind"
Speeches favoring the bill were made
by lkert, Henderson and Dunn.
On motion Of Tawney an amendment
was adopted In the shape of proviso to
The effect that no employee should be
punished for failure to comply with an
arbitration award, as by contempt of
,ourt. Several other unimportaut
together with three offered
~ the committee, were agreed to with
'ut division, and the bill was passed.