The morning call., 1895-02-27
AN IMPORTANT LAW FOR LABOR
Is PASSED BY THE
HOUSE.
ECHOES OF THE BIG STRIKE.
FITHIAN OF ILLINOIS TAKES OCcA-
SION TO COMPLAIN OF CLEvE-
LANDS ACTION.

w ASHlNGTON, rep. ZO.-lne house met
at IL o'clock to-day. Henderson CD of
North Carolina, chairman of the Commit
tee on Postoffices and Post Roads, imme-
diately called up the conference report
on the postotfice 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 that clerks heretofore ap-
pointed should not be required to change
their residence, was the only question in
dispute between the two houses. The
amendment was designed to destroy the
effect of general order No $40, issued by
the Postmaster-General,r requiring clerks
to live on the line of their routes. When
the order was issued some 1900 clerks lived
off their lines. Since then 500 have
changed their residence.
Henderson had read letter from the
Postmaster General protesting against the
Senate amendment. But it was evident
the amendment would occasion some de-
bate. Henderson withdrew the conference
report in order to give Catchings an oppor-
tunity to present the special order. giving
to-day until o'clock to the Committee on
Labor and tomorrow to the Committee on
Public Buildings and Grounds. The spe-
clal order was adopted without DIVISION
and Mccain of the Labor Commission
called up the national arbitration bill, en-
titled GA bill concerning carriers engaged
in interstate commerce and their en-
ployes."
The purpose of the bill is to provide a
board of Cancellation consisting of the
Commissioner of Labor and the Chairman
OF the Interstate Commerce Commission,
whose duty it should be, when contro-
versy concerning wages, hours of labor, or
conditions of employment arose between
carrier under this act and the employees of
such carrier, seriously interrupting or
threatening to interrupt the business of
said carriers, to put themselves in COM
munication with the parties to such con-
troversy, and use their best efforts,
by mediation and Cancellation, to amicably
settle the same, and if such efforts should
be unsuccessful they shall at once endeavor
to bring about an arbitration of said con-
troversy by submitting the same to
board consisting of three persons, one to
be chosen by the employees. one by the
employer, and those two selecting the
third.
Erdman 3D. of Pennsylvania explained
the provisions of the bill, which, he said
was originally drawn by the Attorney
General, and being carefully considered
and perfected by the Committee on Labor
to-day had the support of all the chiefs of
labor organizations involved and of the
Commissioner OF Labor.
''Does the bill provide for compulsory
arbitration?" asked Simpson.
"By no MEANS" replied Erdman. "The
railroads favor it. The laboring men have
considered it in all its phases and their
representatives are here to-day anxiously
urging it. The bill has behind it the unan-
imous support of our committee"
when difference is submitted to arbi-
tration under the provisions of this bill 4"
interrupted Dingley, land the arbitrators
render decision, how is it to be enforced"
1.-The DEGREES are to be enforced by the
courts, % replied Erdman.
1.-THE courts can enforce a decree or
award as againsta railroad company which
owns property" suggested Dingley, "but
how can they enforce it as against en-
ployes?"
1.-The employees are to be treated as far as
possible as incorporated bodies" re-
sponded Erdman.
McLeary (R.) of Minnesota called atten-
ton to the section of the bill which pro-
vlded that all labor organizations claiming
benefits under it should have in their arti
Giles OF incorporation a clause providing
that members should forfeit their member
ships if they failed to comply with an
arbitration reward.
Fithian CD of Illinois took occasion to
make bitter speech denouncing the ac-
ton of the President in sending troops to
Chicago last year to suppress the strike.
He declared Cleveland's action was uncon.
stitutional, and that when the full facts
were known Governor Altgeld's position
would be commended everywhere.
II predict, said he, "the name of Alt
geld will live in history as one in the great
crisis in the events of our common country
who stood for lawful and constitutional
government, against government by in
junction, government by force and gov
eminent i'll violation of the law, which is
anarchy of the worst and most violent
sort
Speeches favoring the bill were made by
Ikert CD of Ohio, Henderson (R.) of Iowa
and Dunn CD of New Jersey. On motion
of Tawney (R.) of Minnesota an amend
ment was adopted in the shape of a pro-
viso to the effect that no employee should
be punished for failure to comply with an
arbitration award as by contempt of court.
Several other and unimportant amend
ments, together with those offered by the
committee, were agreed to and without di :.
vision the bill was passed.
Mccain then called up the joint resolu-
ton to raise the rate of wages of printers
and bookbinders in the Government print
ing Office from 40 cents to so cents per
hour. After some debate the bill was with
drawn.
A bill was passed for the publication of
the bulletins of the Department of Labor,
The remainder of the day was devoted to
eulogies on the life and public services of
the late Sydney Post of Illinois.
VETOED BY THE PRESIDENT.
.JoL9x P,xf,lOf,a'S D0uULte,. Not IN Ee~as,a -