The Washington times., 1903-01-16
DEBATE ON COMMERCE
DEPARTMENT IN HOUSE
Opposition Based on Labor
Department.

The bill creating new department
to be known as the Department of Com
merce, with a representative in the
Presidents Cabinet, and in which there
has been much local interest owing to
the fact that if enacted a new Govern
ment building viii in all probability be
erected in Washington, was debated with
much spirit in the House yesterday at
ternoon. The opposition to the bill was
based almost entirely upon the provis-
ion placing the Department Of Labor IN
der the jurisdiction Of the proposed
Commerce Department.
The measure was called up in the
House under a special rule making it the
continuing order until disposed Of, not
TO interfere with appropriation bills or
other privileged measures. It was taken
up in the Committee OF the Whole
The principal argument advanced by
members Of the Democratic side Of the
House against the bill was that the com
merciaI interests Of the new department
would override those Of labor, should the
Department of Labor be incorporated
under It. and the Commerce Department
would merely represent eapitaustic en-
terDrise
Mr. Mann (Rep., I'D, who had charge
Of the measure in the House Committee
on Commerce, made the opening argu-
ment in support Of the bill, it having
been arranged that Mr. Hepburn REP.
Iowa., chairman Of the committee, and
Mr.. Richardson Dem, Ala should con-
troll the time for debate for and against
the measure.
Mr.. Mann made an urgent plea for the
passage Of the bill on the ground that
1t was demanded by the business inter
ests Of the country al large and would
be Of great assistance to the merchants
and commercial men Of the United
States in extending trade to foreign
countries He explained in detail the
bureaus which the bill transfers under
the new department and urged the crea-
ton Of a new bureau OF insurance and
corporations as provided in the measure.
MI Richardson of Alabama. who led
the opposition, argued against the bill
principally on the ground that the inter
ests and welfare of the Iaboring classes
would rot be subserved by the transfer
Of the Department OF Labor The labor
organizations. he said opposed the
transfer, and the minor position the bu-
reau would occupy in the proposed de-
partment would create suspicion. Everv
thing indicated, he maintained, that the I
interests and care of labor would be
subordinate to those Of commerce and
capital
Mr. Richardson also attacked the
measure. on the ground that IL did moi
fulfill the pledges Of the Republican /
party as made In its platform to give
labor representative in the Cabinet 1
Labor, he declared, did not want rem /
Tesentatiye IN the Cabinet who should at /
the same time represent capital. but /
asked for a representative for labor in
tefests, pure and simple
Mr. Adamson Of Georgia, Mr. Corliss /
OF Michigan, and Mr.. Scott of Kansas.
spoke IN favor Of the bill, and Messrs. /
Gaines Of Tennessee, Davis of Florida.
CLAYTON Of Alabama, Shackieford Of Mis-
souri,, Cochran of Missouri and Wooten
of Texas, opposed its passage.
Mr.. Hepburn of Iowa closed the gen
eral debate. He denied the ASSUMPTION
that the head of the new department
would be hostile to labor. On the con-
tTary, he contended, by the giving of
the head of the Department of Commerce
and Labor a place in the Cabinet the
Bureau Of Labor would be elevated and
dignifed.
Shortly after o'clock the House be-
gan the reading OF the bill when the
Committee Of the Whole arose. and the +
House adjourned.