The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-02-10
Senate Passes BiII in Sgjs+sr
 MI. Pattg'..Ss'
THE JAW HASTEN FRIENDS
Senators of Both Parties Contend That Conditions on the Isthmus Make 1t lmpracticahe to En-
 force It There.

| Washington. February 9.-Almost the entire session of the Senate today was devoted to the consideration of the urgent detinciency appro prlation bill, which was passed practically as it was reported from the committee on appropriations.
 The only discussion in connection with the bill was over an amendment suggest ed by Mir. Patterson to strike out the provision relieving alien workmen on the canal from the operations of the eight hour day law
 MT. Patterson contended that to re- quire men to labor more than eight hours day in the tropics was inhuman, and argued that the requirements would do injustice to American labor Several sen ators on both sides of the chamber con- troverted the position.
 The amendment was voted down with out resorting 10 a roll call
 At the beginning of todays session Mir Blackburn presented an amendment to the statehood bill directing the method of proceeding in Arizona and New Mexi- co on the question of administration. It directs that within thirty days after the approval of the statehood bill the gov ernors of the two territories shall re- | sepctfully call elections, for submitting the question of joint statehood to the voters of the two proposed states separ- ately, and that the union shall not be con summated unless a majority of the votes in each territory are cast In the affirm ative.
 Patterson Wants Elght-Hour Law
 The urgency deficiency appropriation bill was laid before the Senate and read at length When the reading of the bill had been concluded, Mr Patterson moved to striSe out the provision removing the time limitation from the requirements in the employment of alien laborers on the Panama canal. He spoke in support of the amendment, contending that the in- evitable effect would be to entirely elim- mate the possibility of employing Amer ican labor on the canal. He said with the time limitation removed from one class of labor on the canal others to whom the limitation did apply would not be em- ployed He thought that with improved i number of negro citizens of this country could find profitable employment there if the eight hour law was enforced He also thought that many American me- chanlcs would find employment In the canal zone.
 Mir. Hale said that it had been impos- sble to get American negroes to go to Panama to work.
 Brings Cheaper Labor.
 Proceeding Mir Patterson contended that if the provision was allowed to remain the result would inevitably be to bring the cheapest labor to the isthmus and he contended that the example was not a good one There was, he said. especial danger i'm case the digging of the canal was done under contract as was probable it would be.
 That the canal work cannot be done and that the enterprise must end in failure if alien labor cannot be employed on the canal Mir. Hale said was the general concensus of opinion. He said the 1 authorities in the canal work had been most anxious on this point-that indeed 1t was the crucial point In connection with the canal enterprise. "l suppose this problem has kept the President, the Sec retary of War and others awake more than all others connected with the canal v ha said He expressed the opinion that only the natives of the island Of the Snanish main, such as Jamaica, could be depended on to do the work. This labor, he said. was entirely different from our own American labor. They knew nothing | of the eight hour system.
 Mir Morgan corroborated the statement of MT. Hale, saying that the testimony | taken by the interoceanic canal commit tee s1Ipported this view. He hoped the amendment would not prevail. If he want ed to defeat the canal work, he would exclude alien labor from the canal.
 MT. Money also opposed the amend | mont He did not believe that there would he any American labor there. They won't live more than eight hours after ar rlval' he said when they turn l ing up a million germs with every spade full of earth.
 Work there. he said. means death.
 sIauohter H ouse for Aliens.
 "Ehat 1t all means In plain brutal English Is that there is being prepared on the isthmus a slaughter house for aliens. and that the canal is to be built at A fearful cost, not only of money, hut of life," responded Mir. Patterson In perssting in pressing the aihehon'eh' unon the Senate
 Nr Gallinger called attention to the sta+euent of the canal officials that sanl- tarv conditions on the isthmus were much improved and MT. Patterson replied that these statements did not correspond with inc testimony given by senators. He found in the bad sanitary condition along tha line of the canal the strongest req con for A limit on the time of labor.
 Mir Tlllman also took issue with MT Patterson. saying that when the Colorado senator makes an appeal for alien labor be would tbetter look little closer home as it is reported il Is the Amer ican laborer who in the end must pay fo. inc building of the canal.
 Nr Patterson replied that 1t was quite nrobabIe the work would be done un- der contract. rendering governmental in- l terference all the more difficult
 He added that if one half that was nronjsed In the way Of sanitation on the inc of the canal Is to be realized, many Americans would seek work there. He withdrew the amendment he had offer cd and offered another fixing the limit of a days labor on canal work at ten hours. instead of eight:
 Mir. simmons said that the testimony | ---~~~-~--~--- ~~~~---~-~----------~------