Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-13
LEGISLATIVE AGENT
OF CENTRAL LABOR UNION SUB
MITs HIS REPORT.

Legislative Agent Samuel DeNedrey OF
the Central Labor Union has submitted to
that body his report covering his operations
before Congress at its recent session. Much
of the report is OF local interest. He says
In part:
THE bills of greater interest were, and
are STILL for that matter, the national eight
hour bill, the anti-injunction BILL the immi-
grafton bill and the pilot bill. none OF
which, by the way, became law. and as
far as the last-named bill is concerned is
something we can feel thankful for. There
are those in national life who would have
lis believe that they would sit UP nights in
order to do good turn for those who toll.
but when the time arrives for them to
make good their professions Of kindly inter-
est are sadly found wanting. In this In
stance refer to the judiciary committee OF
the House Of Representatives-or rather the
dominant members Of 1t. After long de-
lay and an occasional hearing, for and
against the ant-injunction measure; the
friends of the bill began to crowd the
committee for speedy action. The COM
inittee, the majority of which. / believe, are
opposed to the measure, suddenly decided
that something must be done--and the ma
.ority did it-postponed action indefinitely.
No action in Che Senate.
The Eight-Hour Bill.
Inc elRut-HOuI UJl YOU are dil 1dihiiioA
with. 1t was reported favorably, by
fiuke, If you please, on the order of the
minority of the committee having the Dill
in charge; but little attention was paid to
the order by the chairman, who carried the
bill about for thirty days before reporting
1t to the House. In the last hours of the
session, and there it lies on the calendar.
1 should say, however, that Representatives
Rainey, Hearst and Hunt are entitled to
the thanks OF organized labor for what
progress the bill has made toward the
White House No action by the Senate.
THE immigration bill passed the Senate
In pretty good shape, with the exception OF
section 80, which made an exception in ia
vor of alien labor in the Panama canal
zone. This exception 1 objected to- and
the House committee amended the bill to
conform to the law regarding alien labor,
and great hopes were entertained that II
would pass and become a law. The head
tax and education test provided in the
bill were so amended as to make it prac-
tically of little value, and then passed the
House and sent TO conference. the Speaker
naming the only three members of the COM
mittee opposed to the bill reported by
the committee-Messrs. Bennett and Rup-
pert of New York and Howell of New Jer-
sey-as the conferees. 1t is doubtful II
there will be anything heard from the bill
until another Congress is elected.
THE bill to abolish enforced pilotage on
the Atlantic coast did not come to a vote.
This bill, had it been reported and passed
would have been a huge menace to both
shipping and the lives of sailors. The ship
owners of New England are behind this
measure.
The railroad employees liability bill,
through the earnest and strenuous efforts
of Senator La Toilette of Wisconsin, has
become law. This senator. after a weary
and almost bitter fight, also succeeded in
getting the Senate to agree TO vote on his
no ~ n
the hours of labor for trainmen to sixteen
consecutive hours to be followed with an
enforced rest of ten hours. There is strong
opposition to this measure the part of
the railroads, and it is doubtful If it be-
comes a law. Senator La Toilette is to be
commended also for his efforts to have
railroad rate legislation based on a just
valuation of railroad property, so that rail-
road rates shall be based on the actual
value of the roads, and not on the value
of the franchises, which belong to the
people.
Labor in the District.
Labor in the District of Columbia got
little of the many things 1t wanted. The
compulsory education bill passed and is
now a law, as did also the bill regulating
the employment agencies of the District
THE child labor bill passed the House and
has been reported favorably by the Sen
ate committee and placed the calendar
or that august DOuy, WneFe II Will remain
If Senator Scot of West Virginia and Sem
ator Nelson of Minnesota can keep it there.
The bill providing for suffrage in the
District of Columbia is sleeping quietly in
the committee room, and will do so until
there is a decided change in the personnel
of the House committee for the District of
Columbia. The Sunday closing bill, apply
ing to grocers and purveyors of provisions,
passed the House. The Senate may act
upon 1t some time.
There will be no stools In the department
stores through legislation for some time to
come.
In conclusion, I desire to say that we
ought to be thankful that the Chinese ex-
clusion act was not repealed. i consider
Congress as now constituted to be opposed
to granting relief to labor-especially or
garized labor-in any form.
l desire to extend my thanks to John L.
Kennedy of Nebraska for many favors and
courtesies, and recommend that a commit
tee of three be appointed to devise ways
and means 10 provide for and maintain
legislative committeeman at future sessions
of Congress 1t is worth every dollar it
has cost.