The Washington herald., 1906-12-07
pILOTAGE BILLISLOST
House Defeats Measure by
Vote Of 164 to 10,
UNION LABOR IN OPPOSITION
Wharton, OF Illinois, Calls samuel
Gompers Names GrosvenOr and
Legare in TiIt-Measure Been Be-
fore Congress for Quarter of a Cen
tury-Speaker Votes for Il.

Baking at going on record against or
ganized labor, the friends of the Little
aeld bill to prohibit compulsory pilotage
Of coastwise sailing vessels permitted it
to. go down in defeat in the House yester-
day. On a rising vote on its third read
ing, there were II ayes and ll6 noes, but
on its final passage the call of the roll
showed but 110 ayes and 164 noes. Speaker
Cannon requested that his name be call
ed. that he might vote in the affirma-
tive.
The bill was taken up by unanimous
agreement. Ii has been before Congress
for twenty-five years, but the fight over
II was never waged more bitterly than
yesterday. Its title formally set forth the
purpose Of the measure 10 be to remove
discrimination against American sailing
vessels in the coasting trade" 1t pro-
vided that the master or mate of such
a vessel. when found TO be skillful,
Trustworthy. faithful, and intelligent,
should be licensed as a pilot for a term
of five years; no State license should be
required of masters or mates thus Ii
censed, and no discrimination in piiOtage
rates should be made by any State But
it was specifically provided that State
regulations requiring vessels other than
those engaged in the cOasting trade 10
take on State pilot when entering or
clearing its ports should not be disturbed.
LittlefieId In Charge.
Representative Littlefeld. of Maine, had
charge of the bill. while Representa-
tive Sherley, Dem, Ky) led the
other side The opposition of the Ameri-
can Federation of Labor 10 the bill was
apparent throughout the debate Of four
hours The most striking remark came
from Mr. Wharton, a Chicago representa-
tive, who was defeated at the last cleo
tion by the labor vote. it is said. He de-
nounced Samuel Gompers, president OF
the American Federation Of Labor,
Wharton was opposed 90 the bill, but said
if there was any reason why he would
favor it, that reason was that that arch
demagOgue and liar, that enemy Of the
people, Samuel GOmDers, has opposed it.
He continued he would not permit this,
however TO stand in his way of voting
against the bill
When Representative Fordney tRep.,
Representative Prince (Rep.. Ill) wanted
TO know if any labor organization had re-
quested the passage of the bill.
1T doesn't make any difference whether
any labor organization has requested 1t
or not" bIr Fordney replied. ''as long as
ii appeals TO me as just
Representative Lamar lDem., Fla) de-
clared the bill was an attack on de
fenseless American labor. tie said that
h. would not do Mr. Lituefeld the in
justice 10 say the rapidity OF his bring
ing up the bill had grown out of his
recent serious collision with American
labor Probably the sears Of conflict had
acccntuated the movement TO report the
bill, he added
Representatives from Southern States.
with the exception Of Representative
Small, Of North Carolina, who spoke in
favor of it, opposed the bill In his
opening remarks, Mr. Sherley declared
that every State will abolish the pilotage
system when 1t becomes plain that life
and property will be safe within the
State. He claimed the fees were similar
TO taxation for fire and police protection
Representative Brantley, of Georgia. said
that should the bill become a law the
piloJage system of Georgia would fall,
fer not being sufficiently fortunate To
have enough foreign vessels TO support
the system. it must be sustained by fees
on COaSting vessels
GrOsvenOr and Burton CrItieise.
Gen. Grosvenor and Representative
Burton, both Republicans Of Ohio, at
tackled the present system as providing
tribute 10 moaopolies IN certain Southern
harbors. Mr.. Burton called attention
particularly 70 the conditions az Nor
folk, Va. For years not a pilot had gone
aboard vessels there, yet $4,000 had been
uaid NearlN IN trihuta for doing 50