The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1906-09-08
WILL USE COOLIES.
REPUBLICANS IGNORE PROTESTS
OF ORGANIZED LABOR.
Despite Promises Made on Floor OF
Congress, Contract Has Been
Made for Chinese to Build
the Panama Canal.

In view of the recent announcement
mat the administration has decided
10 import Chinese labor for the con
structlon OF the Panama canal in Op
position to the protests Of organized
labor, 1t is important to remember thu
attitude of the Republicans in con
sresS towards the scheme. On the
10Th OF last January the house of rep
resentatives adopted the following
amendment to the urgent deficiency
bill:
That the provisions of the act en-
titled an act relating to the limita.
lions of the hours of daily service OF
laborers and mechanics employed
upon the public works of the United
States and of the District of COlum.
bla; approved August 1, 1892, shall
nos apply to alien laborers employed
in the construction of the Isthmian
ana within the canal zone"
Ihls measure was adopted upon the
suggestion of Chairman Shonts, of the
canal commission, that labor on the
isthmus should be excluded from the
application Of the eight-hour law, the
contract labor law and the Chinese
exclusion act" 1t was also stated on
the floor Of the house that Secretary
a approved the measure.
The Democrats opposed it unani-
mously, but it was pushed through by
means of a resolution ~suspending the
rule against new legislation on ap-
preparation bills. The Democrats, not
ably Williams, Clark, of Missouri, Nc
Nary and Fitzgerald, pointed out that
1t would abrOgate the Chinese exclu-
sion act and the contract labor law.
but this was denied by the Republic
ans.
In the limited debate that was al
lowed the following %colloquies &C.
cured:
Mr.. McNary: l should like to ask
the gentleman (Mr. Littauer) whether
behind all this idea of doing away with
the eight-hour law, there is not the
purpose of employing Chinese coolie
labor to build the canal?
Mr.. Littauer The Chinese exclusion
act controls that. This amendment
has no relation to Chinese labor.
Mr.. Clark, of Missouri: Is not the
very same force that is back of the
repeal of this eight-hour law, as to the
aliens, also in favor of the proposition
Of repeating the Chinese exclusion |
law, if it extends to the isthmus of
repeal that clause so that
Chinese and Japs can come in and
work there?
Mr.. Tawney: l will say to the gen
.leman from Missouri (Mr. Clark that
he eight-hour law was construed by
he attorney general to be applicable
o the canal zone, although there was
10 legislation on the subject. Upon
he same ground the Chinese exclu-
lion act would no doubt be held to
Not a single Republican admitted in
debate that the measur would
fleet the Chinese exclusion act or the
lien contract labor law; though they
knew that it did affect both-that
7 was intended to carry out the sug-
estion of Mr.. Shonts. And now the
administration has construed the act
ccording to the Shonts theory. 1t
as made arrangements to bring in
oolie labor under contract with Mar
liant, the French trader in coolie
as we'll as to compel laborers
work owe eight hours a day. The
FETCHED double dealing of the Repub-
can leaders vas never more conspic- I
Gus. Those among them who usually I
the party affairs in congress I
onal campaigns tried to keep as t
.uch in the background as possible. t
abcock, Sherman, Overstreet, Jen- ,
ms, Crumpacker, Hit and others of 2
lat class were paired in favor of the E
nendment, but did not vote. Cooper, E
Wisconsin, voted for the considera- E
on of it, and then voted against it. T
hese facts show ~insincerity on their
lrt, as we'll as fear of the conse- b
n