Why not live up to them? They complain that the Departments create deficiencies and do other things in violation of the law. and yet the great power of the Committee on Rules is invoked to make this House a mere automaton to register the will of the Secretary of War in everything affecting the Canal Zone. He is asking that the Chinese exclusion law be repealed so far as it relates to the isthmian canal work. at least the Canal Commission has so recommended. Will your next step be to repeal that law? One of the chief reasons for urging the abrogation of the eighthour law on the Isthmus. as it appeared before the committee. was not so much that common laborers might not work more than eight hours. but because. as it was asserted. the Americans on the Isthmus were continually clamoring for leave to work more than eight hours a day. But shrewd men control the Committee on Rulesthe wise old Speaker. the gentleman from Ohio . with twenty years of service. the gentleman from Pennsylvania . with eighteen years of service. in this House. In order to allay the fears of the American workingmen they modify this provision and make it applicable to alien labor. It has been the boast of the Republican party that it has been the party that desired to and did protect the American laborer. Here is a Zone now reported by the canal officials to be in a healthy and sanitary condition. a field where the common labor of this country will be invited and should be employed. and yet. if this rule be adopted. if this provision be incorporated into this bill. it will be absolutely impossible for the common laborers of this country to be employed on the Isthmus in competition with the alien laborers.
Keywords matched
alien laborers Chinese exclusion alien labor