[PUBLIC-No. 129.]

An act making appropriations to supply a deficiency in the appropriation for expenses of collecting the revenue from customs for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and eighty-eight, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That to defray the expenses of collecting the revenue from customs for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and eighty-eight, in addition to the amount heretofore appropriated, the sum of four hundred and fifty thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, be, and the same is hereby, appropriated, out of any money in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, to be expended by, or under the direction of the Secretary of the Treasury, who is authorized to cause to be paid therefrom the full compensation which the employees in the customs-revenue service would have been entitled to receive had no order been made reducing their compensation in consequence of an estimated deficiency in the appropriation.

SEC. 2. For Army and Navy pensions, as follows: For invalids, widows, minor children, and dependent relatives, and survivors and widows of the war of eighteen hundred and twelve, three million five hundred thousand dollars, to supply a deficiency on account of the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and eighty-eight: Provided, That the appropriation aforesaid for Navy pensions shall be paid from the income of the Navy pension fund, so far as the same may be sufficient for that purpose: And provided further, That the amount expended under each of the above items shall be accounted for separately.

SEC. 3. That the appropriation of one hundred and ninety thousand dollars made by the act approved March third, eighteen hundred and eighty-seven, for heating apparatus to be furnished before June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and eighty-eigut, for the following new public buildings, namely: Aberdeen, Mississippi; Augusta, Maine; Clarksburg, West Virginia; Columbus, Ohio; Concord, New Hampshire; Council Bluffs, Iowa; Dallas, Texas; Erie, Pennsylvania; Hannibal, Missouri; Jefferson City, Missouri; Leavenworth, Kansas; Lynchburg, Virginia; Macon, Georgia; New Albany, Indiana; Pensacola, Florida; Peoria, Illinois; Quincy, Illinois; Shreveport, Louisiana; Syracuse, New York; Terre Haute, Indiana; Toledo, Ohio; Tyler, Texas; and Waco, Texas; shall continue available to enable the Secretary of the Treasury to fulfill contracts entered into there for prior to June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and eighty-eight.

SENATE.

For contingent expenses, for fiscal year eighteen hundred and eighty-eight, namely:

For postage stamps for the office of the Secretary of the Senate, twenty-five dollars.

For expenses of maintaining and equipping horses and mail wagons for carrying the mails, one thousand dollars.

For materials for folding, two thousand dollars.

For folding speeches and pamphlets, at a rate not exceeding one dollar per thousand, four thousand dollars.

For fuel, oil, and cotton waste, and advertising for heating apparatus, three thousand five hundred dollars.

For furniture and repairs of furniture, three thousand dollars. For miscellaneous items, exclusive of labor, six thousand dollars. For miscellaneous items, exclusive of labor, for fiscal year eighteen hundred and eighty-seven, nine hundred and twenty dollars and thirty-seven cents.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

For contingent expenses, for fiscal year eighteen hundred and eighty-eight, namely: For materials for folding, five thousand dollars.

EXPENSES OF UNITED STATES COURTS.

Fees of Jurors: To supply a deficiency in the appropriation for the fees of jurors United States courts, on account of the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and eighty-eight, fifty thousand dollars.

Fees of Witnesses: To supply a deficiency in the appropriation for fees of witnesses, United States courts, on account of the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and eighty-eight, sixty thousand dollars.

COVERNMENT HOSPITAL FOR THE INSANE.

For current expenses of the Government Hospital for the Insane: For support, clothing, and treatment in the Government Hospital for the Insane of the insane from the Army and Navy, Marine Corps, and Revenue Cutter Service, persons charged with or convicted of crimes against the United States, inmates of the National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, and of all persons who have become insane since their entry into the military or naval service of the United States, and who are indigent, eleven thousand seven hundred and thirteen dollars and seven cents, being a deficiency on account of the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and eightyeight.

Approved, June 8, 1888.

[PUBLIC-No. 135.]

An act to establish a department of Labor.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That there shall be at the seat of Government a Department of Labor, the general design and duties of which shall be to acquire and diffuse among the people of the United States useful information on subjects connected with labor, in the most general and comprehensive sense of that word, and especially upon its relation to capital, the hours of labor, the earnings of laboring men and women, and the means of promoting their material, social, intellectual, and moral prosperity.

SEC. 2. That the Department of Labor shall be under the charge of a Commissioner of Labor, who shall be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate; he shall hold his office for four years, unless sooner removed, and shall receive a salary of five thousand dollars per annum.

SEC. 3. That there shall be in the Department of Labor, to be appointed by the commissioner of Labor: One chief clerk, at a salary of two thousand five hundred dollars per annum; four clerks of class four, all to be statistical experts; five clerks of class three, one of whom may be a stenographer; six clerks of class two, one of whom may be a translator and one of whom may be a stenographer; eight clerks of class one; five clerks, at one thousand dollars per annum; one disbursing clerk, who shall also have charge of accounts, at a salary of one thousand eight hundred dollars per annum; two copyists, at nine hundred dollars each per annum; two copyists, at seven hundred and twenty dollars each per annum; one messenger; one assistant messenger; one watchman; two assistant watchmen; two skilled laborers, at six hundred dollars each per annum; two char women, at two hundred and forty dollars each per annum; six special agents, at one thousand six hundred dollars each per annum; ten special agents, at one thousand four hundred dollars each per annum; four special agents, at one thousand two hundred dollars each per annum, and an allowance to special agents for traveling expenses not to exceed three dollars per day while actually employed in the field and outside of the District of Columbia, exclusive of actual transportation including sleeping-car fares; and such temporary experts, assistants, and other employees as Congress may from time to time provide, with compensation corresponding to that of similar officers and employees in other departments of the Government.

SEC. 4. That during the necessary absence of the Commissioner, or when the office shall become vacant, the chief clerk shall perform the duties of Commissioner.

SEC. 5. That the disbursing clerk shall, before entering upon his duties, give bond to the Treasurer of the United States in the sum of twenty thousand dollars, which bond shall be conditioned that the said officer shall render a true and faithful account to the Treasurer, quarter-yearly, of all moneys and properties which shall be by him received by virtue of his office, with sureties to be approved by the Solicitor of the Treasury. Such bond shall be field in the office of

the First Comptroller of the Treasury, to be by him put in suit upon any breach of the conditions thereof.

SEC. 6. That the Commissioner of Labor shall have charge in the building or premises occupied by or appropriated to the Department of Labor, of the library, furniture, fixtures, records, and other property pertaining to it, or hereafter acquired for use in its business, and he shall be allowed to expend for periodicals and the purposes. of the library, and for the rental of appropriate quarters for the accommodation of the Department of Labor within the District of Columbia, and for all other incidental expenses, such sums as Congress may provide from time to time.

SEC. 7. That the Commissioner of Labor, in accordance with the general design and duties referred to in section one of this act, is specially charged to ascertain, at as early a date as possible, and whenever industrial changes shall make it essential, the cost of producing articles at the time duitable in the United States, in leading countries where such articles are produced, by fully-Specified units of production, and under a classification showing the different elements of cost, or approximate cost, of such articles of production, including the wages paid in such industries per day, week, month, or year, or by the piece; and hours employed per day; and the profits of the manufacturers and producers of such articles; and the comparative cost of living, and the kind of living. "It shall be the duty of the Commissioner also to ascertain and report as to the effect of the customs laws, and the effect thereon of the state of the currency, in the United States, on the agricultural industry, especially as to its effect on mortgage indebtedness of farmers;" and what articles are controlled by Trusts, or other combinations of capital, business operations, or labor and what effect said trusts, or other combinations of capital, business operations, or labor have on production and prices. He shall also establish a system of reports by which, at intervals of not less than two years, he can report the general condition, so far as production is concerned, of the leading industries of the country. The Commissioner of Labor is also specially charged to investigate the causes of, and facts relating to, all controversies and disputes between employers and employees as they may occur, and which may tend to interfere with the welfare of the people of the different States, and report thereon to Congress. The Commissioner of Labor shall also obtain such information upon the various subjects committed to him as he may deem desirable from different foreign nations, and what, if any, convict made goods are imported into this country, and if so from whence.

SEC. 8. That the Commissioner of Labor shall annually make a report in writing to the President and Congress, of the information collected and collated by him, and containing such recommendations as he may deem calculated to promote the efficiency of the Department. He is also authorized to make special reports on particular subjects whenever required to do so by the President or either House of Congress, or when he shall think the subject in his charge requires it. He shall, on or before the fifteenth day of December in each year, make a report in detail to Congress of all moneys expended under his direction during the preceding fiscal year.

SEC. 9. That all laws and parts of laws relating to the Bureau of Labor created under the act of Congress approved June twentyseventh, eighteen hundred and eighty-four, so far as the same are applicable and not in conflict with this act, and only so far, are continued in full force and effect, and the Commissioner of Labor

appointed under said act, approved June twenty-seventh, eighteen hundred and eighty-four, and all clerks and employees in the Bureau of Labor authorized to be appointed by said act or subsequent acts, shall continue in office and employment as if appointed under the provisions of this act, and until a Commissioner of Labor, other officer, clerks, and employees are appointed and qualified as herein required and provided; and the Bureau of Labor, as now organized and existing, shall continue its work as the Department of Labor until the Department of Labor shall be organized in accordance with this act; and the library, records, and all property now in use by the said Bureau of Labor are hereby transferred to the custody of the Department of Labor hereby created, and on the organization of the Department of Labor on the basis of this act the functions of the Bureau of Labor shall cease.

SEC. 10. That on the passage of this act the Commissioner of Labor shall at once submit estimates for the expenses of the Department of Labor for the next fiscal year, giving in detail the number and salaries of officers and employees therein.

Approved, June 13, 1888.