The PRESIDING OFFICER. The that all the evidence, all the facts offered in this case, concur in showing that this business on the whole was a bad business for the contract ors. The general judgment of the committee now is that at least 12% is due these contractors. There is no danger that injustice will be done by the Government if that much is allowed; much more is claimed, and much more, I believe, the majority of the committee concluded to report to the Senate. One other thing should be considered: how does this case come here? The question was here last year, presented to the consideration of the Senate, and on the whole it was thought best to refer it to the Dept out of which these contracts originated, who were supposed to have some information of course of the wholo affair, to appoint a commission a commission of its own choice, a commission of its own men, who would sit upon these cases, hear all the evidence, and make up ajudgment. That was acommission appointed on one side; it is what in ordinary parlance we should say was an exparte arbitration, arbitrators chosen entirely on the part of the Government; not in the or dinary law parlance an indifferent arbitration, but an exparte arbitration, arbitrators chosen by the Government itself, Government employes, Government officers. Certainly a presumption ought to arise, I submit, that so far as the Government is concerned it has had an umpire of its own choosing. Nobod says it was not intelligent; nobody snggestst atit has not been indifferent; nobody suggests that the award has not been the result of all consideration; and now I think the fair deduction is that the Government interests, at least under these circumstances, were duly considered. Then, in addition to that, it has had a further safeguard. That report coming into this senate has been referre to one of your 1st committees, and you have the evidence of the manner in which the have attended to their duties, and today I anderstand that all that committee concur in the judgment and belief that at least 12%. ought to be paid these persons. Ilnder these circumstances, I rose only to suggest that I shall vote, notto recommit, but for the bill.