The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-02-05

flrSL COnXIcsblOuui Ot5tiiOs VI "a hououb.
The resolution was adopted without debate, and
MI: Hodges took the modified oath ss member.
THE SOUTHERN TRANscONrIN Entail RAILROAD
SCHEME.
Mr.. HoUGHTON, rep.) OF Cal. from the Pacific
Railroad Committee, reported q bill to incorporate
the Southern Transcontinental Railroad Company.
He proposed to have 1t made the special order for
tee on Railroads and Canals having already been
made special order for me 18th.
ns W VIZ, ,Ss IreP Of w. made the point q
must therefore, under the rule, be hrst considered
In Committee OF the Whole.
The SPEAKER, having glanced over the bill, sus-
tanned the point OF order, stating that the bill
clearly made donation OF public property. and
must, therefore, receive its first discussion in
1t was, therefore. sent to that committee.
LIMIT OF TIME FOR PRESERVATION OF WAR CLAIMS.
Mr. LAWRENCE rep.) oil Ohio, from the Commit
tee on War Claims, reported bill extending to
the Sd OF March, 1875 the time within which petl-
lions for the allowance OF claims may be presented
to the Commissioners Of Claims in all cases where
sucent reason Is shown for the failure TO present
the same within the time prescribed by law, and
barring all claims not presented before the Sd of
March, 1875.
MT. KAssoN. Of Iowa, made the point Of order
that the bill must go to the Committee OF the
Whole, as one Of it's sections PROVIDES tor the an.
pOintment OF additional commissioners and clerks.
me spGAK sa. sustained the point OF order and
PROTECTION OF LIFE ON THE OCEAN,
MT; NEGhEY' rep! Of Pa from the Committee
the 2Sth OF February 1871 Tor the better protection
OF the lives OF steamship passengers.
the SPEAKER ascertained that the bin was liable
to the point OF order, which required 1t to receive
its first consideration in Committee of the Whole,
as 1t creates new onices, and 1t was accordingly
sent there.
SETTLEMENT OF THE PUBLIC DOMAIN.
Mr.. TOWNSEND lrep.) OF Pa. from the Commit
homesteads to actual settlers on the public domain.
The bin was also found TO be Liable to the same
point OF order under which so many bills had been
N ThA mo lnln nj
Committee OF the Whole, and 1t was sent to take
Its place there with all its predecessors.
Another bill from the same committee giving to
Holt county, Missouri, the bed OF certain lake
appeal and explanation by Mr.. Parker, Crep.) OF
Mo-, 1t escaped and was passed.
THE ARMY APPROPRIATION BILL.
me House then resumed the consideration Of
the Army Appropriation bill
Mr.. BECK. (dem) OF KY, offered an amendment
TO the item Tor Transportation providing, that
to any person whatever in the service of the
United States and declaring illegal all allowances
for mileage and transportation in excess Of the
Mr.. WHEELER, (rep.) of N. Y, assented to the
amendment II provlso were added to it that it
cents mile, the present allowance.
Mr.. BECK modified his amendment accordingly.
In the discussion which followed it was claimed,
on the one side, that great abuses were committed
under the present system, Mr.. Beck instancing the
case where a Treasury official, making a trip from
Washington to Boston, charged mileage, first from
Washington to Baltimore, then from Washington
to Philadelphia, then from Washington to New
York, and then from Washington to Boston, and it
was Claimed, on the other side, that it would
operate very unfairly.
Finally the amendment as modified was agreed to-
GOVERNMENT RIGHT OF FREE TRANSPORTATION.
Mr.. HOLMAN, (dem.) OF Ind offered an amend
ment lorbidding the payment out OF the appropr-
ao IN s p or any money n % the
or military officers on duty, over any railroad
which was constructed IN whole or in part by
the aid OF land grants on condition that
such road should be public highway for the use
Of the government free Of tolls or other charges.
ton, stating, among other things that the Illinois
Central had received nearly S. 00O 900 for govern
ment transportation during the war.
amount paid to the Illinois Central Railroad during
the war was under a contract with the govern.
of the ordinary charges were allowed, the govern
ment having the hrst right Of way to the exclusion
Mr.. HoAR, trep.) Of Mass. suggested to MIR. Hoi
man that he should limit his amendment to pro-
vision that no money shall be paid to any railroad
required to be performed without compensation
by the terms of ITS organic act.
Mr. HOLMAN, Of Indiana. asked Mr.. Hoar whether
he contended that fair construction OF the law
use OF the track
pared to say was that IL would be gross injustice
Tor Congress to declare that until the question
Judcially determined, 1t should enforce upon the
railroad the construction which Congress gave to
the question, without the railroad company being
in IN reply Tnat tS Ea ne aa also Gb
moved to amend the amendment by making it
read, ION the condition that transportation should
Mr.. POTTER. (dem.) OF N. Y. agreed with Mr..
HOar that Congress should not lay the strong hand
of Its power on persons who had great judicial
questions pending between them aud the govern
ment and predetermine 1t against such persons.
Mr. Hoar's amendment to the amendment was
Mr. WILLARD, of Vermont, favored the withhold.
ing OF the money in the first instance anc then
letting the railroad companies, as was done in the
case OF the Pacific Railroad last session. bring suit
in the Court of Claims.
Mr. HOLMAN characterized Mr.. Hoar's amend.
NEXT as having emasculated and been designed by
Its author to emasculate the original proposition,
because any 0flicer OF the government would sim
ply say that no grant OF lands had been made to
any railroad company on that express condition.
Mr.. HOAR drew picture Of two modes OF legts-
latlon ana OF two ways OF winning popular favor.
The one was to deal Justly with all subjects, never
to break public faith, even with q railroad com
pany, and to let legislation come like the sun and
the JUST the Other a ns tn oDeca
Sad % So%s
and talk to the people like q demagogue and say,
"Lol am the only friend OF justice am he
only friend OF the peoplel Sec how unjust and
how IN the power OF corporations Congress is
everybody else but mep' He would not point out
to the gaze OF the House the gentleman who fitted
this picture Of nvad legislator Ganshterl
Mr.. HOLMAN said that he had heard that same
kind OF eloquence before from the gentlemen who
WcIC dItOIuCts III COTpOIdllOHS anu lie was CcI-
tainly able to hear the gentlemans remarks with
great patience, but he bore in mind how
eXacting corporations were. They allowed OF
no divided service. They expected their
representatives to operate against the peo-
pie and for their own advantage. If the
gentleman from Massachusetts Thought proper to
stand up as the representative OF the Illinois
Central, which was extortng to-day, as it did dur.
ing the war, vast sums from the country, in viola
tion of its engagements, he mir. Holman)
could very well afford to be patient under
any, even the insulting, remarks which
he (Mr. Hoar) might think proper to indulge.
He I'M. HolmaD had sought to represent the pub
lie interests alone. Whenever 1t could be said OF
HIM that ne came here as the representative Of a
corporation or that he acted in the interest OF a
corporation IN derogation of the rights of the
people he should have occasion to blush. but not
till then. He had never before seen such an I'M
blusnng attempt to shield base and grasping
corporation as that which the House had just wit
messed on the part OF the gentleman from Massa-
chusetts.
Mr.. G. F. HOAR thought 1t hardly necessary for
him TO say that he had no knowledge OF the inter-
OF the Illinois Central Railroad IN the question
before the house. He had never known who were
the owners officers or managers OF that road, and
the amendment proposed by the gentleman from