New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-02-05

paid a. any person IN the service OF the United
States but that no more than 10 cents mile shall
IN any case be allowed such expenses. This, OF
course applied to e::c-;een az well as to army
and navy officers and civilian officials. ~ was new
legislation aud not IN order upon an appropriation
bill but Mr.. Plat, who made tins objection, dld
not make it soOn enough. Mr.. Kellogg, who was in
the Chair, decided that il was too late TO raise the
point and promptly put the amendment to a vote,
when Il was adopted by so large Affirmative vote
that its opponents did not TO he counted. IL it
gets through the Senate, another venerable abuse,
closely AKIN 10 the franking privilege and tho sta
ti0nerv pickInPs and stoalings. will be swept away.
AZ soon as the mileage question settled Mr..
Holman made vigorous attack upon certain land
grant railroads, whose grants were given the
condition. expressed in the law, that they should
remain public highwaysfor the use of the Government
Of the United States, free from toll other charges,
for the transportation of the troops property OF
the United States. The clause occurs IN the acts
making grants 10 the Illinois Central, Hannibal and
St Joseph and other important Western roads. The
question of the obligation of these roads 10 the Gov
eminent raised during the war, and II was then
decided by the Acknowledgement that the require
ment above quoted gave the free OF the road to
the United States but not Of its rolling stock and Of
the services Of its employees Under this decision.
arrangement was made by which the War Depart
ment has since paid about twO-thrds tho ordinary
charges for transportation.
Mr.. Holman moved an amendment 10 the bill. pro-
hibiung the payment of any Of the money il appro-
prated to any railroad which received q grant
the conditions quoted. Mr.. HOaT who thought that
this was not fair way TO settle n question which
the courts ought 10 determine, moved n modification
that entirely robbed Mr.. Holman's amendment of
its force. He was temporarily successful and this
irritated Mr.. Holman who said something chat mado
Mr. Hoar angry, and thereupon the two members
grappled, not literally of course but mctaphOrcay
in two tvc-minute speeches apiece, which were
about personal as they could be without violating
the rules. Mr.. Hoar drew picture of n demagoguo
who objected to everything without regard TO its
justice and made his ignorant constituents believe
that he was the champion of the people. Then,
pointing to Mr.. Holman he said there no need
of giving a name TO the picture. Mr.. Holman
tOrted by charging his antagonist with beng the adj
vocate of sOrdid and grasping corporations. in his
second speech each touched up the portrait he had
drawn III blacker coors. Both the gentlemen
in the wrong, as angry men apt to be. Mr.. Hoar
is as far as possible from being an advocate of the
schemes Of railroad monOpolies, and Mr.. Holman is
one of the most honest and useful members of the
House, and his vigilance saves the Treasury thou
sands of dollars annually. In the end, Mr.. Holman's
amendment adopted, with provso allowing
the roads affected to bring suits in the Court Of
Claims