Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-04-25

not be worth the paper on which it is written.
NJ r. Morrison contested the point of order,
claiming that the money affected by the bill
was not the money of the United States, but
the money of the railroad companies.
The speaker overruled the point of order.
He said the chair thinks the rule relied on by
the gentleman from Massachusetts, applied to
public moneys, to public lands and to public
property, and that it does not apply, conse-
quently, to money that comes into the treasury
IN trust for stated purposes. That the bill. in
its general scope, is bill to bring money into
the treasury for particular trust purposes, and
that therefore, the rule does not apply to this
bill. The chair, therefore, overrules the point
Of order.
Mr.. Frye, a member of the judiciary COM
mittee, stated that by vote of that committee
to 4, he had been instructed to move to refer
the bill to that committee, but that the other
two members, who were not present on that oc-
casion, had since informed him that they would
have voted against reference.
MIR. McMahon, another member of the judi
ciary committee, expressed the desire of the
majority of that committee, that the bill
should be acted on without reference and
passed.
Mr.. Hartridge, another member of the Judi
ciary committee, said the four members of the
committee who had voted against reference had
reserved to themselves the right to vote in the
House against reference.
Mr.. Knott, chairman Of the judiciary COM
mittee, said that during the last Congress he
had given much time to consideration of the
subject, and had then been in favor of a blllsub-
stantially the same as the pending bill. He
therefore favored the passage of the bill as it
came from the Senate.
Mr.. Stenger, another member of the judici-
airy committee, declared himself in favor Of
the passage of the bill without delay.
MIR. Lapham, another member Of the judici-
ary committee, stated that although he was in
favor Of the bill and expected to vote for it, he
thought a bill Of such magnitude and import
ance should take the usual course and be re-
ferred to the judiciary committee.
Mr.. Conger, another member of the Judiciary
committee, made similar statement.
Mr.. Caswell, member of the Pacific railroad
committee, stated the committee had similar
bill under consideration, and was in favor of
reporting it to the House.
MIR. Cox, IN. W then addressed the House in
advocacy of the bill.
Mr.. Hartridge also supported the bill.
Mr.. Phillips opposed reference of the bill,
and advocated its immediate passage. He
spoke of it as a bill that was eminently just
and that it would not cripple the companies.
MIR. Garfield was anxious to know whether
the bill was 30 constructed as to stand the pres
sure of the courts and to accomplish its OBJ
jects. In all previous legislation on the same
subject the govefnInent had been invariably
beaten before the courts.
Mr.. Cox replied, the bill was drawn by an
eminent lawyer in the Senate and had received
the approval of an ex-judge of the supreme
court. They thought that the bill would hold
water in any court, and he would not set up his
judgment against them.
Mr.. Price said If he was called upon to vote
on the bill in the present shape, he would vote
for it, but with regret. because he thought it
ought to be considered by the Judiciary COM
mittee. He undertook to say, without fear of
successful contradiction, that the 4th and 5th
really different things, and would open the
door for Just such litigation as has taken place
In the courts in regard to those corporations.
Mr.. Butler remarked that the bill has been
discussed for weeks in the Senate, but it had
been discussion of generalities. There had
been no discussion of it as it would receive in
the House under the five minute rule. He
would add his prediction to that of the gen.
tleman from Iowa, Price, that the bill would
not hold water. The men who drew it had
been fearful that it would not hold water, be-
cause they legislated how the House should
decide: II he were judge, he
would say the legislative and
judicial departments of the government
are independent, and you cannot legislate what
the action Of last winter has debased and de-
bauched the supreme court far below what I
believe it is and ought to be and ever has been,
the court will throw this bill back in your face
and say you cannot legislate 80; for you it is
lee tacere; for US it is ler deere. Make the law
and we shall determine under the constitution
what it is. But that is not the question now. You
well remember that stood here short time
ago, one of an overwhelming majority Of the
House, on the matter of reconciliation Of
silver, and that q panic seized the majority
then fast as it has seized it now, and they
would not hear to single amendment to that
bill. They said, let us take what we can get,
and get what we can Afterwards. That was the
cry of the majority of three-fourths of this
pass on this subject at this Con.
gress. Let us get it as perfect as human
ingenuity and human learning can devise, but
the answer was, the bill was adopted in the
Senate and the Senate has got it just right, and
men rushed like sheep over a wall without any
leader, for they had no leader, rushed to pass
that silver bill, and like the dead sea fruit il
has tnrned to ashes on your lips and is not
worth for the purpose for which it was passed
the paper on which it was printed. The gen,
tleman from New York, Cox, who il
now so anxious to pass this bill
without e word being said except
said kept this whole House all day yesterday il
arguing a bill after it was passed. kicking 8
dead horse, and his thesis was the danger Of
passing bill involving seven million dollars
without debate, and yet he tells MS the bill in
wolves hundred and fifty million dollars and W.
are not to debate it at ALL for an hour debate ii
nothing now. ven ture to say, and put it tt
the conscience of every man Of you, that there
is not man of you who knows what is in the
bill that you are going to vote for, not one.
Mr.. Morrison-You are mistaken about that
MIR. Butler-1 am quite certain that none O.
you old gents strain your eyes in reading writ
ten documents, and this bill, now on the speak
er's table, has been very much altered from
the printed bill. ask no man to accuse him
self before the House, but look inside and sa,
how many Of you have read this long II
There may be one, or two, or three of you who
have done SO, but should be willing to b.
stoned by every one Of you who will get up ant
aver upon your honor that you have read tn
bill now on the speakers table. daughter.
! think should be about the safest man il
the House.
Mr.. Chittenden-You have got all the brick
in your hat. (Laughter.)
Mr.. Butler-Precisely so; there are no brick
in my hat to be thrown at any body now.
ask you to pause for another thing. What d,
we ask? I shall vote for some sinking funt
bill. I believe in dealing with this question
believe in the right of the House and o
Congress to deal with it within certain limits
and I do not know but that this bill is With,
these limits, but 1 was amazed, nay I wa
more than am 'zed, l was shocked, when
heard the learned and eloquent gentleman
from New York, Cox, whose attention 1 wan
to call to this, and pray him not to leave tn
hall, and speaking of the railroad riots las
summer, and saying they involved ten million
dollars, the result Of the wild justice of tn
people. God helpus. Do you, addressing tn
Democrats of the House with great energy, vot
| that now, gentlemen, do you vote that, and d
you follow that lead. Do you say tina
a strike which was organized b
train hands and carried out to murder, death
robbery, arson and destruction, not only Q
railroad, but of other property, was the vii
/ instice of fine neonle or that the act 1uas Snoi