New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1878-04-09
department on a more economical plan, but is not
likely TO report maladministration.
THE RAILROAD DEBATE.
SENATOR BLAINE AND SENATOR THURMAN HAVE
KEEN CONTROVERSY OVER THE RECORD
r-r,rL r.Ilr ,rIIr 1
rBY TELEGRAPH TO THE rRBUNE.l

SENATOR BLAINE AND SENATOR THURMAN hANh n
KEEN CONTROVERSY OVER THE RECORD
BY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.l
WAsHINGTON, April S.--The Senate spent another
day in the debate upon the Pacific Railroads Sink
ing Fund Bill without reaching vote.
Senators Blaine and Thurman had sharp per
sonal controversy. Mr. Blaine earnestly urged the
adoption Of his amendment to the Thurman Dill
which, If adopted, would virtually estop Congress
from any farhlc financial legislation affecting the
Union Pacific and Central Pacific Railroads, should
they meet the money demands OF the Thurman pli''
Senator Thurman opposed this and insisted that
10 deprive Congress of the power to after OF achu
the acts in regard to the Pacific Railroads was I"
dangerous principle and he would rather see no
legislation whatever.
MIR Blaine accused Mr. Thurman of Inconsistency
and asserted that he had held four different opn-
ions ON the subject during the last seven years lie
also ouoted extensively from debates in 1873 in
which Senator Thurman took an active part, and
remarked that he had Appeared thirty-one times III
The Record.
This reference annoyed Senator Thurman very
much. as on Friday, in a colloqny with Senator
Blaine. he had said that lie did not remember having
sad ANYTHING about it, He showed also that many
Of the spceches included in Senator Blaine's
enumeration were mere inteUccticns IN the midst OF
the debate consisting of only a few words or TWO
or three lines EACH The reading Ofthesc causedmuch
amusement. Mr.. Thurman insisted that he had been
entirely consistent. and thought ii was beneath
the dignity of the Senator from Maine to 90
"mousing through The GjO5e" to fasten supposed
Inconsistencies upon another instead OF discussing
the pending bill upon It's merits. lie SAID that ne
had read in the morning paper that tAe senator
from Maine intended TO take ms scalp To-
dav, but as he felt his head Il seemed 10 ne
sound. both inside and outsidee ana ne
eypccted that what little hair he had
on his head would remain long while before
If was taken by any such little plans as these lie
accused Senator Blame of lodging aVoIe o" mus
subiect in the House of Representatives during
1876 and he intimatcd that he might not he wen
enough to vote upon this occasion.
Senator Blaine, in reply, called attention to the
fact that Mr. Thurman had read to the Senate only
the short speeches and iutcrectious, when formerly
discussing the qucs ion, and had not called at
tentCn TO the long ones. This he SAID
proves that the Senator not only made
careful speeches ON that occasion, hut was on the
alert during the whole discussion. Senator Blaine
also alluded 10 Senator Thurman reference 10 Inc
morning that he expected to take Mr. Thurman
scalp. and explained that on Friday last hc had
informed Mr.. Thurman Of ms intention to
speak to-day, and lac should have somcilung
10 say of a personal nature. Mr.. Elaine
also intimatod that his relations with the Editor
were not as intimate as those of Mr.. Thurman, and
drew the inference that the source Of me Posts in
formation on the subject may have been Senator
Thurman himself Referring 90 his failure To- vote
when tins subject was under discussion IN the House
in 1876 Senator Blaine tad that when the vote
referred TO was taken lac was sick IN bed and bad
been for month that n fact hc did not even know
that such a subject under consideration and hc
thought that Senator Thurum's reference % the
matter was rather inconsistent in view OF the Tc-
Elections he had just made about Senator BldiuCs
" housing through the records.