Vicksburg weekly herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1868-1883, 1878-06-07
CONGRESSIONAL
senate.

ciary Commute reported s large
number Of bills for the removal OF
political disabilities.
The Texas Pacific Railroad bill wac
called up. Senator johnson made an
argument in favor Of his compromise
bill.
Lamar answered briefly, when he
matter went over, and B:sz,!i ian Steam.
ship came up.
Mr.. Chrisliancy addressed the Senate
in opposition. The 3 lillian mail
subsidy passed with AL amendment
limiting the contract 10 i've years
vote 20 10 Is.
Senator johnson made q speech In
opposition 10 the Texas Pacific Rail-
road bill reported by Mr.. Matthews
and advocated by Mr.. Lamar. lie
stated he was as much In favor of q
southern road 10 the Pacific % any one,
but entered upon an examination Of the
bill 10 show that II was not such as the
South was entitled to, and would not
bring such a road as they wanted. He
was opposed to any bill which did not
fix the eastern terminus Of the road on
the Mississippi river. By the bill as It
stood there need be no extension 10
that river for years, and in the mean
time business would be diverted away
from the South. All penalties or
forfeitures for not building an
eastern link had been dropped
of in the committee, and be
thought there had been much dis
trust, II not trickery, about it. Con-
gress could fix the terminus qaite 90
well as a commission, whose salary
was not provided for in the bill. lie
then contracted the provisions Of that
bill with the one introduced by him
sell, which provided for q main trunk
line from San Francisco,b BY Fort Yuma,
to l.! Paso, from which pointthere were
two branches across Texas 10 Fort
Worth and San Antonio. By filing
some short gaps, the former would
give 8 direct line 10 Memphis and
Vicksburg, and the latter, the shortest
route, to Galveston aud New Orleans,
besides protecting the Mexican from.
tier. The committee had added
another line so as 10 leave the
Texas Pacific line in West Texas
and run TO ST. Louis, via Vinita,
and another so as 10 connect the Gull
Ports with Denver, Colorado; but
after these were included, his bill call.
ed for only $40. 900 per mile on , 500
miles OF the roads east of FL Paso, and
would result in 700 miles Of new road
west OF that point without subsidy.
Mr.. L9mar's bill called for guarantee
OF S3S, 10000 In bonds at s per cent for
fifty years, amounting 10 81, $50 per
mile per annum, or over $4,000 per
mile in all, while the greatest risk
which the Government could sustain
was the original outlay Of SO.
600 a mile In greenbacks. The
Government could sustain no !lss
under his plan, nor could the COM.
panics make PROFITS by hallu'en,
contracts. They were required to pay
the prir cipal and four per cen. inter.
est within forty years, or only $iCO
per mile. which would most like.
~ be done By Government ~transporta.
ton. His bill would set neatly Chimes
as many laborers and furnaces aud
manufactures at work as the Texas
Pacific, and what was more important,
would give = line with termini at ali
important points on the Pacific and
one also at every chief city on the
Mississippi. lie was in favor of a
genuine Pacific road and against the
spurious one.
Al the conclusion of his remarks,
Mr.. Lamar gave notice he would move
to postpone further consideration til
December next.
House.
The Senate bill in regard 10 the
Mexican award was taken up, and
after being so amended as 10 provide
for the %rehearing of claims rejected by
the Commission, and also for rehearing
OF claims allowed by the Commission,
upon application Of the Mexican Gov.
eminent, was passed.
The remainder OF the session wss
devoted to the consideration of the bill
amending the revenue laws.
Harris, Of Va, offered an amend.
ment providing that any person may
fruit grown on his own land
without paying tax and without being
liable 10 the internal revenue. Re.
Covert, OF New York, offered an
amendment fixing the tax on snuff, and
and smoking tobacco at 20
cents per pound upon cigars at IS per
1000 on cigarettes not weighing more
than 81 pounds per 1000, at $I.25 per
1000, aud upon cigarettes weighing
more than three pounds per 1000 at s.
per 100.
Tucker, of Va, moved TO amend so
as to fix the tax on tobacco at sixteen
cents per pound instead OF twenty.
After some discussion Tucker's
amendment was agreed to; yeas l2G,
nays 50. Pending further action, the
House adjourned.
- 60
The Potter Investigation.