The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-08

of measure the House would present to the
Senate He could not but feel that there had
men on earth as it was proposed by this bill to
commit to five commissioners They were to
form a sort of superior board Of direction Of all
the transportation companies In thirty eight
States and several Territories. The internal
commerce of the United States was at least ten
times as great as its foreign commerce, and such
a proposition was embodied in the pending
bill, if proposed to be applied to our foreign
commerce, would scarcely receive respectful
attentions The bill abounded, he said, in dis
creti0nary powers, and what was commonly
called 'the rule of thumb" was to be found in it
at almost every section.
Mr.. Ingalls, was surprised at the position taken
by Mr. Bayard that the Senate should not con-
slider subject contemporaneously with its con-
sideration by the Houses. It was tantamount
to an admission that when the House had any
topic in hand, the Senate would have either to
take up other topic 90 into executive ses-
sion. There was subject of greater import
ance to the people of the United States than that
of transportation, and with only two months of
the session remaining, we were advised to await
the result of the deliberations of the House.
Eve may as well deal plainly with this subject
continued Mr.. Ingalls,. '"The Senate of the
United States is suspected by the people of this
country of desire not to do anything on this
subject. do not need to appeal to the con-
seriousness of any SENATOR need not appeal to
the current strains Of observation made in the
States is not an object of public adulation- at
this moment in this country, and | regretted to
hear the senator from Delaware Mr.. Bayard)
supposed to be the leader of the new public
opinion under the new evangel of reform in the
days that are to come-gravely recommending
the Senate of the United States to pursue do
nothing policy that has characterized Congress
on this subject for ten years past" Mr.. Ingalls,
added that he would as strongly resist injustice
to railroads as he would resist injustice to the
numbioSt settler rpTnOtaSt 'Fdn0- ont
the western frontier. The railroads were crea-
lures of law, and should have the protection of
law. but it would not be denied that there ex-
listed In the country conviction, in which he
profoundly shared, that the railroads had made
exactions that rendered it necessary to
subject them to limitation and control The
subject was too important to allow of Rip Van
W1nkle inactivity. He (Nfr Ingalls) did not
know but that the time was approaching when
an active coalition of the conservative forces of
country would be required in order to prevent
destructive organic changes in our system of
government. The people demanded that these
subjects should be discussed, and any man. or
body of men, who should attempt to stand in the
way of the great inquiry, would be as politically
absurd as the man who should attempt to refute
the law of gravitatiou by jumping from the sum-
NIT of the Washington monument.
Mr.. Bayard said his object had been to avoid
the waste of time that would come If the results
that were not practical. There was not
word of what he said suggestive
of the idea that these questions
should not be debated contemporaneously,
in both houses An early result, however,
seemed to him more probable if the result to be
reached in the House was not antagonized in adj
vance by passagein the Senate of bill totally
dissimilar from the House bill He was him
self DESTROYS that action should be taken and a
result reached on the subject Regarding Mr..
Ingals's references to the suspicious entertained
of the Senate, Mr. Bayard said: Mr.. President,
| do not know how it feels to be suspected So
far, in my lfe have not suffered from that I
do not know how far the Senate of the United
States is suspected, for if it has members open
to suspicion they not those of my association;
and certainly do not feel myself to be one of
the number / am perfectly Indifferent to such
suspicious, if they exist; do not think they do
Mr. Bayard added later: cit is my good fortune,
sir, to be able to deal with public questions with
great frankness and with great disregard of sus-
picions from any quarter"
After an executive session, the Senate ad-
journed.