National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-02-20
SPICY SENATORIAL TILT.
MEssRS. MORGAN AND BECK AIR THEIR
OPINIONS OF EACH OTHER.
The Texas Pacific Land Forfeiture hill Passed
by the scnatc-Rlysr and Iiarbor aud Naval
Appropriation BILLS Diseased in tho House
OF Representatives.

MOlucS river Dill went over, and the IeNaB |
Pacific forfeiture bill was taken up.
Tho afternoon was consumed In debate upon |
tho latter bill Messts. Iapham Plumb Van
Wyck, Hale, Dolph, Edmunds, Harrison, shor- !
man, Blair, Slater, Hoar, Morgan, and Beck
participating therein.
Mr., Morgan offered an amendment similar
to that offered by him in the case Of tho Allan
| tic and Pacific bill providing for a reieronceto
| the United states courts OF all controversies
| concerning the rights and equities claimed by
the United siotcs or by private parties In the
! lands forfeited. Mr., Morgan said that In order
/ that he might not be misunderstood, no de-
| sired at once CmphNtically, TO announce his
| conviction that this Texas Pacific grant should
! be forfeited, and his determination to vote for
| tho bill, whether the senate adopted his
| amendment or not Tho company had never
earned foot Of the land, aud he did not be.
liovo that any valid transfer Of IL could have
| been made without the express sanction of
| congress. Ho had been subjected TO criticism
IN the newspapers for his position on tho qucs
| ton involved; lie had been called an 'obstruc
tionlsr' to land iorlCiturcs because no had in
sisted that the United States, In pcriectng
land grants, should provide that all oontro
vorsics regarding titles should be settled carly
after the declaration Of forfeiture.
| Mr. Harrison would have no trouble In yot.
ing for the bill, and thought congress should
make the declaration of forfeiture. IT, how.
| ever, there was likely to be much litigation no
| rather thought Mr.. MOrgan's amendment de-
slrablc. In such case the United Statos gov.
ernment ought to take tho burden Of the It'll.
| gatl0n that u should choose the forum In
| which that litigation should be heard, and II
should prosecute by its own officers. II would
be an unequal light between the companies
and private individual.
Mr.. sherman agreed with much that Mr..
Harrison had said, but tho better plan, he
thought, would be 10 pass the bill without MIR.
Morgan's amendment, and add clause keep
ing the lands out from entry, under the home
stead act for two years The bill should Ger.
!ainly, BIO passed at once. The objection to
MT, Morgan's amendment was that lengthy
discussion OH II would be very apt to defeat
Mr.. Morgan's object, Mr.. Sherman thought
might DO better accomplished In u separate
| BILL to be passed as soon us practically post
| Bile; and meanwhile the lands might be with.
| held from settlement.
MIR. Edmunds, taking the floor, said that
about the time that Judge Sherman was chair
| man OF the judiciary committee the matter of
| those forioitures was referred to that commit
tee, and tho committee reported TO tue senate
bill which provided at one stroke for the for
fixture of every unoarned land grant every
where, and which provided, US now suggested
by Mossrs. Sherman and Harrison, that II
should be the duty Of the attorney general To
institute suits to declare the forfelturcs 30 rs u
protect from future litigation the title of all
= settlers who should come In under the United
States. 1t did not at that time comport with
Z, the pleasure and convenience OF the senate IN
y tho pressure OF It's business, to consider the
bill, q circumstance that Mr.. Edmunds re
grottcd, us, had that bill been passed, all thu
} been disposed Of without the poor settlers ~
In the case OF the Des Aioine3 people, bcinl
ground to death in contests with great corpora
tons.
Is MIR. Morgans amendment was rejected
yeas n, nays IL
e. Mr.. Sherman offered an amendment with
:. holding the lands from settlement for tw,
" years. but this also was rejected.
Tho bill was then read a third time, aud
= p9ssed-yeas 90, nays g. Tho nayswcrc Messrs
- Blair and Bowen.
~ MT Beck said he had supposed in 1875 whel
the Thurman bill was passed, that congress
had secured some practical control of thos
10 roads, but he had been mistaken. Now thi
II house bill was met by counter proposition
Of tho Reagan bill had been met by n counte
II proposition. A number OF other measures ha
been up, but had been fought to the end. Tina
was what tho railroads wanted. He would vot
he against Mr. sherman's amendment and Other
because he thought It better to have iniperfe,
m legislation than none at all
~ Mr.. Morgan said that the effort OF Mr.. Bee
to impcnch the democrats who had oppose
the Reagan bill and had adopted an indI
pendent course on this bill would not dotC
III him (Nir. MOrganl from doing his duty. u
Of had been in the democratic party before tn
It, senator from Kentucky (Mr. Beck enjoye
es the privileges of citizenship In this colintr!
,y He (hir. Morgan) had been true and faithh
~ | democrat, and II did not rest with the senate
n from Kentucky to impeach his democracy
- such filings Us that conveyed by his last r,
marks. Mr, Morgan would be found to DO
|
on principle, If Il should DO an Administrative
ofprlnciple, and as long as the senator iroi
Kentucky would stand by tho Democrat
creed. Ito did not enjoy these declaration
were not kind.
Mr.. Beck dsclaimed any alluson to the sci
II, ntor from Alabama (Nlr. Morgan) or any 9th,
'la senator. 'Ho is not quite so Important" ii
an Beck said, sin my estimation In regard
,ss these questions as he may think think
rk Is" u did not happen, continued Mr.. Bee
TO be born in this country but was not CO.
. suited about my birth. | have been oitizt
90 of tho United States since 1888. That Is n goC
w while ago Tho senator may have been n .yel
MI important man ut that date, but doubt II.
- have endeavorcd TO perform my duty as pI
vato citizen and public officer to the best of IN
,n. ability since that time, and If tho senat,
thinks that It adds anything to his dignity
diminishes from my standing to make the bu
-, gestion that was born in Scotland instead
wv In the United States he Is welcome TO all Il
honor he thinks he has made by that 'hin
at the place of my nativity. Worry many goo
y men have been born in Scotland-vory man!
,, aud very many mon who We're born here tra'
with pride their ancestry back TO tho plat
- from which | trace mine, might say NOR
but will not" In conclusion, Mr.. Beck sal
~ regard the suggestion rs to my nativity
unworthy the senator, unworthy the senat
and unworthy Il reply"
Mr.. Morgan said he had made no rofcrGnC
to the senator's nativity only TO the time
had been in the democratic party. And viii
his (Alr. Morgan's) services TO tho democrat
party niltl not DCcll us Conspicuous Hh tilDse
Mr. Beck, they had been as honest and
beautiful, No Scotchman worthy OF the nam
= ho continued, would take 70 himself us II pc
sonOl alluslon, anything that was not nlea
in that sense. He (Mr Mprganl reyorcd tn
nationality IN much M he did the senator fro
Kentucky. There might be some doubt nbo
the object OF that senator's gllnslon. b
MIR. Morgan merely understood him to 81
that 1T tie moment Of making his remarks
did not have within the range of his visi(
any subject so microscopic as MT, Morgan.
Well, when the senator was in charge
such heavy artillery he should be careful no
he welded 1t. lie ought to have some consi
a., Grafton for gentlemen. ~ am not relu
''s dealer In small politics." Mr.. Morgan addo!
$50 ~ desire neither place nor power, but WIN
"A occupy Il seat on this floor senators must Il
vs. suppose, insignificant rs may be-lndherc
i,e 10 public praise though may be-lhat TN
,5i can tromple on me without feeling resentine
IA. Mr., Beck, ailcr explaining his position wi
mo reference TO tho bill uudor discussion, SAT-
10. 81 have never had wrangle thaL now
" call In my sixteen ycarsS service on u
" floor or anywhere else In regard TO my pub
duties, and have never given Just cause
oilenso e, amy one who dln not seek an oppI
- tuniy to bring II ON himself by some aSsuln
n lion that was not 10 be drawn rom anythi
v The matter was then dropped.
The senate nj $50 y, NJ, ON motion OF
ID Mr. HoaT endGuyOred TO get up tho fRcl
10 railroads bill In amendment Of the Ihurm
Nclt Dut llc Guar unlQNUEeu lAN hcAt spur
order 10 be tho bill for the improvement
. Galveston hRrbOr, aud this was laid formal
"a before the senate prior 10 adjournment,
f1 The house met nc 10 O'Clock In cOntinuatlc
" of Wednesdays session, aud wont into cor
gnt mitt0o Of the whole (Mr. Hammond, OF GeI
M gIa, in the chair on tho river aud hart
'ted bnl
IL At 1855 the committee rose, the house 4
ioumed, and ut u o'clock tho tc,slOn
Thursday began, amer which business uhu
OF Inc speciai rule was proceeded with.
mn Al 1aD tho consideration OF the river a.
lmc hOrbOr bill was resumed IN committee OF q
IN | whole.
sal ] AT EMS oWeIcl Uu HllcuuHlvit PluNlus
ly,- | mat no portion OF Ilb appropriation LOT !
nh Improvement OF the Mississippi shall DO {
rul- pended to repair or build lGyGes for the pl
l ns nose of rcrieiline lands or prcyputing inil
I'M | Ia lY,1ds 10 ,,ys, trnvidpI hD,ypygr iii