Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-01-08
pursuance Of the recommendation Of the
(sun-Fouudrv beard. Referred.

pursuance Of the recommendation Of the
Gun-Foundry Board. Referred.
On motion Of Mr.. Tucker. OF vir-
ginia, Tuesday, January 18th, was as
signed for the consideration Of business
reported from tho Committee on the
Judiciary.
The House then resumed the consid-
Grafton Of the interstate commerce bill,
the pending motion being one submit
ted by MI. O'Neill. Of Pennsylvania, to
strike out the section prohibiting rail-
roads from charging more for a short
than long haul.
Mr.. Townshend,. Of Illinois, inquired
Of Mr.. Reagan as to the time which
would be occupied in the further con-
sideration of the bill; but Mr.. Reagan
not hearing the question, Mr.. O'Ncill
volunteered the information that it
would consume at least three weeks
longer.
Mr.. 0'Neill then spoke in support of
his motion. He could not see how it
was possible to oblige railroads to carry
out the idea contained in the section.
Mr.. O'Neill's motion was lost-yeas,
90; nays, 1877.
Mr.. Burnes, Of Missouri, from the
Committee on Appropriations, reported
the consular and diplomatic approprla-
ton bill, and it was referred to the
Committee of the Whole.
The discussion Of the interstate
commerce bill having been resumed,
Mr. Reagan, Of Texas, defended the
measure from the attack made uponit
before the holidays by Mr.. Phelps, of
New Jersey. and maintained that that
gentleman had never read the bill, or
having read it, had not understood it.
Mr.. Phelps replied that the attempt
to regulate railroad traffic in the man
ner proposed by this legislation would
be as futile as was that of Thaddeus
Stevens, of Pennsylvania, to prevent
dealing in gold.
During the late war Mr.. Stevens pro-
cured the passage of bill prohibiting
such dealings, but discovered his mis-
take in interfering with the natiolal
laws of trade within three days, and
was among the first to move for the re-
peal of his bill.
Mr.. Phelps said he recognized with a
feeling of injury that the gentleman
from Texas had spoken with certain
amount of personal feeling. The gen.
tleman had referred to him as rich
man. If he must make confession he
would do it only under this taunt. If
he had once enjoyed the distinction (if
it were distinction) Of being rich, that
distinction had been very greatly dimin-
ishcd, if not entirely destroyed.
Mr.. Phelps went on to say that he
had sunk 100000 in assisting other
capitalists to build railroad in Texas
through the town Of Palestine, where
the gentleman from Texas resided. The
money was still there in the railroad,
and he had never received dollar of
interest on his stock. Was it wrong
that, having had this and similar expe-
rience-speaking from practice, not
theory speaking not arrogantly-to
tell the gentleman from Texas that Of
which he knew nothing except in
theory?
Then a passage Of arms took place
between Messrs. Keifer and Reagan, the
former denying the statement made by
the latter to the effect that the Commit
tee on Commerce in the Forty-seventh
Congress was packed against his bill,
and the tterreIterating his statement.
An amendment was adopted giving
United States courts power to issue
writs Of mdnddmus compelling railroad
companies to forward freight.
Mr.. Hammond, of Georgia, offered an
amendment providing that no case
brought under this act in any State
court of competent jurisdiction shall be
removed to any United States court. 1t
was agreed to-l24 to 80.
Mr.. Hammond, in speaking to the
verbal amendment. said that he be-
lievcd that any rigid rule with regard
to railroad rates, or a rigid rule as to
railroad management, would work evil,
and only evil, to the people. While
there was much to be said in favor of
legislation Oh the subject Of railroads,
much more was to be said against any
procrustean bed on which all must lie,
though it took the knife to make them
fit. He knew the expressions of the
railroads, but he knew also that the
people needed these roads, and that
every burden put on them would sooner
or later come out of the pockets of the
people. He was unwilling that the bill
should be voted upon without his de-
claring that while he differed, with re-
luctance, from the gentleman from
Texas, he felt compelled to vote against
this legislation. Pending action the
matter went over.
Mr.. Davis, of Missouri, gave notice
that he would call up tomorrow the
Alabama contested election-case OF
Craig rs. Shelley.
On motion of Mr.. Cox, Of New York,
resolution was adopted calling on the
Secretary of the Navy for information
in regard to the cause of the death OF
Naval-Cadet Frederick 5. Strang, who,
it is alleged, died in consequence ofcru-
elites inflicted by the senior cadets at
Annapolis The allegation on which
the resolution is based is that the cadet
came to his death from the effect of So
called horse-play" on the part of the
third class, he being put in barrel and
rolled around.
On motion of Mr.. Tucker, of Vir.
ginia, bills were passed removing tho
political disabilities of G.. II. Hill
". II. Ward, and J. Il. Waddy, o.
Virginia.
Adjourned.
Washington Hens.