The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-31
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS.
THE SENATE.
"A Protest Against Thanks to schley ana
Emery-The Pacific Railways.

A Protest Against Thanks to Schley and
Emery-The Pacific Railways.
WASHINGTON JAN 3O-Mr. Beck presented
a memorial from a number of naval officers pro
testing against the resolution giving the thanks
of Congress to Commander Schley and Lieuten-
ant Emery. The memorialists say the resolu
ton would advance these gentlemen one grade
and this advancement would affect all officers
now standing above them in their respective
ranks. They say that, while mot wishing to de-
tract from the merits of these most excellent
and worthy officers, we would respectfully repre-
sent that their services in the Greedy expedition
were NOT of character which entitled them to
such marked distinction and advantage over
their comrades"
Mr Hoar, from the committee on judiciary.
reported favorably resolution providing that
the two houses of Congress assemble in the
House hall to count the electoral vote. Mr..
Hoar called up House resolution of similar i'm
port and after amending it to correspond with
the Senate resolution, it was agreed to- The
amendment increases the number of tellers
Mr. Hoar asked unanimous consent to take up
the Pacific railroad BILL He said it was an ex-
tremely important bill. 1t undertook to deal
with vast government property, or Indebtedness
to the government, and undertook to re,
many complicated questions. The bill
was one that excited good deal
of interest in the country Mr. Hoar supposed
he was not saying anything that would be dis
puted when he said that it had created great
interest among the stock brokers. The newspa-
pers were full of charges and countercharges
regarding it, and while he would make
no charge against the press OF the country. as
body, some Of the statements were, of course,
inspired in the interest of speculative dealers In
stock. The bill, Mr. Hoar added, had not been
stimulated or instigated by any railroad com
pany but was the result of original investga-
ton by the Senate judiciary committee, which
had looked very carefully into the whole
subject He did not wish to push the bill
to vote to-day, but would like
to have the bill and accompanying report read,
when he would make short statement on the
subject. and then propose 70 let the bill stand
over until tomorrow.
The bill and report were then read.
Mr.. Hoar then continued his remarks After
referring to the evils growing out of the early
management of the road he said that now the
stock of the Pacific railways had almostwholly
changed hands, ana was now largely held by
people in humble stations, by orphans, or by
trustees of charitable and educational inStitu-
tions, and savings banks that held and managed
the funds of such persons and institutions. Mr..
Adams, the present president, had made an an
alysis Of the stock, and, from such analysis, 1t
appears that only about oneSiXth of the entire
stock was now held bv people who could be sup
posed to hold it for speculative or stock -jobbing
purposes. 1t did not, therefore, seem to Mr..
Hoar to be Just or right for the United States to
deal with the question of the present condition
of the Pacific railways by constantly remember
ing and citing against them the faults or
wrong dongs of twenty years ago. The
roads should be dealt with to-day with
absolute justice taking care. of course, that the
interests of the government were properly
looked after Mr. Hoar continued at great
length in his explanation, and advocating the
committees bill His argument. for the
most part, was similar to that used in the report
accompanying the bill.
Mr. Garland said the bill now presented was
substantially the same as that reported by him
self, last summer, from the judiciary committee,
except that for the reasons then stated to the
Senate the Union Pacific had been omitted
from its provisions One particular in which
the presant bill differed from the former was in
appIyinga remedy for the defect found in exist
ing legislation regarding payment by the road
of current interest. S. s
After brief discussion. participated in by
Messrs Hoar, Seweil and Conger, the hour of 2
o'clock arriving, the matter went over and the
Chair laid before the Senate the interstate COM
merce bill on which Mr. Pugh addressed the
Senate at some length He favored the commits
sion bill. and opposed the Reagan bill.
At the conclusion of Mr.. lPughs remarks the
Senate went into executive session. and when
tho doors reopened adjourned