The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1885-01-22


Resolved, That the president be re-
questod 10 advise The senate rs To the
status of the land In question, as viewed
10y the executive, the aClios taken, II
any, To- expel persons seeking 10 settle
thereon, and the reasons Tor tho same,
together with any other Information In
hs possession bearing upon the existing
controversy,
Mr.. CoLQuIrT presented tho ere,
duntials of Joseph T.. Brown, reelected
senator from Georgia. Referred.
4 bill was reported iLVurably from
the committee GA Iublic lands, 10 pro-
vide that whenever lands have heon
Withdrawn from sale because OF grants
made To aid Internal improvements, and
such Withdrawals have been afterwards
terminated, ar where lands have been
reducoi i'm p ice TO $l.2j per rcre, and
such lands have been purchased In
good faith AMI patents obtained there.
Tor without having been first proclaimed
hy tho president, such patents shall be
valid, "where, on the 18th of January,
1855, there are no conflicting claims.
the senate then proceeded to the con-
sideration of bills ON the calendar.
Among the bills passed was one au-
thorizins the president of the United
States To appoint u commission, con-
posed OF one or more army officers, TO
act in conjunction with a commission
10 be appointed by the state OF Texas, To
ascertain aud mark the point where
the Tooth meridian of Longitude
crosses Red river, and appropriating
$4,000 tor the necessary expenses OF the
commission.
The senate resumed consideration OF
the Interstate commerce bill. The
house bill (the Reagan bill, so called
having been already in the senate twice
by title and placed on the calendar, was
now taken from the calendar and read
in full.
The question before tho senate was on
the motion OF Mr.. Cullom, heretofore
made, to strike out all after the enact
ing clause on the house bill aud insert
commission bill already debated and
agreed 10 in the senate. The latter bill
was now also read in full.
Mr.. BECK said the house bill APP
preached the question directly and did
not attempt TO approach IL through
means of doubtful constitutionality
The railroads, he said, aud their best
| trained attorneys, could not place the
subject matter of the bill in position
more favorable for themselves, II they
tried, than was done by the senate in
agreeing to the commission bill. The
senate knew the house would meyer
agree 20 the commission bill. Senators
were simply trying to give the railroads
another chance by giving them II COM
mission against which tho railroads
could urge in the courts the ground OF
unconstitutionality. The railroads had
in one period of sixteen months given
amounting to Sl0,00Q000. Such discrim-
ination showed the necessity for inter
ference on behalf of the people.
Mr.. BECK moved to amend the
house bill by striking out from first
section the provisions regarding dis
examinations in passenger accommoda-
ton and discrimination on account of
color. This would leave the bill, he
said, in the condition in which it had
been originally brought into the house
by Mr.. Reagan. Mr.. Beck said he
would also move to amend the house
bill so as to prohibit railroads from
charging more for carrying freights
aver part Of their road than they
charge for carrying them over the
whole length of their line. If railroads
were common carriers all persons
along the lines ought to be treated
with common fairness. The
companies should not be allowed TO
extort from people along the line what
they lose by gambling in freights at the
end OF their roads. The question was,
whether congress would have the cour-
age to declare to tho railroads what con-
gress knew the people wanted the rail.
roads to know. Unless the railroad
companies were checked they would
very soon control both houses of con
gress. If the proper laws were first
passed MIR. Beck would then favor a
commission, not to legislate, but to In
yestigate and report.
Mr.. MAXEY recognized the great adj
vantages conferred on society by rail
roads and had no pref
udice against them. He had
never owned railroad bond nor share
of railroad stock in his life. The ques-
ton now, he said, was, on the one
hand, whether we should have a conf
mission to supervise the railroads, ORION
the other hand, should pass laws for
their regulation, and leave all intrac-
tions of the laws to be dealt with by the
courts. With the constitutional rights
of congress in the premises, and rs a
strict state-rights man, as many were,
he recognized that congress had such
rights, but he opposed the proposed
commission. With regard to the house
bill, Mr.. Maxey thought any measure for
railroad legislation must necessarily be
tentative. The power and the wealth of
railroad men were increasing danger
Ousiy fast. Almost every railroad in
Texas was under the control of Jay
Gould. AS between the house and the
senate bill, Mr.. Maxey favored the
house bill, believing the commission
bill would do no good.
Mr.. COKE rose to address the senate
on the bill, but yielded to a motion to go
| into executive session.
A message from the president was
| laid before tho senate, transmitting IN
formatisn as to the relative increase in
foreign commerce of Mexico, Central
and South America, the Spanish West
| Indies, Hayti and San Domingo,a and the
share of tho United States therein.
After executive session, the senate ad-
journed.
Mr.. OATES, from the committee on
public lands, reported bill prohibiting
aliens and foreigners from acquiring IT,
tie to and owning lands in the United
States. Placed on the calendar.
Mr.. HEWITT, of New York, from the
committee on ways and means, reported
| a bill amending sections 30l9 of the Re-
vised Statutes. so it will read as follows:
"Section 3Ol9. There shall be allowed
on all articles wholly manufactured from
materials of import, on which the duties
have been paid when exported, draw.
back equal in amount to the duty paid
on such materials, and no more, to be
ascertained under such regulations as
Snail Dc preSCrlueu ny tno SUI VI
the treasury, and all provisions of law
inconsistent herewith are hereby re-
pealed."
After some opposition from Messrs.
| Singleton and Wills, who desired re-
spectively to bring up the congressional
! library aud educational bills, the house
went into committee of the whole on
the Indian appropriation bill.
MIR. ELLIS explained the provisions
of the bill. He suggested, as practical
| solution of the Indian question. the ap