Weekly Phoenix herald., 1885-02-26
Narrow Escape of the Texas Pa cific Land Grant Forfeit
 ure Bill.


 made very evident lately when tht
 Senate by a large majority agair
 took it from the head of the calendar
 and buried it in the body of the list
 As MT. Van Wyck had succeeded 1T
 getting the measure laid before the
 Senate yesterday and had headed of
 MT. Blair's opposition by securing
 an adjournment while the New
 Hampshire Senator was urging con sideration of the contract labor bill. the Texas Pacific bill came up today as unfinished business.
 The moment it was laid before the Senate MT. Blair asked unanimous
 consent to have il laid aside, in or der 10 take up the bill to prevent the importation of foreign laborers under contract. MT. Van Wyck said he would prefer not to yield for that purpose, and MT. Ingalls, came 10 MT. Blair's support. The forfeiture bill, he remarked, had been reported by MT. Plumb, wbo was detained from the Senate, and as there could be no danger to the bill from deiay, he hoped MT. Van Wyck would give way for MT. Blair.
 The Nebraska Senator, who knew delay was dangerous, replied that the bill had once been in danger, and he preferred not to see it in peril again. The bill, he added, was fully understood by the Serate and the country. It was a plain, simple forfeiture, and so obviously just that it passed the House of Represeuta> tives with practical unanimity MT. Edmunds interrupted to warn the Senator that any reference to the proceedings of the House was out of order. MT. Van Wyck asked if he might read from the record the pro- ccedings of the House, ard MT. Ed muhjs answered that he could not A laugh was raised when the Sena>
 
 seek some other way of letting the Senate know how the bill passed the House. He believed, however, that it was proper for him to say that there was a unanimous demand for the passage of the bin by the people, and that the national cons ventions ot both political parties had demanded the restoration of un- earned grants to the public domain. The very moment, he added, that a land grant forfeiture bill loomed up in the Senate terror seized upon some Senators. MT. Van Wyck de- clared that every day of delay was dangerous to the bill. Next week the appropriation bills would have precedence, and then, it the Texas Pacific measure came up, it would be an easy matter to delay final ac> ton upon it until too late by long speeches. The present Congress said MT. Van Wyck, growing earn est, had been able to pass only one forfeiture bill. The railroads con- sented that that should pass, and even then there was some difficulty in getting it through.
 The Senator walked down the aisle and with significant gestures asked | if Senators had forgotten what was written about the Texas Pacific by | that able and distinguished historian 1 C. P. Huntington, and he intimated l ir plain terms that by failing to take ] up the forfeiture bill the Senate 1 might be giving MT. Huntington an l opportunity to write another series of interesting letters.
 MT. Blair, who is a member of the Public Lands Committee, which res ported the forfeiture bill, grew red in the face while MT. Van Wyck was speaking, and as soon as he could get the f1cor he reminded the Senators that he rell-d upon his own sense of duty in all his acts, and resented any insinuations as to his motives ill trying to displace the Texas Pacific bill. MT. Blair had the courage to say in so many words that he was opposed to that bill. He pleaded for the Labor bill and com> plained that he had not been treated at the last session with the courtesy 1ue to United States Senator. Mr. Blair then moved to take up the Labor bill. MT. Harrison made a title speech depreciating the dis~ play of too much zeal by the advo- ;ates of different measures and sup , porting MT. Blair's motion. MT. Van Wyck suggested that sMr. Har- .ison ask unanimous consent that he Labor bill be taken up after the Texas Pacific measure had been dis ' posed of, but the Senator declined to 10 so. ( After MT. Van Wyck had ob.air ed ! decision from Mir. Edmunds that f MT. Bialr's motion was carried the i Texas Pacific bill would be thrown pack into the calendar, he demanded ( he yeas and nays on the motion and he roll was caAsd. The result was victory for MT. Blair and the rail- 'oads by vote of 30 for the motion 1 md 19 against it MT. Plumb, the I Chairman of the Public Lands Con- ' nittee, who was not in his seat when :