The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-22
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS.
THE SENATE.
Mr. Coke Makes an Argument i'm Favor of the
Reagan Interstate Bill.

Reagan Interstate Bill.
WASHINGTON, Jan 21-A resolution was
agreed to- calling upon the Secretary of the
Treasury for any further correspondence in his
department relating to the collection post
ponement Of the payment of tax on distilled
spirits.
The Chair laid before the Senate Mr.. Plumb's
resolution, offered yesterday, requesting the
President to advise the Senate as to his views
Of the present status of the lands known as
oklahoma lands" Owing to Mr.. Plumb's alb
sence, Mr.. Ingalls, wished it to go over till to-
morrow
Mr.. Vest offered substitute for the resolu.
tion providing that the Secretary of the Interior
shall communicate with the authorities of the
Creek and Seminole nations of Indians to ascer-
tain upon what terms they will convey to the
United States all their rights to the Oklahoma
lands. 1t then went over
The Senate then took up the bill to establish a
court of appeals, known as the David Davis
bill"
Mr. Hoar said that in order to remove any OBJ
jectons that might exist to its passage on ac-
count of the resulting appointments that UNI
doubtedly the appointments would fall to the in
coming and not the outgoing administration.
Mr.. Morgan offered an amendment, which was
agreed to- securing to defendants in criminal
cases the absolute right to a writ of error.
Further consideration of the bill was cut of by
the limitation of time. and consi GRAFTON OF the
interstate commerce bill was resumed.
Mr. Coke said no amendment to the Senate
bill that would accord with the theory Oh which
the bill was founded would make it a practical
measure. The House, or Reagan bill, was
conservative and practical measure, and for that
bill Mr.. Coke invoked the candid consideration
Of the Senate. He maintained that in its prin-
cipal features it was simply codfcation of
the common law. Under the law common
carriers were prohibited from charging unrea-
sonable rates and discriminating against in
dividuals, and were also prohibited from pool
ing The railroad companies exercise part OF
the sovereignty of the state by condemnlng land
for their own uses Such exercise was a public
trust and the public were therefore entitled to
know all about railroad administration.
Mr. Mcpherson inquired whether if pool rates
were reasonable, there would be any need to
prohibit pooling.
Mr. Coke replied that the courts of the State
of New York decided to be illegal pool com
posed of twelve poor canal men, who scraped to-
gether money enough to buy boats of their own;
how, therefore, could pool of forty great rail
roads, which now controlled the commerce of
the country, be legal2 ''That pool" saiG Mr..
Coke with emphasis, 'has openly defed all the
power and authority of the States"
Messrs Morgan and Harrison asked why the
bill was needed at all if the common law supplied
a sufficient remedy.
Mr. Coke replied that necessity for the bill
was found in the fact that the railroads denied
the power of Congress to deal with the questions
involved. The people sometimes did wrong, but
give them little time and they would remedy
the wrongs they had inflicted. The sober sec
ond thought of the people was the perfection of
human wisdom. Mr.. Coke took up the Senate
bill in detail ard criticised its provisions Each
of the nine commissioners, ne SAID would nave
five States under his supervision. Gould he hear
N before him,
Should witnesses be brought from the remot-
est corners of the United States to get an
opinion" from commissioners The Reagan
bill was "a peoples" bill. Under it the questions
at issue were to be examined by courts at the
homes of citizens, where the witnesses lived, and
not at Washington, which might be thousands
of miles from the field of operations. Mr. Coke
severely criticised Charles Francis Adams, jr.,
who, he said after having said that the railroads
were Establishing desDotsm that no spas
modic popular action could shake off," was
now advocating a consolidation or fedora
ton of all the railroads in the country under one
head. In the days of his impartality Mr. Adams
saw the evils of great railway combination: since
he had got to be cheek by jowl with Jay Gould,
he saw no harm in them. Mr.. Coke insisted
that the great railroad companies were the most
lawess bodies with which the government had
ever had to DEAL and the passage OF the Reagan
bill would, in his opinion, have greater moral
effect on them than anything Congress could
do
On the conclusion of Mr.. Coke's remarks a
message was receivad from the House, announc-
ing the death of Hon. John Hamilton Evins, late
representative in Congress from South Carolina
On motion of Mr.. Hampton the message was
at once taken up, and Mr. Hampton offered a
resolution fittingly expressing the sense of the
Senate on the decease of Mr.. Evins. Mr.. Hamp.
ton, in Offering the resolution, said the deceased
gentleman had been a close and dear friend of
his. Justice to his memory needed not the Ian
guage Of panegyrc. but the calm and sober Ian
guage of truth. Mr. Hampton then paid an
eloquent and feeling tribute to the memory OF
his friend.
Mr.. Frye: who had served In the tho rorry sixth
feeling terms his nigh personal regard for him
and his hope that God may temper the heavy
blow to his wife and children.
mr. 60'er also s n-so nsTfngly in euogy Of
the deceased.
The Senate then, on motion Of Mr.. Butler, as
mark of respect to Mr.. Evins's memory, ad
journed.