National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-05-12
BATTLE OVER VAR HISTORY.
CHARGES AGAINST "THE ARCH.CON-
SEPARATOR, MIR. STANTON"
Spicy Debate in the House-Assault
Upon the Army Judge Advocate De-
Observation-Disclosures Commerce Free
Passes on Railroads.

After routine business the Senate resumed
consideration of the interstate commerce
bill.
Mr.. German, in discussing one of the
amendments to the bill, said the long and
short haul clause as now in the bill would
not prevent the trunk lines from paying
fair dividends.
Mr.. Morgan formally offered his amend
ment, heretofore published, to punish by
fine and imprisonment men who conspire to
stop or interfere with the running of trains
engaged in interstate commerce.
Mr.. Morgan said this was q necessary
provision. While Congress had in hand
the regulation Of commerce between the
states, 1t should see that travel between the
states should be kept free. 1t was the right
Of the whole people to Insist upon free
interchange Of commerce. Whatever tended
TO interfere with commerce, whether rail
road company, mob, or conspiracy OF
individuals, was something that Congress
should regulate, and Congress could not
escape this duty II II undertook to do any
thing at all In connection with interstate
commerce. In moving the amendment, Mr..
Morgan knew he was running against o
powerful sentiment OF large class of
people who had asserted the right to iuter-
Tupt ut pleasure the movements OF com
merce between the states. But every man
ohcerned-certainly every American. born
citizen-when he should come to consider
the matter, would say that 1t was the duty
of Congress to exercise its power against
anything that would interfere with the
commerce of the country. The mature
judgment OF even the men who had been
provoked into excuses by the extortions OF
railroad companies would sustain Congress
In this legislation. But whether It did or
not the duty of Congress was the same.
Mr. Vest had as little sympathy as any
body with the violent methods resorted to
In some portions Of the country In conuec-.
ton with the labor troubles. He sincerely
hoped that labor might be elevated aud
those who daily tolled for daily bread
might receive the uttermost penny TO which
they were entitled He believed they had
the right to form labor organizations and
to protect themselves legtimatey and
under the law against abuses that had
grown out OF the enormous accumulation
of capital in certain hands. He (Mr.
Vest) believed, however, that ofTenses COM
mtted within state against rights of
property should be dealt with by the state.
He (Mr. Vest) did not think the constitu-
tion gave Congress any right over the ques-
ton with which the amendment dealt. Be-
sides, the experience of the past few weeks
showed that the states were entirely com
petent to deal with these matters. So far
as Missouri was concerned, whenever any
appeal had been made to the power Of the
state 1t had been responded to-
Mr.. Teller favored the sentiment that lay
at the back of Mr. Morgan's amendment,
but agreed with Mr.. Vest that the question
was one for the state legislature TO deal
with, and not for Congress. He thought
that every state already had statute of
this character.
Mr. Morgan said If Congress was going
to enact legislation to make traffic free, ii
should not stop until 1t had removed the
difficulties that had arisen in different parts
of the country, and which had put to shame
the power and majesty of the law 80 FIRE.
quently as to cause alarm.
Mr.. Blair was surprised that the labor
question had been brought into the discus
sion Of the railroad bill. He did not sup
pose there was any more law-abding class
Of citizens in the United States than the
American laborers.
Mr.. Maxey would yield to no senator II
love Of law and order, but the amendment
embodied q provision which was for STATE
legislatures to act on rather than Congress
Mr.. Cullom and Mr. Platt feared TIN
amendment would embarrass and, perhaps
imperil the passage OF the bill, and so op
posed Mr.. Morgan's amendment.
On motion Of Mr.. Hoar the amendment
was laid on the table-yeas 40, nays 3. The
negative votes were those of Messrs
Dolph, Edmunds, and Morgan.
Considerable debate arose upon the
amendment offered by Mr.. Plumb, prohibit
ing members OF Congress, officials of thu
governn- ent, and their families from nc
cepting free passes, and prohibiting rail
road companies from giving them sucl
passes, or reduced rates.
Mr.. Kenna did not think there was amar
In Congress or out of 1t who could b.
bought by a free pass. who would not b.
more easily bought for ready cash. Still
he supposed Though he afterwards though
this statement too broad) that there wer,
very few men In Congress who did no
have passes in their pockets.
Mr.. SpOoner said that as passes wert
used to get business WITH 1t would be un
Just to prohibit the Pacific roads from is
suing passes II their competitors were al
lowed to issue passes.
Mr. Call thought 1t an insult TO the Sen
ate for anybody to suppose that railroad
pass could influence the vote Of senator
Mr.. Logan said the proposition abou
free passes was making this bill ridiculous
We were dealing with this matter in wa
to induce the country to believe that mem
bers of the United States Congress wer
afraid of themselves-afrai to trust thei
own honesty. He (Mr. Logan did not pro
pose to tell his constituents that he could
be bought with q railroad pass. They did
for men to act like honest men.
Mr.. Edmunds remarked that II this bill
right that no discrimination should b
made between persons, 1t should apply a
well to passengers as freights. Though tn
giving Of passes to legislators did not lmpl
corruption, yet the fact that railroads gay
passes to many legislators implied that tn
corporations thought they were doing som(
thing that would be to their benefit; 1t In
piled that II legislation came up In whic
the corporations were interested, member
would feel "more justly Inclined" an
would get over any "preiudices" the
might have. Mr.. Edmunds remembers
that some fifteen years ago In this chamber
when the first effort was made to bring tn
Union Pacific to sense Of its obligations,
member of the House of Representatives,
leading director of that road, perhaps til
president Of the company, came in to til
Senate, and any one could see, wlthou
being impertinent or going near him, thI
passes were being distributed. That wa
not for the purpose of corrupting senators
but to make them more ''even-minded.n
Mr.. Ingalls, rldicued the proposition COY
cred by the proposed amendment II
thought there had been declarations enoug
already by Congress- to the effect that i
members were unable to conduct themselvC
with decorum, and that they must continu
TO be stiffGned up and girdled round abol
with penal statutes to prevent them froI
doing something that would render them
disgrace to the nation, He had u relatiN
who was superintendent OF II railroad
What turpitude would there be II he shoul
accept on invitation from him TO ride oy'
his road freeP lie (Mr. lngalls) had r
Ceived railroad passes from roads ruunin
through his state, not with the idea that
was to be their bond-slave, but TO enab
him, from time to time, to see his co
stituents, and see what those col
stituents wanted him to do In Congress
There was, OF course, no difficulty abol
Mr. ingalls, paying his fare, but 1t had N
been his habit Ilaughterl to pay rallro'
fares when he iourneYed nbout among D