The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-04-22
BILL.
GALVESTON'S CLAIMS ARE
FULLY AND FREELY
DISCUSSED.
THE. REMARKS OF HEPBURN, OF
IOWA, AND GRAIN, OF
TENAS.

WASHINGTON, April ~ In considering the ap
preparations for rivers and harbors, Mr. Hepburn,
af Iowa, moved to strike out the paragraph APP
pr0priating S40O,0O0 for the improvement of Gal
weston harbor lie could see no material differ
enCp between the proposed plan of improvement
and that viii n had been denounced by the Calves
tOH representative Ochiltreel during the last con
gress
The points of difference between the two plans
were detailed by Messrs, Stewart Reagan and
Grain, who also pointed out the great Importance
of Galveston hasbor to the commerce OF the
coIntry.
Mr. Grain inquired whether there was any appro-
priation in the bill for the district represented by
the gentleman from Iowa, and Mr.. Hepburn re-
piled in the negative, stating there was no narlga-
bic river in Iowa.
Mr. Grain regarded that fact as the "milk in tie
scocoanutn If the gentleman had a share of the
pork he would not have made any complaint
Mr.. Hepburn suggested that the gehtlemans re-
marks seemed to imply that no one had a right to
talk about the bill except those who had some pork
in the barrel.
The motion to strike ont was lost-33 to s2-but
it was agreed that a vote should be taken upon il
in the house
Mr. Negley, of PENNSYLVANIA, raised the point of
order against the clause of the bill which directs
the secretary of war to negot te for the purchase
of the works of the MOnongahela Navigat. .on com
pany, the value of the works to be ascertained by
commission of three engineers of the engineer
corps. If the company refuse to sell Its works
or demands a price deemed by the secretary to be
excessive, the secretary is directed to acquire the
works by condemnation, or, in the exercise OF his
discretion, to take possession of the works
Mr. Negley regarded the clause extraordinary
unconstitutional and without precedent, 1t was
proposed to confer on the executive officer of the
COVER ment power to seize private franchises and
private rights without due process of law.
The chair (WellhOrn) tuled that the point was
not well taken, as the reasons given to support IL
went entirely to the question of expediency OF tht
legislation
Mr. Reagan, of Texas, moved to strike ont the
clause declaring that it was plain proposition tt
confsCate the property of the company and to X
more its charter rights.
Mr., Bayne, of Pennsylyania, said the Monongo
hela river was a national highway, and in suppor
| of that proposition declared that the tonnage o
that river was greater than of any other river IL
| the country, or of the harbOr of New \ ork. Al
this tonnage would have to pay tribute to Il corpo
ration if the clause were stricken from the bill
TIE coal landing adjacent to the river was worth
prodigious sum.
Mr. Kelly, of Pennsylvania, thought the propo
siton embodied in the bill WAS little short of in
famous. 1t was proposition to dispose of tn
| individual rights of citizens of Pennsylyani by
town meeting. To adopt IL would show that tn
doctrines of socialism controlled congress, am
that the rights of individuals were no longer to b
! held sacred. .
Mr. Hewitt, of New York, concurred with MI
Kelley in regarding the proposition as an extra
ordinary one. 1t was the application of a colossa
mendicant who came here and asked congress .
add to his Golfers, already overiowing. 1t was tn
owners of these coal fields who were unwilling t
pay ordinary, deceut wages to laborers IL wa
there that HungaTans, Poles and Italians Wer
employed and yet these men, reyeling in thei
great wealth, came here and asked to be allowe
to put their ponds into the treasury. He proteste
against it in behalf of the taxpayers of tn
country,
After further debate, on motion of Mr. Willis, {
Kentucky, that portion of the clause was stricke
out which gives the secretary discretionary pow'
to seize the works of the Navigation company.
Pending further action, the committee rose, al
the house adjourned.