National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-06-03
CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY.
A DAY DEVOTED TO DEBATE IN BOTH
HOUSES.
"ContentIon" Between Senators Evarts
and Ingalls Upon Pathological Points
The oleomarEarine Bin Further
Discussed In the uouse--No Action.

morning business, the Northern Pacific
forfeiture bill was placed before the Senate,
and was then informally laid aside 10 per-
init Mr.. Brown to address the Senate on
the bankruptcy bill.
Mr.. Brown said that of the 60,0O0,000
people Of the United States not 100000
desired this bankruptcy bill. II was de-
sired by the bankers and brokers and by
the creditor class generally, as well as by the
lawyers. II was good bill for those, but
a bad bill for the remainder Of the people.
He reviewed the history OF our former
bankruptcy laws 10 show that that class OF
national legislation had not worked well,
aud was not desired by the people. He
analysed the provisions OF the pending bill,
TO show that they would have an Injurious
effect on that class OF people who buy
goods on credit, and would discriminate
against them in favor OF people who 'are
very well able to take care Of tbemselves.n
The bill would permit the putting into
involuntary bankruptcy Of persons who
should be thirty days behind in their pay
ments.
Consideration Of the Northern Pacific
forfeiture bill was then resumed.
The question pending was on Mr.. Van
Wyck's proposed amendment, providing
Wallula branch alone, but OF all lands ap-
pertaining TO such branches OF the road Us
shall not have been completed at the time Of
the passage Of this act.
Mr.. Cali said the bill, as reported TO the
Senate, evaded the great question which the
public opinion Of the United States was
forcing on Congress. The conviction and
determination OF our people were that all
unearned grants should beforfeited. Some
thirty millions acres OF the grant TO the
Northern Pacific Company had not been
earned and should be forfeited. The testl-
r>mony before Congress showed that between
thirty and forty million of dollars beyond
the cost Of the road would be made by the
projectors of the Northern Pacific enter
prise.
Mr.. George. That is, the government gave
them the means TO build and equip the road
complete from end to end, and $30,000,00O
besides.
Mr.. Call. That is the effect OF IL.
Mr.. George. SO as 10 make them present
Of the road and $50, 900 besidesY
MIR. Call. That Is the idea.
Mr.. Call said he had been Informed that
an offer OF $500, 900 900 had been made by
an English syndicate for the land grant OF
the Northern Pacific Company on the basis
of $3.50 an acre.
Mr. George stated that the average sales
OF land by that company had been within
fraction of "a instead OF $3.50.
Mr.. George said the whole cost Of the
Northern Pacific road had been estimated
by the commissioner OF railroads at $4,000
600. The whole land grant was $4,000, 900
acres, which, at "a an acre, the average rate
Mt which the lands had been sold by the
company, would make $10S, 100000. De-
Quoting from the sum the cost Of the road,
S75,000,000, there was left the sum Of $92,-
100000 for the projectors OF the road.
Alta o'clock the unfinished business, the
railroad land taxation bill, was placed be-
fore the Senate.
Mr.. Dolph, who had'the floor on the bill
when It was last under consideration, re-
sumed his remarks. He approved the
measure as a whole, although he thought
that In the interest OF the government and
the interest of settlers the details OF the
bill might have been improved.
Mr.. Plumb supported the bill. Having
himself, he said, been the author OF bill
that twice passed the Senate, on this sub
ject, but failed In the House Of Representa-
tives, It was his belief that the provisions of
the present bill were the best that could be
now secured. Under this bill whatever
rights local communities had with reference
to the taxation Of those railroad lands, as
other lands we're taxed, the United Statos
government would notinterferc with. The
government lien which might interfere with
such taxation was by this bill withdrawn.
At the same time. the government would
lose no money to which It was entitled.
, The Senate adopted an amendment, pro-
posed by Mr.. Plumb on behalf Of the COM
mittee on public lands, providing for the
repayment in proper cases OF the cost OF
surveying to purchasers.
Mr.. Evarts submitted an amendment to
exclude unsurveyed lands, which was
agreed to; and another amendment exclud-
ing Stands not surveyed and allocated.n
Mr.. Plumb and Mr.. Teller opposed this.
oneen,aota1 tba me of tha
word 'located" instead Of ''allocated.n
llTfSSg g %old 4allocated.n he said, meant
the placing OF one thing after another. The
matter of ''locating" the public lands had
been subject of legal definition for the
greater part Of century without disturb.
ance, and Mr.. Ingalls, thought 1t too late
now to introduce q new phrase into our
Technology.
Mr.. Evarts could not consent to change
the word on the grounds stated by the sena-
tor from Kansas. [Laughter.l In the first
place s'allocated" was a much better tech
nical term than 'located." [Renewed
laughter.]
Mr.. ingalls, Ito page). Bring diction-
airy, please. [Roars OF laughter
Mr.. Evarts. And In the next place ''al-
located" does not mean putting one thing
after another. "AllocatiOn" means ''as-
Mr.. Evarts would, however, change the
word II he could count on the support Of
the senator from Kansas. Laughter.
The amendment was defeatGd-yeas, o.,
nays,32. Mr.. Hoar's amendment, hereto
fore submitted, was then brought up for
consideration. 1t provides "That not more
than GAO acres of land sold under the pro
visions OF this act shall be purchased by
any one person, or shall thereafter be ac-
quired, or owned, or held In trust for any
one DprROu. and any title Or intaraat ar
quired In violation hereof shall be forfeited
TO the United States without any other act
Of entry or process whatever.
Mr.. EvartB opposed the amendment be-
cause fixing and limiting for all time, as by
the decree OF "lord paramount the num-
Der OF acres OF land that should constitute
farm.
Mr.. Hoar said that great landed proprie-
tors had been the cause of great suffering
among the "common people OF the nation
from which we came.n He thought a farm
OF $40 acres enough. Wherever the title to
the land of a country was, there, he said,
was the sovereignty OF that country.
Mr.. Hawley opposed large holdings. 1t
made little difference I'm one sense, he said,
that we had dispensed with the laws Of pri-
mogeniture and entail There was another
form in which the evils OF these devices
could be perpetuated. II could be perpet-
uated by permitting great corporations TO
acquire large holdings OF land and hand
them down perpetually. He would pro-
hibit the acquisition OF large holdings by
corporations for speculative purposes.
The debate was continued by Messrs.
Conger, Plat, and Evarts, and, without &C.
tion on the amendment, the Senate, at $3.50.
went Into executive session, In ten MIN
utes the doors were reopened and the SEN
ate adjourned.
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