Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-02-09
THE NATIONS SCAPITAL.
Riddlebereer Gets Tremendously
Excited.
The Government Directors Of the Union
Pacific Make Their Annual
Report.
The Vote on the Blair Bill to be Taken
Next Wednesday-Frye Intro
duces Another Resolution.
Senate.

Senate
WAsHISGToS. Feb. 5.
A resolution offered by Mr.. Frye, instruct
ing the committee on foreign nations to pre-
pare a statement showing the political organ
ization of the Dominion of Canada, and of
the several provinces of which it is COM
posed, and of the geographical relations sus-
tanned by them to the United States and va
rious other matters, was taken up and adop-
ted.
The Senate took up as unfinished business
the Blair Educational bill. Mr.. Blair said
that so far as he could judge the bill might
be disposed of by the Senate today, if the
session was prolonged. In any event he
would ask the Senate TO dispose of it toInor-
row.
CeIl spoke in support of the bill.
At the close of Mr.. Calls remarks Mr..
Blair asked to have the time fixed for the
vote on the bill, pending amendments.
Mr.. Plumb expressed his intention to speak
on the bill next Wedne sday at o'clock. By
unanimous consent that date was agreed up
on as the time for the vote,
The Senate voted As TO to proceed to
ecutve business, Riddleberger voting in the
affirmative. A dramatic scene followed.
Ridilcberger arose as the chair announced
the vote, and attempted to speak. The chair
directed that the Sergeant-at-Arms clear the
galleries and close the doors. Riddleberger,
pale with excitement said Il beg your par
don sir, | arise to move a reconsideration of
the vote" (pause, during which the Sergeant
alarms was executing his office Have |
not the right sir to move reconsideration!
voted in the affirmative for that purpose"
Further pause. II have the right and no
Sergeant-at-Arms can restrain me from it "
The closing of the doors shut off further
proceedings from the public. The Senator
continued mis- remarks. He directed them
against the substance of the British treaty.
lie consumed the time until 4 50. when the
Senate adjourned.
The House debated and passed the bill
making bills of ladng conclusive evidence
in custom eases, that goods described therein
were actually received by the carrier.
The speaker announced the appointment of
the following members a special commit
tee to investigate the existing labor troubles
in Pennsylvania Pullman of South Caroli-
ma; Stone of Missouri Chapman of Michi-
gan; Anderson of Kansas; and Parker of
New York. The House at 2.45 adjourned.
General Congressional News.
It will not be the fault of Mr.. Riddeber-
ger if the public. through the open session
of the Senate is not made aware of the
proposed extradition treaty with Great Brit
ain and of his opposition to 1t. Tie has
trenched upon executive secrecy far enough
to assert that the Senate committee on for
cigu affairs has amended the proposed trea-
~ in important particulars, and to challenge
the members of that committee to defend. in
open debate, either the draf. of the treaty
itself or the amendments which they pro-
pose. Whatever the Senators may choose
to do about this treaty il is pretty evident
that they will not be able, by acting i'll secret
to escape a record. The rule which has
been laid down by leading senators, and, for
that matter, Senator Sherman among them,
as to the right of each Senator to state his
own position with respect to any executive
matter, tends to abrogate all secret proceed
ings If any individual Senator may state
what his opinions are as to any executive
matter, every Senator can do the same as to
all executive matters. and it only remains
for the exact vote of the Senate on any pro-
position to he obtained by the voluntary
statements of each individual Senator.
In the matter of the vote of the so-callcd /
dynamite provisions of the proposed extra
dtiou treaty there is little doubt that every
Senator who has large Irish constituency /
will be pretty apt to cause it to be known
how he voted. Those who have given much /
attention to the subject claim to know that
the extradtion treaty with Great Britain
cannot be ratified unless the provisions rela- !
tive to the extraditon of dynamiters, as it is
called, shall be stricken out
The annual report of the government di-
rectors OF the Union Pacific railroad, just re-
ceivcd by the Secretary of the Interior says
The government directors, in their reports
several years past have earnestly recon-
mended, first, that the government adopt
some course which would effect different
settlement of the subsidy debate of the COM
pany, on a basis of greater security to itself
and which should be within the ability of the
company to meet; second, that when the set
tlement made the present relations of the
government to the current management of
prope rty cease in their last two reports the gov
ernmeut directors specifically recommended
the refunding of the debt and its extension
through a period of years of sufficient length
to admit of final extinguishment by the COM
pany and exchange of the present security
which is in adequet and might easily prove
valucless, an effort to enforce payment, for
the security covering all unencombered as
sets and all equities of the company, and
which would give the government, in case of
forfeiture, not some helpless pieces of rail-
road, but completed and profitable system.
This had come to be an unanimous view with
everyone connected with the government
who had eifectually considered the subject.
all had arrived at the same point by indep-
endeut inquiry. Similar recommendations
have been made by the present commissioner
of railroads and his predecessor reports that
this Board had the warm endorsement of the
Secretary of the Interior last year. Bills
embracing the same plan we're several times
reported favorably after the most deliberate
consideration by both houses of Congress.
These general views now in decisive man
ner. have been adopted, enlarged ami
strengthened by an able report of the Pacific
Railroad Commission, and now 1t seems to the
government directors that there can be no
longer any reasonable doubt as to the inter-
est and duty of the government towards the
Union Pacific and they beg TO express their
earnest hope that no future delay occur in
passing such settlement through Congress.
The government directors endorse the fol-
lowing points in the plan presented by the
repor, of the commission The suggestion
of A mortgage to secure bonds 10 be given
by the company, thus placing the govern
men,'s lien in the same position as regards
its enforcement in the court of equity. as a
mortgage will generally occupy; allowing
debtors of the company to redeem its bonds
in whole or in part. so long as they remain
in the possession aud under the control of
the United States the provisions of the COM
missioners plan. which mstfs it possible at
the option of the government TO bring some
action against those persons who may have
tampered with the property of the road,
which thus 1iminishes the security OF the
government: to leave the company free TO
attend to its own business. and as part of
this plan to abolish the office of government
director, and make the government IN all
respects an ordinary creditor, and the com
pany ordinary debtors, so long as the pro-
visions of the act are regarde and carried out
The directors say thai with security made
practicable and increased, with gradual re-