National Republican., 1888-01-25

A message from tho President transmit
ting the fret report Of tho board OF control
as to the management Uf the industrial
homes at Utah was presented in the Senate
yesterday and referred to the committee on
territories.
Mr.. Vest presented q petition from the
contractor for the foundation of the new
library building. lie said that when, some
time since, he offered a resolution inquiring
into the delay In the construction Of the
building, he had done so without consulta-
tion with any human being. He had hap.
pened to be passing by the site and was as
founded to find that, after some FIVE months,
the foundations even had not been pre-
pared. That struck him as remarkable,
considering the amount of money appro.
priated and the elaborate preparations
made for the construction OF the building.
After be had offered the resolution he had
conversations with Mr.. Spoftord, who is on
the library commission, and with Mr..
Clark, architect Of the capitol, and
they had given such entirely antagonlstlc
reasons why the work had not gone on that
he was confirmed 10 the proprIety OF his
action. In response to his resolution the
library commission had made a report,
which he had glanced over, so as to find out
Mr.. Smiihmeyer's side Of the case, and he
presumed that the memorial (Which he h ld
just presented) gave the contractors side OF
the case. With full knowledge OF the per
soDDel of the library commission he de.
remain ed as now constituted, the youngest
man In Washington city would never see
that building completed. The relations
between the architect Of the capitol and
Mr.. Smi,hmeyer were such that they would
never egree on any proposition connected
with the building. He himself took no
side In the controversy, but was influenced
simply by. the desire to have the building
completed as rapidly as possible.
Mr.. voorhees, introduced bills for the
formation and admission Of the state of
Montana Referred.
Mr.. Hoar called up the motion made by
Mr.. Gorman-some time since-to recon-
slider the vote by which the Senate had Or
dered o special committee Of five on Pacific
railroad matters. He explained his motive
In proposing special committee. The
judiciary comm ttee had had the subject
under consideration for q great while, and
he should be the last senator to question
the capacity Of that committee to deal with
that or any other subject within its juris.
diction. But II so happened that 1t was
necessity for that committee to deal with
the subjects before It without giving hear
ings to persons interested. The pressure
Of business upon It precluded its doing so.
But 1t was exceedingly important that legis-
lation on this subject, which involved deal
ing with amounts ana figures, and the
ascertainment of what was within the
power of the companies to do on one side,
and what would be the most absolute
security for the government on the other,
should be considered by q committee that
tuld have before 1t the representatives OF
the companies and the officers Of the gov
errment. The subject had been committed
by Congress to special commission 1t
had been made the object Of special ex-
ecutive message, and It therefore seemed
eminently proper that 1t should be referred
to a special committee.
Mr.. German said that when he made the
motion to reconsider 1t was simply under
the general impression that subject Of
such magnitude had better be considered
by astanding committee of the body;t 1t, for
the reasons stated by the senator from. Mas
sachusetts, and for other reasons which had
that the best disposition of the question
would be to refer 1t to select committee.
He suggested, however, that the committee
should consist OF seven (uot fve) members.
Mr.. Hoar said he had no objection to the
proposed modification.
Mr.. Edmunds said that, as charm an
OF the judiciary committee, he would be
excet dingly gratified to have that commit
tee relieved Of the amount of labor which
had been hitherto necessary in the con-
sideration of this subject, The only legls.
latiun that had ever asserted any rights of
the government in regard of those rail-
read companies had come from the judi.
reported measures which (f the Senate
had agreed to ,hem) the railroad compa.
lies would probably have accepted, and
the upshot Of which would have given the
government q security on every species OF
property which those companies had ac.
quired either, directly or indirectly. These
measures had provided lard necessarily II
the Presidents policy Of not taking those
roads was to be adopted) for giving Ion
time for payment Of the debt IL they hal
been accepted by the companies they would
have saved 10 the United States great
mary millions Of dollars on the disputed
question of interest on the payment OF the
was denied by the companies; and there
was considerable reason to fear that the
legal right of the United States In thai
matter might be somewhat doubted
lhe stated 1t with great moderation)
But the judiciary committee had insisted
that, II such u length OF time was given to
the companies for payment OF the debt, the
government should have a universal SO
curity, and that 1t should be reimbursed tc
large extent lat least half for inter
est on the money 1t was paying out. Bu
the companies denied their liability to pay
cent OF It, The judiciary committee hat
reported and reported, but the Senate hat
sested. He was sure that every member o
the judiciary committee would be glad Il
be relieved from any further labor In tn
business, and to have the best select com
mittee that could be devised take hold OF |
and see II 1t could not propose something
,.,ht 81, at tha al ~ Sa.,
ate. Something ought to be done, and don,
speedily, for every day, instead OF improv
ing the situation, rather injured II.
Mr.. Vest (also member OF the ludiclar,
committee) said that 1t had been suggested
to him that the reference of the subject Il
select committee would be regarded as
reflection on the judiciary committee. IL
confessed that that aspect Of the case ha(
not presented Itself to him until 1t was sug
gested. The question had been before tn
Judiciary committee, and had been sent Il
subcommittee, consisting of Senator
Edmunds, Hoar, and himself. They hat
worked earnestly and faithfully, and ha
suit him entirely he regarded It as the bes
measure which could then be passed. Tn
Serate had paid no attention to II, and al
sorts OF reflections and insInuations ha
been made through the press about th
motives OF the committee in reporting suat
huedeuIc' nc uhu luOuBul lHcu, anu NC SUI
thought, that the greatest calamity whlc
could happen to the governme It would b
its being forced to take possession, in an
sort of way, OF these railroads. The mea;
ure then reported would have saved mi
liens to the government, but 1t was treate
With perfect indiilcrence-exeept by th
newspapers they had maligned au
abused everybody connected with that RI
port. lie himself wanted to have nothin
more to do with it, except to cast his vo,
on the report that would be made by th
select committee.
Whatever responsibility there was 70
that error belonged to him and to no oth(