The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-01-11
FROM WASHINGTON.
LATEST NEWS AND GOSSIP FROM THE
FEDERAL CAPITAL.
PROCEEDINGS or BOTH HOUSES
or CONGRESS YESTERDAY
Lobby Against the Nicaragua Bill.
Lsnoolnl corrospondenee Of tho TINEs. ]

WAsufNGTON. ID. c., January 9.-Ihe
deadlock I'm the House of Representa-
tives has brought forth more or less Of
the lobbying instinct. The passage of
the resolution reported 10y Committee on
Rules would naturally remove the posi-
hilitics of any obstacles being thrown IN
the way of the passage of the Pacihc
Railroad Funding bin. Not long since a
bin was INTRODUCED in the Senate by
Senator Mitchell. of Oregon. which was
framed in the interest of the Central
Pacific Railroad. and which was in di-
lect antagOnism 10 the bill now pending
in the House known as the Outh-
waite bill. There are now IN
the city q large number OF gentle
men representing the Central facihc'
Northern Pacific. and the Chicago Bur
lmet0n and Quincy railroads, whose IN
tention il is 10 defeat the Union Pacific
bin. because 10 is alleged that in The
event of The passage of the funding bill,
il would be injurious 10 the traffic pos
sihiHties of the other three railroads
named Each of the three are indebted
90 the Government i'm % manner similar
to the nature of The Indebtedness TO the
Government from the lniOn Pacific Rail
road What they fear most is, that
should the present funding bill pass, II
would establish a basis for settlement
with the other roads consequently, IL can
De readily seen why they are aniagonlsilc
20 the passage of the present iundlhg
bin While the late nhbusier-
inr. of course. has no connection Wiili
anv of the bills pending. still the railfoau
LOBBYISTS have taken advantage oil the
opportunity and have come to Washing
ton In great numbers hoping theIehy 10
prevent. if possible any legislation TO
bring about a settlement with the COY
crnment of the debt owed by the Union
Pacific Railroad The amount of money
al stake I'm this bin will, perhaps. aggre-
cate $50. 1000 600 10 say nothing OF what
the other roads owe. and should the pres
emit bin pass. 10 brings about state OF
affairs which the opponents OF the mon
Pacific Railroad are not deslrous OF nav
ing.
A LOBBY ANTAGONfsrlC TO THE NlCAkA-
Qua CANAL BILL.
There IS also another formidable lobby
expected 10 reach this city from NeW
York during the present week. lis OBJ
iect is 10 defeat the agreement M con-
ference OF the TWO Houses on the Mica
raqua Canal bin Ii seems that az some
former time a syndicate, headed by some
member of the Vanderbilt family, ac-
ouired certain rights which the present
bil seriously inierferes with, as regards
the construction of the proposed canal
and for this reason the Vanderbilt in
terest hope to prevent the bill from De-
coming law. as the estate 0i W imam
II Vanderbilt hold d very large amount
of the stock i'm the proposed canal M
which Mr W. II. Vanderbilt himself
was. during his lifetime, large share
holder.
THE COMING sPEAKERsHIP FIGHT.
The Mckinley fight for the speaker
shin is being worked for all il Is worth
The Major has chosen for his lieutenant
Mr. Butterworth and together they
make lively team Promises OF
prominent positions on the various com
miftees are freely made 10 members
elect. and il is presumed that although
Mckinley was not the first candidate IN
the field he win by no means be the last.
RvsrNrss oBsTRUCTED ~ THE HOUSE.
To show how business is obstructed in.
the House. the following incident VIII be
sufficient Mr.. Springer introduced, d
dav or two since. "a resolution for which
unanimous consent was asked, namely,
that W ednesdav should be set aside Tor
the consideration OF the Oklahoma bill
Mr.. Findley. of Kentucky, who has but
once before been heard in the House
during this session, Immediately arose
from his seat in Tie rear part OF the
House. and yelled out at the top OF his
voice II object" OfcOurse this objection
killed the passage of the resolution, ana
when Mr. Findley was asked the reason
of his objection be replied, That be had
no objection particularly, but as every
body was Obiecting, he thought 1t about
time that he should take his turn"
PROPOSED CHANCE IN THE CONSTITUTIONS. \.
Congressman wilkins, Of Ohio, has
evolved a scheme which be thinks VIII
be made practicable, and contemplates at
an early dav To introduce in the House
resolution providing for a change IN the
which will be OF cOnsdera-
bic interest TO the people OF the new Ter
ritories which are now about 10 become
members of the sisterhood OF states. IL
is I'm harmony with what seems TO ne
growing sentiment throughout the
country. and il 20 the enect
that United States Senators should
be elected by the people IN
stead of being elected by the various
legislatures Mr. Wilkins idea Is 10
have the new States, in the formation oil
their State constitution, make provisions
which will be acceptable 10 Congress,
that The people at their general election
preceeding the election Of United states
senator by the Legislature, 10 be allowed
the privilege Of casting their vote Tor
choice of persons TO be elected by the
LEGISLATURE to the United States Senate.
In other words. il will be the voice Of the
people. practically placing in nomination
a candidate for the Office of United states
Senator. which will have 10 be rallhed ny
action of the Legislature. Ihis VII
place the election Of the United States
Senator and the Legislature Of the state
in the same position comparatively 10
that which the President-elect bears To
the electoral college. OF course the
votes 20 be cast for the candidate VIII be /
.imply the same rs that of State con
vention making the nomination, but VIII
Doe instead the voice of the entire voting /
instead OF that element /
which makes up political conventions 1
The idea is comparatively new to Nj. .
Wilkins. and the more he considers II I
the more feasible it appears to him /.
Although be has talked with but few /
persons on the subject. it is quite prob /
able that he will, as above stated, soon /
resolution in the House to /
mat effect II is, he claims, in the line
Of public opinion by which United I
states Senators, like members of the /
House Of Representatives, shall be /
chosen directly by the people
IL is not supposed, of course, that by I
he people expressing their choice for
Tnited States Senator, that the Legisla- F
ure would be compelled to obey 1t, but I
{ is prcsumable that the Legislature
would not care TO disregard the mani /
..t..I ,,tiIl Of the ppople cXDressed al the l