Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-09-12
CONGRESSIONAL.
senate Considers the Report on the Railroad
Land Forfeiture Bill.
SENATE.


WASHINGTON, Sept lion motion of
Mr.. Plumb the conference report on the
railroad land forfeiture bill was taken
up. The main proposition in the report
is contained in the first section as fol-
lows: That there is hereby forfeited to
the United States and the United States
hereby resumes the title thereto, to all
land heretofore granted to any state or
to any corporation to aid in the con-
struction of railroads opposite 10 and
coterninous with the portion of any
such railroad not now completed and in
operation, for the construction or bene-
fit of which such lands were granted;
and all such lands are declared to be
part of the public domain; provided that
this act shall not be construed as forfeit
ing the right of way or station grounds
of any railroad company heretofore
granted
Morgan opposed the report by pro-
nouncing it q log rolling scheme gotten
up for the benefit of all land grant roads.
He said that while the first section pro-
fessed to be q forfeiture, all the other
sections related to separate roads and eX-
empted them from operation of the for
fixture, or else secured to them certain
advantages. 1t could scarcely be said
that there was any land forfeited by the
bill to the government in consequence of
the failure of the railroads to comply
with the terms of the original grants.
The most that could be said of it was that
a few small roads that had not got friends
enough in the two houses to stand up for
them and hold up their hands were to be
crucified tor the sake of CLOSING over and
vanishing false pretense of general
forfeiture. After speaking for over an
hour Morgan said that he knew that the
questions which he had been discussing
were going to their grave in the passage
of the bill, but that he had desired to
give them decent burial. He
had wished 10 erect head
stones on the graves Of the
rights of the people on the line of
the Northern Pacific that the historic
record might be read hereafter. He had
wanted to remind the people OF the
United States of the vast robbery perpe-
trated by that company and which was
now sanctioned, wound up and brought
to conclusion by the bill. He knew
what the vote would be. He knew when
the Republicans came in with one sided
report with the Democrats refusing TO
sign it what the result would be. When
ever the bill was passed the forfeiture of
Northern Pacific railroad lands would be |
dead and buried, and nothing more |
would be heard about it. Without finish |
ing his speech Morgan yielded for u mo- |
tion to adjourn.
HOUSE.
WASHINGTON, Sept. II As Speaker |
Reed entered the chamber a few mo-
ments before nOou to-day he received a |
round of ap plause from the Republican
side of the house and from spectators in
the galleries.
O'FerrelI of Virginia made point of
no quorum present. The speaker without
taking notice of the point, stated that
the question was on approving the jour-
nal of Tuesdays proceeding, and di-
reoted the clerk to call the roll. In or
dering the previous question the vote
stood-yeas, So; nays, A. No quorum,
and on motion of Mckinley of Ohio,
amid Democratic applause, the house at
10 40 adiourned