, 1890-02-01

WASHINGTON, Jan. 3l.-Ihe house
committee on commerce to-day signi6ed
Its disposition oward the efforts to repeal
the interstate m law, by ordering
that all bills with hat end in view be re-
ported back to the house with the recon-
~mendation that they lie on the table.
The house committee on Indian affairs
has ordered q favorable report on the bill
authorizing the secretary of the interior
to procure and submit to congress a pro-
posal for the sale to the United States of
the western part of the Crow Indian res.
eryation in Montana.
The house committee on territories
to day heard an argument by Hon. Jer-
emlah Wilson OF this city, on the bill for
the admission of the territory of Idaho as
a state of the Union. Mr.. Wilson ap.
peared in behalf of the Murmons, and
addressed the committee in opposition to
the provision In the constitution of the
Idaho constitution adopted at Boise City
last year, DISTINGUISHING Mormons. He
commended that the only safe
ground for the committee to
take In this matter was to deal with
this as with every case where a man
commits a crime, not to enquire what he
believes or teaches, but when that belief
breaks out into an overt act, which Is a
commission of crime, then punish him by
dlstranchisement after the commission of
the overt act He said he protested
against depriving the %, 900 Mormons in
territories of their rights and privileges,
and against imposing upon them taxa
ton and compelling them to bear all the
burdens of a state government and at the
same time refuse them those rights. Will
son also argued sthat the population of
the territory was inadequate to bear with
any degree of convenience the burdens of
a state government.
The senate select committee on Pacific
railroads this morning received the report
of Senator Davis upon the bill to further
extend the time of payment of the debt
of the Central Pacific railway. The re
port was read and discussed, but no con
clusion reached, when the committee
adjourned to meet next Friday. 1t is ex-
pected at that meeting bills with regard
to both the Union and Central Pacific
roads will be finally acted upon. The
committee has already decided to report
the Union Pacific bill drafted by Senator
Frye, but it is not to be given out for
publication until the Central Pacific bill
is also passed upon. The Union Pacific
bill extends for fifty years time, within
which the government debt must be paid,
and fixes the rate of interest at 8 per
cent. The senators did not state what time
of extension or interest would be made In
the case of the Central Pacific, but it is
understood the road will be given about
twice the time allowed the Union Pacific
ard a lower rate Of interest will be re-
quired. lu the cases OF both roads, the
committee will insist that all property the
roads have, whether covered or not by the
existing law, the government shall be
made liable for the indebtedness due the
United States. Under this arrangement
the government will secure a mortgage
upon the various branch lines owned by
the Union Pacific and built without gov
eminent aid. 1t has always been insisted
by the railroads that the main lines would
be worthless as money earners without
these feeders, and it is asserted these lat
ter will greatly increase the government
security.