Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-09
Next MONDAYS VOTE.
II Quorum IL Present the Railroad
Matter May be Quickly Settled.

fassENr STATUS OF THE ATKINSON BILL-rHK
RAILROAD LOBBY QUIETLY AT woRK-ALrERSA-
TIVE MkAsUREs THAT MAT BE CONSIDERED II
THE BILL GOES BACK TO THE COMMITTEE.
Monday is District day in the House. The
Atkinson bill is expected to be finally disposed
OF II IL 10 possible to get Q quorum. On the
last day the District had in the House q motion
TO recommit this bill with instructions was
adopted by majority Of almost two TO one.
A motion was made by the friends of the cor
poration TO reconsider this action. and Mr..
Hemphill thon moved to lay this motion on the
table. Mr. Hemphill's motion was carried by
q strong majority, but there was one less than
quorum present and the matter went over
until another District day.
WHAT rs IN ORDER
The first thing In order il q renewal Of the
roll call on Mr.. Hemphills motion. which. be-
ing carried, will leave the bill in the hands of
the committee to be amended so as TO include
provisions for the protection of the people as
well as for the benefit of the corporation. The
exact form OF the motion to recommit. which
was carried, and which the vote Monday should
confirm, was to recommit with instructions TO
report u bill removing the passenger station
from the mall
All those members who oppose the bill as
presented by the attorneys of the road drawn
up 90 as to give the corporation all the rights
and privileges it asks for, regardless of the
rights OF the public. do not necessarily favor
the removal of the station from its present site.
But all those who are opposed to the bill in the
railroad form will vote to confirm the action of
the House In recommittng the bill To recon-
slider this action would be surrender to the
railroad, unless 1t goes back to the committee
Amendments to improve the measure will. in
most cases, be ruled out of order.
ALTERNATIVE PROPOSITIONS
These are a number of alternative PROPOSE
tions for the protection of the public. Some
members prefer one plan and some another,
out in order to get any Of them on the bill
must be recommitted.
SO all those who want the bill amended will
vote with Mr. Hemphill, and the friends Of the
PennsyivaTiia railroad, who want the bill to 90
through as 1t Is, will vote against Mr.. Hemp
hills motion.
THE LOBBY AT WORK.
The railroad lobby has been hard at work,
but more quietly than heretofore. An immense
pressure has been brought to bear on some Of
the members, but it is believed that very few.
II any, OF those who took the side of the people
on the last vote can be induced to go over to
the corporation. There has probably not a sin
gie member gone over to the railroad who cast
his vote on the public side of the question on
the last District day
The only anxiety Of the friends of the District
Is lest there be not a quorum present on Nom
day. III a quorum is there for the one vote in
tne morning, that will probably settle the mat
ter and put an end to the delay.
COMPROMISE POSSIBLE
There are several plans to reduce the num-
Der OF dangerous grade crossings, all of which
the committee can consider when the bill is again
in fhar hon onl
comes before the House the bill will probabIv
be IN shape to give both sides fair oppor
tunity to amend and perfect the plan.
The expectation Of many of the conservative
members is that there will be some sort OF a
compromise reached after the bill is back in
the hands OF the committee and the railroad
has become less dIctatorial through the cbas-
tsement of defeat