Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-07-03
The Senate Discusses Their Indebt-
edness to the Government,
UNDELIVERED LAND PATENTS
Senator Berry, sA|IegationsAgainst
Various Officials.
SHORT SESSION OF THE HOUSE.
SENATE.

l
the fourth centennial of the discovery of
America, and as to the agreement between the
Cherokee commission and the Iowa Indians in
the indian territory were presented and re-
| ferred.
| Mr.; Allison moved that the adjournment today
be till Monday.
| Mr. Edmunds and Mr.. sherman opposed the
motion, and MIR. Plumb and MIR. German advo-
| Gated 1t and it was agreed to-
| among the DlIls reported from committees
| and placed on the calendar were the following:
| Senate bill granting certain lands to Miles
CITY, Mont. for use public park
House bill to discontinue the coinage of the
| SO and 81 gold pieces and OF the three-cent
nickel piece.
House bill to provide for a new design of
authorized devices of United States coins
house bill giving pension OF $50 a month
| 10 the widow OF Rear Admiral Radcliffe.
Senate bill approprating S50, 600 for the I'M
| provement of the road between the Chain,
| Aque duct and Long Bridges and running in
| froht of Arlington Cemetery.
TO PURCHASE THE MALTBY HOUSE.
Mr.. Sherman offered a resolution, which was
referred to the committee on public buildings
and grounds, instructing that committee to in
qulre into the eXpediency of purchasing the
Maltby House Corner OF New JERSEY avenue
and Is street) for the use Of the Senate.
MR.. PLUMB IN SEARCH OF INFORMATION.
agreed to, calling on the Secretary Of War for
information as to whether articles we're being
manufactured at any of the national military
| homes that come in competition with
| private enterprise, and, if SO, the reason
and authority therefor. Mr.. Plumb also
offered resolution directing the Secre-
tary of the Interior to inform the
Senate whether he has knowledge of the guar
antee, actual or proposed by the Union Pacific
| Railroad Company, of the bonds or stock of
any other corporation-more especially those
OF the Oregon Navigation Company and of the
Denver and South Park Railroad Company:
whether the Union Pacific Railroad Company
has paid out of its surplus earnings or
otherwise the Indebtedness, or any part
thereof, of those or other companies and, if
so, whether such guarantee or payment Cor
both) Is IN accordance with law and consistent
with the obligations of the Union Pacific Rail-
road Company to the United States.
Mr.. Edmunds suggested to add to the reso-
luton the words, land that the Secretary of the
Interior communicate all information in the
possession of his department on the subject"
MIR. Plumb accepted the amendment.
WHAT MR.. BUTLER WANTS TO KNOW.
Nlr. Butler-I would suggest that the Secre-
tary of the Interior also report if he has any
knowledge why the Senate does not proceed
to the consideration of the report of
the select committee ON the Pacific
railroads. I would like to have in
formation on that subject. That
select committee spent good deal of time and
work IN getting all the data and agreeing on a
report. For some cause which snsnnabls TO-
understand, the Senate does not consider it.
suppose the caucus has acted on it.
MIR. Edmunds, responding to the cross obser-
yatlon OF the Senator from South Caroline
say that the caucus has not acted on it,
Mr. Butler-The Senator speaks of my being
cross; am as amiable as May morning.
MR.. EDMUNDs ON REPUBLICAN DISREGARD OF
CAUCUS ACTION.
MIR. Misunderstanding. But when the Sem
ator is the most amiable he is generally the
most Cross To the best Of my knowledge and
belief no assemblage or other arrange
ment or discussion OF republicans has any
relation to or consideration of the subject
which the Senator refers Speaking as
one republican, now, and not for the rest of
our gradually diminishing numbers / wish to
say that l think that the trouble has been
that Senators on this side have not stood by
caucus action In the Senate, in spite of endless
talk on the other. and perhaps some considerable
talk on this side and go on with business AS
to this particular resolution wish to saw that
l would be glad to have it embrace call on
the Secretary of the Interior to know whether
or not his department is in possess
sion Of information and papers showing
that at least one of those GOV
ernment railway companies (as they are caiied)
has, ever since the passage of the Thurman
aSs,u6dih duo again uellDerately QlsODeyed
the plain and positive injunctions and prohi-
bitions OF the act in respect of increasing its
obligations aud making dividends under cir
cumstances which the law forbade. 1 should
be be, glad to know. all this, but I
will not interrupt the resolution
of the Senator from Kansas at this moment bv
proposing that further inquiry.
MIR. Butler-I suggest to the Senator from
Vermont that the information which he seems
so anxious to get he would get by the discus
Gln nnrf do h.,
man of the select committee fNir. Frye).
1t is understood by that select COMMITTEES
that the report was to be called up and dis
cussed and disposed of in some way or other.
l have no special choice about it; but having
devoted great deal of time to the subject I
thought it proper that Congress should take
some action upon it.
FIRST THE FACTS THEN THE SPEECHES..
Mr. Edmunds-The question cannot be con-
sidered until the facts are known. When the
discussion of the report Of the select commit
tee in relation to the settlement of the debt (as
some people are audacious enough to
call iD OF these railroads to the
shnted Gnited b. - states SaSaas.,o c. comes up we
upon what ought to be done. If it be true that,
in spite of positive laws of Congress, with pen
aties imposed, there is not, and has not
been, force enough in the administra-
m 1 the or under
compel these companies tdebhey the law or to
punish their officers who deliberately disobey
1t. do not know that there would be any use
IL passing settlement bill at all if it then de-
pends upon the will of each company whether
the settlement shall go on or whether it shall
be broken.
AR. VEST ON THE CAUCUS COMMITTEE
Mr.. Vest-The question is not as to what is il,
the report, but as to why it has not been con.
sidered- 1t has been intimated by the Senator
from Vermont that there has been some sort of :
obstruction on this side of the chamber to the
order Of business of the Senate. If there has
been l have not seen any indication of it
1t is well known that the order of
business Is controlled by caucus committee,
of which the Senator from Vermont is either
the chairman or the controlling member. The
responsibility for the delay in the considera-
ton of that railroad report rests with that COM
mittee and with the majority of the Senate.
The resolution was agreed to.
The subject of the bill passed by the Senate
yesterday as to land patents remaining unde-
livered in the General Land Office and as to the
FACILITIES Afforded TO FIRM OF WASHINGTON
ATTORNEYS
to take list Of them was again brought mn
by Mr.. Berry, who ssnt to the clerks desk and
had read a letter sent by these attorneys, NV.
Combs Co., to the clerk Of Columbia county,