The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-02-18
poINcs OF THE SENATORS.
The Pacific Roads and Another
Chapter In Mr.. BIaIr's Speech.

WASHINGTON. February 17.-In the Senate
today, Mr.. Frye, from the select committee
on Pacific railroads, reported back adversely
the two Pacific railroad refunding bills re-
ferred to 1t, and In lieu of them reported an
original bill on the subject. with two reports
one touching the Union Pacific Indebtedness
and the other the Central Pacific indebted
ness. He was informed that the Union Pa
cifc company did not think 1t could pay over
q per cent interest. The committee believed
the company could pay per cent, and pay
us debt in 90 years. The Central Pacific
Company officials stated that they could not
pay more than II per cent interest, and could
could not pay the whole debt in less than 125
years. The committee had carefully consid
cred the matter, and had unanimously arriv-
ed at the conclusion that the Central Pacific
should pay its debt In 75 years with per
cent interest. They had so reported In this
dill. The Central Pacific Company had re-
quested that in establishing the amount OF
the sinking fund to be deducted In finding
the present worth Of the debt, an allowance
OF 6 per cent interest on the sinking fund
should be made The committee declined to
make that allowance. The Central Pacific
Company was to give mortgage on all the
roads and property OF the Central Pacific
system. That include. the roads from four
miles west of Ogden to San Jose. and also
two very important roads In California,
which had paying powers VI much greater
value than the road from Ogden to San Jose.
That was regarded as Suffi lent security for
the United States. The Central Pacific sys
tenn had been leased to the Sout fern Pacific
Company for 80 years, at rental amounting
to about 81, 100000 a year. The committer
could not see how the company would suffer
in:any degree by the requirement that the
lease should be made an dditional security
to the United States, and the committee had
Incorporated In the bill that the United
States should have mortgage OF that lease.
aud that the Southern Pacific directors
should assent to modification Of the lease.
so the rental to be paid under 1t shall never,
until the entire debt be paid to the United
States, be less than the annual requirement
on the Central Pacific Company under thi>
bill. If these provisions are accepted, the
committee is satisfied the security for the
payment of the debt in rs years, with per
cent interest, Is ample.
Mr.. Plumb inquired whether the bill pro-
vided for the payment OF taxes equltably due
To Kansas by the Kansas Pacific Railroad
Company. Mr.. Frye replied in the negative.
The bill was placed on the calendar and the
reports were ordered printed.
Mr.. Beck presented the credentials Of Mr.
Blackburn for his new senatorial term, for
March 4. 1891, which were placed on file.
The Senate proceeded to the business on the
calendar, and passed about two dozen unlm-
portant bills, when the educational bill came
up as unfinished business, and at O'CLOCK
Mr.. Blair resumed his argument. He read
statement TO prove that in the last election
in Louisiana more illiterates voted than vot-
national provision was made In
aid of common school education, the
United States will evidently become an illit
crate and ruined nation. He called attention
to what he regarded as having an important
bearing on the question. the fact that the de
pendent pension bill was unanimously re
ported from the pension committee and
would evidently become law. 1t would
add to the gresent pension expenditure 20 t0
30 millions year; and almost the whole of
that sum would necessarily be distributed In
the Northern States. but not less than a
Iourth OF tne lax for II, PROBABLY three
eighths, wOuld.fall on the Southern States.
The educational bill would act as some part
of the compensation to the South by giving
that section the largest proportion Of the
seven millions year to be paid out in aid Of
common school eaucation. He supposed the
better the case proved by him 1t
law, because he had noticed 1t stated In
the public prints that he was destroying the
chance OF passing the bill by occupying some
time in his remarks. He knew better than
To submit a case to jury until be had ali the
evidence in. Then, II wrong verdict wa
returned. the responsibility would be on the
jury. Mr.. Blair went on to say that he ex-
pected great many Southern senators,
whose power was built on the aristOcracy
that owned the land aud labor in the South
before the wa, to oppose the BILL He warned
them that revolutions did not go back ward
and the children of the country, North and
South alike, were going to be educated Edu-
cation would be the entering wedge to the
establishment OF II new order OF things, even
In Texas.
Mr.. Coke said Texas spent two OF three
times as much money for education as any
other state in the South and very few North
ern states spent more. Texas had school
system hat would compare favOrably with
any other state in the Union. She spent
nearly five millions year on common school
education.
Mr.. Blair-"Then why is Texas opposed to
other States not so well off receiving aid for
their common schOols?"
Mr.. Coke-"DO you desire an answer?
Mr. Blair-"I do not desire to yield the
floor for any length of time. am proceed
ing In great hurry because OF a frantic De-
sire In this body TO hear me-" Laughter
Owing to pressure on the part Of the Senate
to hear what am saying, ought to proceed
but IL the Senator wishes to answer my
question will certainly yield; II not, will
20 on"
Mr. Blair occupied three hours but did not
close his argument.
On motion of Mr.. Hale the House amend
ment to the bill to have statistics OF the
mortgage Indebtedness obtained in the next
census was non-concurred in and a cLnfer
ence asked. Senators Hale, Davis and Berry
were appointed conferees on the part OF the
Senate. The Senate adjourned at p. m.