Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-01-06
AND YET IT WAS PASSED.
Vigorous Protests In the Senate Against the
Atkinson Bill.

AND YET IT WAS PASSED.
Vigorous Protests In the Senate Against the
Atkinson Bill.
Mr.. vEsr's CLEAR STATEMENT OF TIE rssprs-
NO CONCESSIONS FOR rTT PEoPLK-nR NOR
RrLL's pESUSoIArloS OF rHE HEAsuRr-n
CALL IN FAVOR OF REMOVING THE rRAcxa
As stated in The STAR the Senate yesterday
agreed by q vote Of 81 to IL to the conference
report on the Atkinson Pennsylvania railroad
bill to which the House had already agreed. A
sketch Of the senatorial debate. which tool
place on the report yesterday afternoon, ap
peared in The STAR, but the lateness of the
hour at which the discussion took place pre-
cluded the publication in full Of the more i'm.
portant speeches. Senator Vest was first &c
champion the interests Of the people Of the
District and Of the United States.
THE OMITTED PROVISION.
This BILL" said he, "went through the
Senate leaving out of It q provision the elm
ination Of which I was not aware Of at the time
As the bill came to the Senate originally Il pro
vided for commission that should take inte
consideration the relations between the govern
ment OF the United States, or, speaking more
correctly. between the government of the Dis
trict OF Columbia, and the railroad companies
In the District, with view to adjusting thoss
relations SO as to remove complaints that arr
being made publicly and persistently in regard
TO these railroad companies in the management
OF their tracks and business.
II made no opposition myself to the bill as il
came from the House on account Of that pro-
vision. 1t is very well known that have never
agreed to the management of their tracks and
business in this District by the Baltimore and
ONO and the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad
Companies. / believe now, and have always
expressed that opinion since l have had any
knowledge upon the subject, that the Baltimore
and Ohio railroad has 'deadened,' to use a
western expression, a very large and beautiful
portion OF this city by occupying a street to the
exclusion of all traffic across it at reasonable
hours. The result is today that here in the
capital of the nation we find the property OF
one third of the people of this District depre-
clated in order to meet the demands of a cor
poration, railroad company.
1T Is a notorious fact that the track Of the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad down North Capt.
tol street and running from the base of this
Capitol Hill prevents traffic from passing across
1T Tor minutes at time, which is serious con-
sideration in the business of a large city. ]
have myself, in company with another Sena-
tor, sat In a carriage at one of the crossings o!
this railroad over one of the principal streets
OF the city for eleven minutes by the watch
while their cars were moved up and down the
railroad company without regard to the traffic
OF the city. The result was that carriages and
carts and other vehicles were packed up against
this railroad unable to cross, until the railroad
employees had transacted the business of the
railroad at their own convenience, and the peo-
across the tracks.
'.As l understand this bill--and I have ex-
amined it very carefully-the conferees struck
out all provision for a commission, either as to
the Baltimore and Ohio railroad or the Balti-
more and Potomac railroad"
They struck that out" interjected Mr..
Mcmillan, because this bill provides only for
the baltimore and Potomac Company"
LOGIC HE DID NOT UNDERSTAND
Mr.. Vest-I understand, and am coming to
that. In other words, the argument is made
that, rather than remove great nuisance and
right what is a very great wrong as to one rail-
road company, We are to allow the whole SUBJ
ject to go and not provide any redress at all. l
do not understand that kind of logic in legisla-
ton or in anything else. If we ought to adjust
the relations of the District of Columbia and
the people OF the District of Columbia and of
the United States to these railroad companies.
then we ought. to adjust them while the OBJ
portunlty is given to US as to any one of the
railroads and trust to time in order to correct
the evils as to the balance. If we can get a
part OF remedy it is better than to get none
at all.
But the argument is made that hereafter we
must trust to the appointment of Joint CON-
mittee to act in place of the commission. which
has been eliminated from this bill. What in
teligent man does not know that the time to
negotiate with railroad company is when you
have got them under a species of coercion
and they are bound to come to reasonable
terms? They now want something. Let them
get it and then You can whistle for your joint
committee. All of us who have had ANYTHING
to do with this sort of business in the District
OF Columbia know that the time to get terms
from these companies is when they are here
asking for legislation in their own behalf Sc
that the question presented to us now il
whether we are to eliminate the commission
entirely, give the railroad company what il
wants, and trust to legislation hereafter in
order to make them do right. That is the
whole Oft.
have not the slightest feeling against this
railroad company. l know its officials. They
are gentlemen with whom my relations have
always been of the most kindly description.
All l want and all intend TO insist upon is
eyen-handed justice. This is the business OF
my people and OF every citizen of the United
States. This District belongs to us: it is not
the question Of few merchants or boarding
house people or hotel men in the District OF
columbia. but 1t Is question also affecting
the people of the United States who come here
to transact their business and who are inter
and in every house in it Of public character
and every corporation that does business here.
All want is exact and even-handed justice to
the corporations as well as to the people of the
District of Columbia. and il is as much nv
business directly to attend to that matter here
IN regard to this corporation in the District of
Columbia as to attend to such matter in the
state of Missouri.
dispose, then. of the argument that this bill
affects only one railroad with what 1 have said.
1t is no argument to tell me that we cannot 20
any further. We did have a commission In
this bill to take charge of the differences be-
tween the people and all the railroads in this
District; and now because, as the Senator in
charge OF this bill says, only one railroad is ap-
plying here, we ought not to adjust the rela-
tons between it and the District, but let it 60
also, with this wrong, as consider, inflicted
upon the people.
OCCUPATION OF PUBLIC GROUND.
Now 1 come to other provisions Of this bill
and will take as little time as possible. The
Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Company, BY
past legislation some years ago, when was
not member OF the Senate, secured the right
OF way over six small reservations that belong
to the people of the United States In addition
to that they secured a right of way. without
any payment to the government for the ground
or to any individual, across what is called the
mall which was intended for q public park for
the people of the United States in this District.
which received the favoring protection Of the
father Of his country, George Washington, and
was afterward under the special tutelage of
Thomas jefferson, the third President of the
United States. 1t was intended sacredly for a
pubic park for the people of this whole coun-
try and it Is one of the most beautiful reser va
tons in this city or anywhere else.
So great was the influence of the Baltimore