Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-07
A SENATE DEBATE
On the Late Senator Leland Stan.
ford.
Mr. HOAR OFFERS A RESOLUTION
Which Causes Quite a Lively
Discussion.
IN DIAN APPROPR TIONS
INDIAN APP ROPRIATIONS

A short debate over the suit brought By
the Attorney General against the Leland
Stanford estate furnished slight diversion
in the Senate today.
At the opening OF the session the Vice
President, under the resolution adopted
yesterday for a special committee on the
existing distress in the United States. to-
day announced the appointment of the fol-
lowing committee: Mr.. Villas CWis), chair
man, and Messrs Blackburn OKy), Smith
On. J.), Gallinger CNH) and Patton CAiichl
The attendance was so slim that Mr. Hoar
Mass) suggested the absence OF a quorum.
A call Of the roll brought thirty-fve sena-
tors into the chamber and developed the
absence of twenty republicans and twenty
nine democrats. Twenty minutes
| spent awaiting the coming of a sufficient
number of delinquents to make up .
quorum.
Claim Against the stanford Estate.
Under the call for resolutions and memor-
ials Mr.. Hoar introduced and asked i'm
mediate consideration for a resolution in
structing the committee on judiciary to in
quire into the Justice and equity of the
claim of the United States against the es-
tate Of the late Leland stanford OF Cali
/ fornia, and to report whether or not any
claim against such estate growing out OF
the debt Of the Central Pacific railroad
should not be relinquished and set at rest.
/ Although the expiration OF the morning
hour prevented action upon the resolution.
very interesting debate grew out Of IL, In
the course OF which high words OF eulogy
were paid to the nobility Of character of the
late Senator from California The govern
ment, Mr.. Hoar said. ought at once TO de-
eide the question OF extinguishing and put
| ting this claim at rest. He did not suppose.
| he said that any one seriously supposed
that the government had claim against
the Stanford estate and IL was proper that
| the judiciary committee should inquire
| whether this alleged claim was founded on
a technicality or upon law and equity. The
great estate of Leland Stanford. Mr.. Hoar
said, had been devoted to a noble public
| benefaction. He had met the late esteemed
California Senator in the south OF France.
| when the disease which terminated his life
hung heavy upon him. and Mr.. Stanford
had expressed 10 him his feeling in regard
to the disposition of his vast property. He
| cared little for churches or creeds. Mr..
Hoar said. although he had an abiding
| faith in the Christian religion.
| Mr. Stanford loved his country and desired
| every American citizen TO enjoy the COM
| forts of fe and an education. He expressed
his hope that partly through the agency
| of the Stanford University, which he had
| founded. every child un the Pacific coast
who desired should receive a good educa~
tion. Whether the United States has .
claim not 1t would require twelve or
| fifteen years to establish il. said Mr.. Hoar.
] II the government had claim OF sl5.0O0-
600 that was only 20 cents apiece for the
| Inhabitants of the United States, TO whom
| Mr.. Stanford had consecrated his large
| estate. and IL ought not 20 embarrass the
closing years of his widow and cripple and
! perhaps destroy the great gift he had made
| for the benefit of the poor by seeking TO
press it, IL there was any socialism that
| was noble. Mr.. Hoar went on feelingly. IL
was the socialism that dedicated the wealth
| OF the rich TO the education OF the poor.
! He maintained that the government Of the
| United States SHOULD Immediately put at
rest this claim without in any way Affect
| ing claims against others in order that Mr..
| Stanford's benefaction might not be en-
| barrassed.
Mr.. Blackburn's Surprise.
| Mr.. Blackburn 0Ky) expressed his amaze
nient at Mr.. Hoar's resolution. So far as he
fIew such resolution was without pre-
cedent in either house of Congress II III
rected the judiciary committee to inquire
| into the equities of a Sl5.0o00o0 claim as
| serted by the federal government against
| the estate of la.e citizen Of the United
States 1t went further and directed the
! committee to report whether such claim
| should be relinquished and set at rest.
| Its unprecedented feature was that IL di-
| rected a committee of the Senate TO inquire
| by the authorities of the government for a
debt due. No one, Mr.. Blackburn said. felt
more deeply than he the public spirit msnl-
Tested by his late associate in devoting so
much to educational purposes. But the real
question was: Did he own the estate or had
he sought TO divert TO this high purpose an
| estate that belonged to the United Statesf
| TheAttorneyGeneral had alreadytaken steps
| to determine this question. and IL was the
| first time he had ever heard of either house
| of Congress attempting 10 stay the hand Of
the law officer OF the government
| Lively ColIoquy.
| "I can cite numerous instances" inter
| 5ected Mr. Hoar.
| Perhaps so." replied Mr.. Blackburn. but
not one that stands on all fours with this
| one"
rs this suit against the living as well q
| the dead?" inquired Mr. Manderson
| None Of u.s." responded Mr. Blackburn.
| knew until yesterday that the Attorney
| General had begun proceedings against
either the living or the dead"
Mr.. blackburn proceeded to call attention
TO what he considered a most Important
feature of the resolution. While in ex-
| pressed terms IL only applied to the estate
OF Leland Stanford, IL the claim against
/ Mr.. Stanford's estate was relinquished and
set at rest the claims against Hopkins
Croker and Huntington must be released
also.
Mr.. Hoar insisted that this did not neces-
sarily follow. The resolution was one OF
pure inquiry. The claim was like thousands
OF Others. of doubtful effect. which the law
oihcer of the government felt II his duty to
press. The poor children who might be
benefited by stanford's generosity. might
grow up and die before IL was settled He
cited the claim aaninst f.. w Chandler OF
/ Massachusetts as one that had been quasf.
ed IN this way. All this resolution sought
TO ascertain was whether this claim was
Just and clear. II IL turned out that IL was
/ doubtful, then in his opinion this great
| charity should be released. He had no criti-
1 cism, he said in conclusion. 10 make of the
/ Attorney General. He was as Just able
ana upright a man as ever presided over
the Department of Justice. In this mattef
he had done nothing but his legal duty
Mr.. NOOhees' Tribute to the Late
| senator.
Are we to understand" Inquired Mr.
VOORHEES,. that this proceeding on the part
OF the United States is an attempt TO hold
the estate of Leland Stanford for the mort
gage the government holds against the
| Central Pacific?"
/ NO" replied Mr. Hoar. 1T is a proceed.
ing under a California statute. on the
ground of stockholders liability. After the
| first and second mortgages fall due, unless
satisfied. the stockholders become indi
yidually liable"
| This defalcation then. said Mr.. Voorhees,,
was twenty-five years old. as he understood
! IL. Action might have been brought against
/ Mr.. Stanford when he was alive. That be-
/ ing the case. whistler there was precedent
or not, he thought this inquiry WAS proper.
/ Eor twenty-five years Leland Stanford had
! walked in our midst responsible for what
/ he did. If action Were to be taken IL shouR
/ have been taken before the grave closed