The herald., 1894-12-08
At THE NATIONS CAPITAL,
An Animated Session of the
House.
Discussion of the Railroad Pool
ing Bill.
The Forest Preservation Bill Also
Debated.
spellbindsr COCHRAN Makes One Of His
Famous 5psschss = Cariisls's
Einanc cial Plan Il Con-
sid dersd.
BY the Associated Press


WASHINGTON. Dec. THE house
spent an hour today in the considara-
tion of the bill to protect forest reserva.
tions. The remainder OF the day Was
occupied in the further discussion OF tine
railroad pooling bill. The debate was
participated in by Messrs. Bartlett Of
New York, Cochran Of New York and
Wise OF Virginia, in support, and
MesHrs. Bryan OF Nebraska and North.
way of Ohio in opposition to the bill.
The speech Of Mr.. Cochran was especi.
ally brilliant, aud for almost an hour he
held the house spsllbound. Debate
under the five-minute rule begins to-
morrow and it is expected that final
vote will be reached on Tuesday Of next
week. The bulk Of the opposition
seems to be directed at the section Of
the bill which gives railroads the right
to sppeal to the courts from the decis-
ions of the commission revoking pool
orders.
At the opening Of the session. ON
motion Of Martin, Democrat, of Indi-
ana. the order for night session this
evening TO consider private pension bills
was vacated. The CON mmittee on bank
ing and currency was given leave to cit
during the sessions of the house.
The house went into committee of the
whole to consider the presidents mes.
sage. Wilson. Democrat. of West Vir-
ginia, moved that the committee OF the
whole be discharged from confederation
of the message, and that its various
A. g., khn
mittees having jurisdiction.
Grow, Republican, Of Pennsylvania,
in accordance with the notice previously
given. addressed himself to the banking
scheme promulgated in the presidents
message. He said be believed the law
should remain exactly as it was. except
that banks be allowed to deposit money
as we'll as bonds fo- circulation and take
out 10 on every 500 in money depos-
tied and circulated up to the par value
of the bonds. State banks, be believed,
should have the same right of issue,
with the same liability to the govern
ment. together with the personal liabil-
ity Of the stock holders.
The motion of Wilson WAS then
agreed to.
In the morning hour McRae. from the
committee on public lands, called up
the bill to protect forest reservations.
Wells, Democrat of Wisconsin, op-
posed the bill in every feature. The at
tempt to drive this bill through under
whip and spur smellsd che would say
savored. If he did not have such Q high
respect for the chairman Of the public
lands committee) Of Doodle. It was said
the Forestry association was behind
this bill. There was another association
behind it which had its origin in Maine
about 80 years ago and had now ex.
tended to the Pacific slope. It was an
association OF timber thieves and land
sharks. II these timber thieves were
allowed to 60 into the public forests
they would bribe the agents of the in
terror department and destroy them.
The pine land thieves Of Michigan and
Wisconsin, he declared excitedly, had
grown rich in plunder and then bought
seats both in this house and the other.
He challenged any advocate of the bill
to show line in it that designs to pro-
tect the public forest. When Wells
took his seat Chairman McRae indig-
naptly denied that there was land ring
or association behind the bill. He had
il the gentleman rom Wisconsin knew
yield time for him to make known it's
nature.
II said BEFORE" replied Wells hotly,
II believe in your honesty, but the gen.
tleman is green in the lumber business.
and I believe the gentleman 10 being
deceived and made tool"
Il may be green in the lumber bust.
nest" retorted MoRae, "hutI take pride
in the fact that represent one Of the
largest timber sections of the country.
Ny etate, however, is not affected by
this bill. There is no interest behind
this bill save such as ought to inspire
every patriotic American, to protect the
forests from devastating fires and timber
thieves"
After some further debate by Wilson,
Republican, of Washington, Pickler,
Republican, of North Dakota, and Cof-
feen, Democrat, OF Wyoming, the morn
ing hour expired, and in accordance
with the terms OF the special order the
railroad pooling bill was taken mp.
Bartlett, Democrat, of New York ad-
dressed the house in favor OF the meas-
ure. arguing in support Of legitimate
and legal pooling.
Cochran OF New York, in speaking in
support OF the measure. said:
1T Is urged that the granting OF pool-
ing privileges would be an enlargement
OF the privileges OF the railways. 1t
would probably be the restoration OF
that freedom of contract to which they
were entitled by common law before the
inrorstate commerce act robbed them.
The railroad companies are entitled to
conduct their properties at fair
profit"
Bryan (Dem. OF Neb.) opposed that
section OF the bill which allows the
railroads to appeal from the decision of
the commission rsvoking pooling orders.
The commission should have absolute
control, II the pooling privileges were to
be permitted. but he opposed any bill
authorizing pooling. Pooling subverted
the doctrine Of competition. The pro-
lection of society from extortion rested
on competition. The time had come
when railroad rates should be reason