The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-12-08
TO SAVE FORESTS.
Congress Takes Up the
Matter.
FOR A SHORT TIME ONLY.
Even Then 1t Leads to Pretty
Hot Words.
LR. BRYAN ON POOLING RATES.
To Destroy Competition Is to Take
Away the Chief Protection
of Society.

bill to protect forest reservations. The
remainder of the day was occupied in the
further discussion of the railroad pooling
bill. The debate was participated in by
Bartlett of New York, Cochran of New
York and Wise of Virginia in support,
and Bryan of Nebraska and Northway of
Ohio In opposition TO the bill. Thespeech
of Cochran was especially brilliant, and
for almost an hour he held the House
spe!lbound. Debate under the fve-mnute
rule begins tomorrow, and it is expected
that final vote will be reached on Tues
day of next week. The bulk of the oppo-
sition seems to bo directed at the section
of the bill which gives railroads the right
TO appeal TO the courts from the decisions
of The commission revoking pool orders.
At the opening of the session, on motion
of Martin of Indiana, the order for the
night session this evening to consider pri-
vae pension bills was vacated.
The Committee on Banking and Cur
rency was given leave to sit during the
sessions of the House.
The House went into committee of the
whole to consider the Presidents message.
Wilson D) Of Virginia moved tnat the
committee of the whole be discharged from
the consideration Of the message. and its
various parts were referred to the standing
committees having iur sdiction.
Crow (R.) of Pennsylvania. in accord
ance with notice previously given, ad-
dressed himself to the banking scheme
promulgated in the Presidents message.
He said he believed the law should remain
exactly as it was. except the banks be
allowed to deposit money as we'll as bonds
for circulation, and take out $l10 on every
500 in money deposited and in circula-
ton up to the par value of bonds. The
State banks. he believed, should have the
same rights TO issue with the same labil-
ity to the Government together with the
personal liability of stockholders. 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 (D.) of Wisconsin opposed the bill
in every feature. The attempt to drive
this bill through under whip and spur
smelled-he would say, Savored, If he did
not have such high respect for the chair
man of the Public Lands Communicated
Doodle. 1t was said the Forestry Ass0cia-
ton was behind this bill. There was an
other association behind it. which had Its
origin in Maine fifty years ago, and had
now extended TO the Pacific Slope. It was
an association of timbe thieves and. land
sharks. If these timber thieves were al
lowed TO go into the public forests, they
would bride the agent of the Interior De-
partment and destroy them. Pine land
thieves in Michigan and Wisconsin. he
declared excitedly. had grown rich on the
plumber and then bought seats both in this
house and the other. He challenged any
advocate of the bill TO show line in it de-
signed TO protect public forests.
When Wells took his seat Chairman
McRae Indignantly denied there was a
land ring or association behind the BILL
He had assumed responsibility for the bill,
and if the gentleman from Wisconsin
knew Of any hidden power behind it he
would yield time for him to make known
its nature.
81 said BEFORE" replied Wells holly,
that | believe in your honesty, but the
gentleman is green in the lumber bust
ness, and believe the gentleman is being
deceived and made tool"
81 may be green in the business" re-
turned McRae, "but l take pride in the
fact that represent one of the largest
timber sections in the country. My Stale,
however. is not affected by this bill. There
is no interest behind this bill save such as
ought to inspire every patriotic American
protection of the forest from devastating
fires and timber thieves"
After some further debate by Wilson R)
of Washington, Piekler (R.) of Maryland
and Coffin 3D. OF Wyoming the morning
hour expired, and In accordance with the
terms of special order. the railroad pool
ing bill was taken up.
Bartlett 3D. of New 7 ork addressed the
House in favor Of the measure, arguing in
support of legitimate and legal pooling.
Ii is urged, he said, that the granting of
pooling privileges would be an enlarge
ment 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 inter-
state commerce act robbed them of It,
The railway companies were entitled to
conduct their properties at fair profit.
Bryan d. of Nebraska opposed that
section of the bill which allowed the rail
roads to appeal from the decision of the
commission revoking pooling orders. The
commission should have absolute control
II pooling privileges were to be permitted,
but he opposed any bill authorizing pool
ing. Pooling subverted the doctrine of
competition, and he denied the right of
the Government to interfere with free aud
fair competition. The protection of So
ciety from extortion rested on competition.
The time had come when railroad rates
should be reasonable, and he offered an
amendment with which he wanted to test
the sense of the House. Unless one prin-
ciple was to exist for other corporations
and one for railroads. railroad rates should
be calculated on the present actual value
of railroad. The amendment was as fol-
lows:
In determining the reasonableness of rates
the commission shall allow profits only on the
cost OF reproducing the roads and roling-stock
Al the present time regardless Of original cost
regardless of amount Of Indebtedness and re-
CARELESS of the amount of capital stock issued,
whether real or fcti tious.
Bryan was applauded when he finished
Northway also antagonized the measure
Wise, chairman of the Interstate Com
merce Committee, supported the bill. At5
P. NJ. the House adjourned unit! tomorrow.