The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-01-31
FIRST POINT SCORED.
Continued from First Page.

fcient information on which TO base
vote. The history of the Pacific railroad
grants, the plumber of the Government and
the companies by the directors, their legal
and equitable personal liabilities to the
Government of the United States involves
matters which ought to be clearly and
plainly laid before the House before it
votes. The time allotted by the Committee
on Rules is wholly insufficient for that pur-
pose.
1.-THE bill about to be brought up for con-
sideration involves the conformation OF
thirty years of crime perpetrated by the
manipulators of the Pacific railroads, rival
ing the crimes of the British East India
C5 oany, and for which the people
s Government of the United States
hse for twenty years been trying
20 ling them to at least that
me re of Justice which requires the
restitu ton of stolen property. In 1873
alter The Credit Mobilier investigation
Congress passed an act seeking to reach
i0e rudulent directors of the Central and
Eniar Pacific Railroad companies, and to
compel them to restore more than $780,
OOC. 200 of stolen assets Of the companies,
upon which the Government was entitled
10 len for the satisfaction Of its claims.
Under that act suits were instituted and
the directors of the Union Pacific Railroad
Company were brought into court, but the
Supreme Court of the United States finally
held hat actions against them were
premature and could not be main
tanned. Notwithstanding the act, until
default has been made by the com
pany in paying its obligations to the Gov
eminent That time is now about to ar
rive, the time when the frauds of these
men can be unearthed in judicial pro-
ceedings; when they can be brought to ac-
count, 1t least civilly, for their long series
OF crimes; when suit involving their pri-
vate fortunes, amounting to tens of millions
each, tilched, stolen from assets from which
the Governments claim should be paid,
can be prosecuted to a final termination
and the Governments right against the Of
tenders enforced. 1t is now proposed to
so limit debate on this important bill that
it viii be utterly impossible to present the
facts upon which this House should refuse
to interfere with the present legal and
equitable Obligations OF those plunderers,
until courts shall have had time to adjudi-
demand a reasonable time for the presenta-
ton Of he facts and the law. That great
storeho Use of facts, the report of the Pa
cilic Railway Commission, has not been
accessible to anybody for more than three
resrs I'D without this means of informa-
tl51 ,u1 members are practically asked to
vote in darkness, unless we can get reason
ab me for debate.
man of Indiana said: Certainly
c gantleman knows that a Democratic
house vill resist and reject this infamous
propos lion-that we shall never consent
tois.'
uire-Certainly a Democratic House
oUgh. % be 10th, indeed, to permit an in
fanny Of this kind to go through without at
least ample consideration.
Bryan of Nebraska, Mcmillan of Ten
essee and Cooper of Wisconsin followed
In the same strain, and Reilly, Kyle and
Catchings defended the rule declaring that
the time was sufficient.
Reilly, chairman of the Pacific Rail
roads Committee agreed with the oppo-
nents Of the special order as to the mag
nitude and importance of the bill, which
he said involved 100000 belonging to
the people of the country, but the effort of
this committee in reporting the bill, he
said, was to protect the interests of the
Govern nent. His committee had not
asked f0r the time limit set by the Com
mittee on Rules.
If you did not ask for cloture," Einter
rupted Mcmillan, 'why did the Rules
Committee give it?"
We asked for rule" replied Reilly,
aud the committee deemed two days all
the time that could be given in the pres
ent condition of the public business"
Ca5chings deprecated the frantic excite
ment aroused by the introduction of the
order There was no occasion for excite
ment He well understood that there
were representatives. on the floor who
wanted to see the Government take and
operate the roads. God forbid such a
calamity said he. sit is not question
Of condoning offenses, but of securing the
GeTer0in ent's just dues. If we fail to make
It to do so, we will be recreant to
aycnings then demanded the previous
question, which was ordered on rising
vote ofI34 TO 104.
Catchings as frequently interrupted by
members who crowded the aisles. The ex-
element was intense, and the Speaker pro
tenn. (Richardson) gave resounding whacks
with bis gavel that threatened to splinter
the desk. Boatner called out above the din
and confusion that it was outrageous to
limit the debate to seven hours.
This bill secures absolutely nothing to
the Government" said he. at is all one
sided in favor of the railroads. There is
nothing specific as to the satisfaction of
This obligation. One of the railroad pro-
moters said before our committee that the
debt could not be iquidated under this
bill, but this merely shows that it is their
ytaat;oA 70 get what they can in the
House and then fix up the rest on the Sen
ate side There the roads will show their
hands There is no urgent need of passing
this bin anyhow, for the Secretary of the
Treasury has a sinking fund which he can
apply 70 the debts satisfaction at this
time.
His allusion to fitting punishment for
the fraudulent directors was created with
loud and general applause, which showed
that a large proportion of members of the
House were against the bill.
Catebiagq said this was not a orestion of