The morning call., 1895-02-01

preached by any individual or any agent
interested in pending legislation, and
nearly every member of Congress will tell
YOU the same thing. They may seek to
bring other influences to bear. but as for
bribery, or attempted bribery, there is very
little of it attempted All this talk is in
the newspapers. don't believe either OF
the Pacific roads has spent one dollar. All
the money know of has been expended
by the opposition in sending agents here
from San Francisco and for printing bills"
''Yet, you must know, Mr.. Reilly, that
the corridors are full of railroad agents
who are explaining your bill to mem bers,"
but the Pennsylvania Congressman said he
did not know as to that. Huntington
does not want my bill, said he.
"Then how do you account for the fact
that his regular Washington agent, Mr..
Boyd, is urging its passage and predicting
its passage?"
Reilly said he did not know what Boyd
favored or urged, but he knew his bill
was not satisfactory to Huntington. A
very prominent member OF Congress who
is generally believed to favor the funding
bill, came to the Californians to-day with
the suggestion that the railroads might be
willing to compromise by paying sec, ,0O0, 900
in cash to the United States, or about so
cents on the dollar, for the release of the
Government indebtedness on both the
Union and Central Pacific. 1t is believed
this proposition may have emanated from
the railroads Judge Mcguire and Boatner
say: "Well, that would at any rate be
better than accepting Reilly's bill"
Boatner has definitely agreed with Judge
Mcguire to eliminate the Objectionable or
last part of his substitute providing for the
sale of the roads and the acceptance by
the Government of 3 per cent fifty-year
bonds in payment He will modify it by
providing that the Pacific Railway Com
mission, after instituting suits and making
any recoveries and applying the same to
the satisfaction of the debt, will report to
Congress, and it shall be for that body to
decide what further disposition the Gov
ernment shall make of the roads. The
funding bill opponents will unite on Boat
ner's substitute.
Speaker Crisp called the House to order
to-day. An attempt to pass bill for the
detail of fifty army officers to give military
instructions at high and normal schools
failed, whereupon, under the terms of the
special order adopted yesterday, the House
went into committee of the whole and re-
sumed the consideration of the Pacific
Railroad funding bill.
Harris (P.) of Kansas completed the re-
marks against the bill which he began yes
terday. His idea was that the property of
the roads should be foreciosed and sold,
and that the Government should enforce
its claims. By the expenditure of $40, ,00o,-
600 the Government could acquire the roads
and then either by lease or directly operate
them.
Boatner (D.) of Louisiana followed with
strong speech in opposition to the meas
ure. He called particular attention to the
fact that the conspicuous feature of every
legislative plan proposed for the settlement
of the Pacific Railroad debt ges been the
abandonment of the proceedings begun
against the officers and directors of these
companies under the act of 1873. In 1873
two members of this House had been ex-
PEELED because they had been debauched
by the emissaries of these roads. He was
not opposed to Government ownership of
the road but he preferred to see his substi-
tute passed providing for an amendment
to the original act, by which, in case of the
default of the roads, the companies should
forfeit their charters. He was willing to
see the Government purchase the property
to protect its interest, but only on condi-
ton that it should be Immediately resold
to private individuals.
Powers (R.) of Montana argued in favor
of the passage of the bill, which he said
would secure the payment to the Govern
ment of $14,O00,00O. He denounced the
methods employed by the opponents of
the bill to compass its defeat. The mail of
members, he said, was gorged with letters