The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-02-03

Mayor of San Francisco by plurality OF
81 600 votes, the largest plurality ever re-
ceived by any candidate for Mayor of that
city. Although wealthy, Mr.. Sutro ex-
pended less than $500 in the campaign, and
no man can charge that in any step
toward his election to the mayoralty he
used dollar corruptly or improperly.
"Now Mr.. Sutros charges are not at all
directed to members of this House, and not
one of his communications can be pointed
to in which he intimates that any member
of this House has been corrupted or is
subject to corruption. He charges that
Coils P. Huntington is greatly interested
in measure before the House, and that
he has never hesitated to resort to bribery
for the accomplishment OF any purpose OF
this kind in which he has been interested.
These statements of Mr.. Sutro are more
than justified now by the famous
Huntingdon Cotton letters, copies OF
which are accessible. / have num-
Der at my desk. They are to be
found also in the report OF the PACING
Railway Commission. They were written
by Mr.. Huntington to David D. Cotton, his
partner at San Francisco, and originals
were introduced in evidence in the case OF
Ellen NJ. Cotton against Leland Stanford
and others. They expressly show that
bribery of Congressman in previous Con-
crosses was contemplated and practlced by
Mr.. Huntington on behalf of the Central
Pacific Railroad Company and other In
terests of its management. These letters
justified what Mr.. Sutro has said in his
communications, and they should be re-
ceived rather as useful warnings than as
insults to any member of this House"
At this point an attempt was made to
stop the debate until Monday or Tuesday,
Weadock 3D. of Michigan, in reply, re-
iterated the assertion that the bill reserved
all rights and remedies against the "Big
Four The bill, he said, presented
reasonable and business-like method for
the collection of the debt due from the
roads.
Terry CD of Arkansas offered an amend
ment requiring the holders of the first
mortgage bonds to wave their priority in
favor of the United States when the COM
panies made provision for the payment OF
first bonds, as required before the COM
panies shall have the benefit of the act.
Reilly denied the assertion that the
amount of payments by the Reilly bill did
not equal the interest on the debt for fifty
years at per cent.
Beltzhoover 3D. of Pennsylvania replied
that the effect of the bill was to extend the
debt fifty years at per cent and release
the corporation from paying the principal.
The Governments selhshness as a creditor
should not allow it to compound felony
in its capacity as a sovereign.
Lacey offered an amendment to that of
Terry requiring the written consent of
holders of the frst-mortgage bonds to the
conditions imposed by the Government.
Swanson 3D. of Virginia called atten-
ton to the fact that the stock of the
Union Pacific had risen 81 80 share since
the debate began, on the prospects of the
passage of the bill. The third and fourth
mortgage Indebtedness also had value,
yet it was admitted that the stock would
not be worth a farthing if the governments
mortgage was foreelosed. What did this
mean? Only that this bill would in some
way permit the roads to avoid their obliga-
tons. The amendments OF Lacey and
Terry were lost.
Hudson (Pop.) of Kansas said if this
bill passed Congress would go down to his
tory as "boodle' Congress, influenced by
corporations and under the domination of
money kings.
Cannon (R.) of Illinois favored the bill
because it offered a $40, 900, 900 guarantee
that the road would live up to its condi-
tons
McRae CD ct Arkansas favored an
amendment providing that no dividend
should be paid to the stockholders until
the entire debt was discharged.
Mcguire 3D. of California presented to
the House the concurrent resolution pro-
testing against the passage of the funding
bill adopted by the California Legislature.
Hepburn (R.) of Iowa challenged the
good faith of the California people. In sup
port of his statement he produced tele-
gram sent by Mayor Sutro to the President
which said that history would record Mr..
Cleveland as the great benefactor Of
the human race if he would send a special
message to Congress recommending the
foreclosure of the Pacific railways mort
cages. The telegram added that the Gov
eminent ought not to operate those roads,
but should hold them as great national
highway on which all American roads
could run trains. The Pacific Coast, Hep
burn commended, opposed the bill in its
own selfish interest. Mr.. Mcguire had Of
fered an amendment to Mr. McRae's ex-
Guiding the Central Pacific from the opera
ton of the act. That road should, he said,
not be included in any scheme with the
Union Pacific. The Central Pacific was
a California corporation. The charter ex-
pired in 1907. 1t was leased to the South
ern Pacific for ninety-nine years. For
these reasons compliance by the Central
Pacific with the conditions of the bill was
utterly out of the question.
Bowers of California resented the i'm
putations cast ON the California delega-
ton. If there were to be any insinuations,
he said, they should be against those who
were standing in with the railroad COM
panies, not against the California delega-
ton, which was standing to the last man
with the people of the United States.
Reilly, in charge of the bill, occupied the
last five minutes in summing up the
arguments in favor of the measure.
Boatner sought to have his substitute
considered when the House rose, under an
agreement with REILLY, but Hepburn