Evening star., 1896-12-22
The Senate Discusses Pacific Railroad
Affairs.
NO DEBATE ON THE CUBAN MATTER
The Civil Service System Attacked
in the House.
OTHER MATTERS BROUGHT Up

NtSl anticipated speech
corning Secretary olney's attitude toward
the Cameron resolution filled the Senate
galleries to overfiowing today The public
galleries were packed and the reserved gal
leries comfortably filled Minister Hatch Of
Hawaii was among the early arrivals in the
diplomatic gallery. There was considerab BILE
disappointment expressed when word got
| about that Mr.. Vest might not continue his
remarks which were cut off by an objection
yesterday.
Chaplain Milburn's opening prayer re-
terred to the happy prospect that between
the governments of Great Britain and our
own country there should hencetorward he
peace: no appeal to the horrors and hell of
war, but the rule of reason and right feel
ing. Grant that the example set by these
nations may be initiated and followed by All
the nations OF the earth, that the time
shah speedily come when the sword shall
De beaten into the plow share and the smear
into the pruning hook"
Urgent Deficiency BiII Passed.
The urgent deficiency bill was reported
and passed, with minor amendments. II
carries SSs4,ss6 the larger part of which is
Tor the continuation of the work of the
Navy Department
MT. Petugrew Is. ID called up his resolu-
tion appropriating slo.oopuD to take nm tho
trust notes OF the Union Pacific railroad
RRr
the interests of the government against a
scheme of those who held the notes whose
purpose was to absorb the branch lines of
the mon Pacific. He declared his belief
that the Union Pacific was NOT and is not
insolvent, and that the floating debt was
created for the express purpose of compn-
caung and embarrassing the government
liens.
Mr. Gear Uowa), chairman of the COM
mittee on Pacific roads asked if Mr. Pet
tlgrew favored the operation of these roads
by the government.
The South Dakota Senator answered that
certainly the government could not POSSIBLY
manage the Pacific roads worse than they
had been managed. 1t would do away with
the pools. combinations and discrimination
in rates. which made the American rail-
roads target for criticism.
ShouId Fake Possession
Mr.. Pettigrew urged that the government
should embrace this orportcnity for an
experiment in government ownership OF
a great continental line. He believed the
government sho1ld take possession and
operate the Union Pacific read and its
branch lines.
Mr.. Platt tConn.) spoke of the imperative
necessity of considering the important
question of settlement with the Pacific
reads. The Indebtedness. reaching sll5,-
Vn,oO0, was in danger of being lost. and
yet this vast debt and the peril of its loss
seemed to disturb no one. He hoped ii
cred after the holidays.
Mr.. Morgan (Ala.) said the statements
made by MIR. PettIgrew were of most
grave character. In effect they meant
that certain individuals had made a fraud
ulent combination to load down these Pa
cific roads so as to absorb them 1t was
difficult for any single mind TO grasp the
Labyrinth of fraud and raScallty' that
had made this subject a perfect "saturna-
liza OF fraud" 1t was, Mr.. Morgan de-
cIared, twin brother to the Credit Mo-
bilier frauds, carried on by the same meth
cds of bribery and corruption.
The subject had been so deeply buried IN
fraud and crime TO be almost beyond
the possibility of intelligent consideration.
As to the pending funding bin Mr.. Morgan
said ne opposed ii, ana when il came up
he would insist on the fullest latitude OF
debate.
He particularly desired to see the inter-
ests of the people of the Pacific coast pro-
tected against this monopoly and against
combination of those two vast influences
the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific
under private control. No section of the
country had been so bound and made sub
serVient as those of the Pacific coast by
this gorgon of monopoly. He believed the
pending funding bill should be recommit-
ted TO the comlHittee and a more adequate
remedy presented. The Union Pacific had
enol gh in its treasury 20 pay the interest
on the first mortgage bonds and yet IL
came to Congress a bankrupt and men,
dicant asking FOR pity. II was not only
paying interest on its own bonds but pay
ing dividor6s II British bondhoders. These
roads were pursuing what had become
fiNee policy in railway management in the
United States--the running down and
wiecking OF roads in order 10 manipulate
them.
The Presidents Message.
Mr.. Vest CMoD interpcsed AT this point
with a question as to the meaning of the
President in his recent message that unless
Congress acted on this Pacific railroad
by January 1.
kr. Morgan gave a deprecatory ges-
ture ard said: Now, in al Egypt there
was oily one man. and he was divinely in
spired who. could interpret the dreams Of
Pharaoh. The Senator ou-ht rot TO ask
me to interpret the Presidents message.
If any man is capable of interpreting that
message IL is the Senator from Missouri
L am rot stopping 10 interpret the mes
sage
Mr.. Vest, with message in hand. desired
a more exact answer, and proce aded to
read the Presidents words, but he was cut
on, amid laughter, by Mr.. Morgan's earn
est remark: Il wish the Senator would moi
bother me with that message.
Curiosity for n Side show.
Mr.. Morgan proceeded at considerable
length, Urging that it was of supreme
Importance that these roads should not
fall into private hands, particularly the
hands of foreign bondholders. II was
coming TO the point that an American
stockholder in an American railroad was
curiosity who ought TO be put in "A side
show.
Mr.. Gear quickly interrupted, citing the
instance OF an American road. s,eDo miles
loris, not only owned By Americans but
by American women, who n-ld a ajority
of the stock.
And who owns the bonds?'' Inquired Mr.
Morgan. ''Show me tie mer who hold
the bonds and / will show YOU those who
control the road"
1t was but few minutes before the ex-
piration of the morning hour when Mr.
Morgan closed, which left litIle likelihood
that Cuban debate would occur unless
by unanimous consent
Several State Department officials includ-
ing First Assistant Secretary of State
Rockhill, entered the diplomatic gallery
while the debate proceeded. They left after
half an hour on finding that the Cuban
ques ton was not under considera ion.
Mr.. Gear spoke briefly, urging speedy ac-
ton on the Pacific railroad question, ana
saying he would seek TO secure acton Inn
mediately after the holidays He announc-
ed that IL a quorum of the Senators was
here during the recees. meetings would be