The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-05
Fine Manipulation in the Selec.
ton of Committees on
Pacific Roads.
INFLUENCES THAT ARE BINDING
Representative Mcguire Tells How
the Interests of the People
Are Handicapped.

WASHINGTON, D. c., Jan. 4.-Repre.
sentative Mcguire said to THE CALL corre-
spondent tonight:
sit is we'll understood that there is
strong force of railroad lobbyists here
ostensibly promoting the passage of the
pooling bill which was defeated in tie last
Congress. They are also doing active and
effective work in promoting the passage of
the funding bill. They have thus far sue
ceeded in gaining every point for which
they have contended, namely, the appoint
ment of Pacific railroad committees
strongly favorable to refunding in both
the Senate ard House and the exclusion
of anti-funding men from both committees.
The Senate Committee on Pacific Rail-
roads is, if possible, more strongly favor
able to Tefunding than the House COM
mittee. Davis of Minnesota, as has pre-
viously been stated, was the author of the
first and worst of all funding bills. Brice
| is director of the Union Pacific Railroad.
and he has never hesitated on account of
any moral and political consideration to-
fight for every possible advantage to the
Pacific railroads, without any regard to the
effect on any public interests.
Senator Frye has been for years an ad-
vocate of refunding and of all other de-
mands made by the Pacific railroad COM
| bine. If Senator Stewart has ever failed
or refused to support any of their schemes
| / have not heard of it. With Gear of
Iowa, strong supporter of the Reilly bill
in the last Congress, as chairman, this
committee constitutes a railroad wall of
| stone which will be immovable so far as
| the action and influence of the COM
mittee is concerned. I do not know
that their report will be unanimously in
favor OF the funding bill, but 1 imagine
| that opposition, if any, will be extremely
| weak.
"There are all sorts of rumors about
Washington of political promises made py
railroad people to friends of candidates for
the Presidency in consideration of the
| packing of these committees, and it does
certainly look bad from that point of view
| for the men who had the selection of the
committees. The fight against refunding
must therefore be made in both houses on
the floor and practically against the whole
committee in each house.
Ny impression is that the railroad peo-
| pie have overdone their work up to this
time. They have put US in position to
very conclusively discredit before the COM
mittee and to destroy their prestige, which
is the greatest force behind a committee
when it presents and supports measure
on the floor. The presumption is gen.
orally that the committee has been honest
and impartial; that it has made a more
thorough investigation of any question
committed to it than other members of
the House can possibly make, and that
the impartial judgment of the majority of
the committee is safer guide than the
more crudely formed opinions of other
members, These committees will have no
such prestige. They are already branded
as the spawn of conspiracy, in favor of
railroad interests and against public in
! terests.
"No investigation or report which either
committee can make will be for moment
considered impartially or worthy of credit.
1 am therefore encouraged to believe that
the railroad successes already won in star
chamber proceedings, out of which the
committees come, do not indicate the
strength of the Pacific Railroad Commits
sion in either the House or Senate, and
that a determined fight in both houses
may defeat their scheme.
''The work of Huntington's men against
an application for San Pedro harbor is
being quietly done, but it is we'll under
stood that they are determined that the
| application shall be for Santa Monica
| harbor or that none shall be made.
| "What Mr.. Huntington is doing against
| the Nicaragua Canal | don't know. The