New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-17
IN AND OUT OF CONGRESS-.
PACIFIC RAILROAD AFFAIRS IN VARI-
GUS PHASES.
ONE CONGRESSMAN WANTS THE GOVERNMENT
TO TAKE HOLD OTHERS WANT III III
BUILD BRANCHEs-so SUPREME

|
TO TAKE HOLD. OTHERS WANT 1T TO
, BUILD BRANCHEs-sOME SUPREME
COURT DECISIONS.
Washington. March 1s-Mr Hubbard. of Missouri
q member Of the Committee on Pacific Raiiroaus
has prepared bill looking to the settlement OF tne
| Indebtedness Of the Pacific roads The measure di-
reefs the Secretary of the Treasury to ascertain the
| exac, amount due the Government by the roads up
to and including July /, 1896. When this has Deen
ascertained he is to demand OF all roads 70 which
subsidy bonds have been issued that the bonds be
maid on July next In case they do not pay on the
day named he take all their property real ana
personal! for the benefit Of the Government vi
that day at o'clock he Is to offer the property ior
sale at the Treasury Department In case no one
bids the amount of the Government debt the At
torney General is to bid the property in for the
Government. In the property IS not sold the
President is to appoint three Government trustees.
after which the employees of the roads to form an
association and elect three trustees TO represent
them These trustees are to manage the roads. "A
part of the earnings is to be set aside Tor the
benefit of the employees and the net profits are TO
go toward the liquidation of the debts OF the cor,
porations All public lands not patented or suplect
to patent granted the roads, are to be restored 10
the public domain.
The House Committee on Pacific Railroads to-day
heard Representatives Meiklejohn, of Nebraska;
Perkins of Iowa. and Fletcher Of Minnesota. in sup
port of a proposition looking to the construction OF
a road from Sioux City to North Platte to connect
with the Pacific roads. Mr.. Mekejohn said that
the original plans providing for building the Pacific
roads contemplated the construction of this branch
Tho branch however, had never been built. His
proposition was in settling the affairs OF the roads
to allow 81 900 900 Of the trust fund accrued under
the Thurman act to be invested In bonds to aid In
the construction of this road. He asked II the
Pacific roads would not object to this. He replied
that the Government had the right to invest this
fund in railroad bonds The construction Of this
connection he said WAS of great Importance 10 ms
section of the country. 1t would give an outlet for
products with the benefit of lake rates
The Supreme Court to-day. in opinion read by
Mr. Chief Justice Fu..er. affirmed the decision OF
the Supreme Court of the State Of California to the
effect that the franchises, capital stock etc, or the
Central Pacific and Southern Pacific Railroad COM
panies were taxable under the laws OF that State.
The opinion declared that the railroad companies
were State and Federal corporations. although
having received franchises from the Federal Govern
ment In this respect they stand upon the same
ground as the Union Pacific Company. a corpora
ton Of Kansas. whose franchises were decided TO be
subject to State taxation by the Supreme Court In
an opinion BY Chief Justice Chase. Mr.. Justice
Field and Mr.. Justice Harlan dissented from the
Judgment Of the Court.
The President to-day Informed Congress that he
had permitted the joint resolution introduced in the
Senate by Mr.. Hansbrough. compelling the secre-
ary of Agriculture to purchase and distribute seeds
without his signature.
The House Committee on Banking and Currency
to-day heard arguments BY Messrs Cox, OF Tennes-
see and Fowler. OF New-Jersey. on the subject OF
general banking legislation The bill champoned by
Mr. Cox Is the measure prepared by Secretary Car
Isle last winter requiring a certain amount OF
greenbacks to be deposited by National banks as a
bssis of circulation in lieu OF bonds. The Fowler
bill requires the Government TO fund the National
debt into per cent bond for bank circulation and
makes the circulation secured by these bonds re-
deemdble IN gold over the counter OF the BANK OF
issue the Government bonds being also payapie IN
gold.
The cain Of the United States TO the territory
known Greer County to which the State OF
Texas also made claim. affirmed by the de-
clsion OF the Supreme Court OF the United States,
announced to-day by Mr. Justice Harlan. The de-
clsion settles a controversy which has been waged
by the State and Federal governments for many
wears The territory in question Is situated IN the
southwest corner OF the Indian Territory, and COM
prses about million ana ha!f acres. Inc r .ith
drawing the land In question from disposition uidef
rrount OF claim of the Choctaw Nation to Greer
county and II Is TO remain in force until the DIS
pute Is Settled.
Whether Garcla's well-known raid into Mexico IN
December 1892 was not political aHair Is
SIN an unsettled question A case pending IN the
Gunreue Court OF the United States hdu oeeH "a
rscted 10 present ground for deciding H. nut that
was disnosed OF to-day in opinion read by Cniel
Iustce Fuller without touching upon the merits OF
tho question Three OF the raiders were arrested
,,,er their return 10 the United states on complaint
~ the Mexican Consul upon charges OF murder,
arson and Kidnapping and held by the United States
Commissioners before whom they were examined for
,x,r,duion TO Mexico Writs OF habeas corpus were
issued by Judge Maxey. Of the United states court
for rho Eastern District OF Texas. and the prisoners
were released by him ON the ground that the raid
&, which they were engaged was political matter.
an effort TO overthrow the Government or Mexico.
and therefore they subject to the treaty or
extradition for ordinary crimes inc Juugmefit Oh
tho District Court reversed for the reason that
vrlt ~ habeas corpus will the purpose OF
n writ of error, and the Commissioner having )urs-
dIc,ion his action could not be reviewed by the
District Judge In habeas corpus proceedings, Inc
prisoners are under bond TO abide by the action OF
,he supreme Court of the United States and pro-
ceedings against them will continue In the regular
way.
The House Committee on Irrigation OF Arid Lands
to-day ordered a favorable report on the bill of Mr..
Hermann OF Oregon giving to the several States the
arid lands within their borders for Irrigation pur-
noses The lands are be disposed OF by the States
and proceeds or their sale applleu 10 the recdd-
ton OF the lands not sold.
The United States Court OF Claims to-day rendered
n Judgment In favor of Sarah f. l.. Perine. admins
tratrlx OF William Perne. OF New-lork State. for
se7 on for unpaid balance in building the torpedo
boat Nauhuo.
CAPTURE or Az ESCAPED CONVICT.