The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-23

plan of the managers TO be to get con-
troll of the branch lines, unite them
nlthe northern system and get up q
parallel to the Union Pacific line. He
alluded TO the past history of the Union
and Central Pacific roads as "a satur-
MALTA Of fraud and as "a labyrinth oi
frauds and rascalities." The statement
made today by the senator from South
dakota made it proper that it should
be investigated by the Pacific railroad
commission and he proposed to ask
that the committee should sit during
the vacation and investigate the sub
Ject. He was in favor of having the
subject disposed of, but he wanted ii
distinctly understood that when ii
came to be considered there would be
claim of latitude of debate COM
menSurate with the magnitude of the
question. He was in favor of the con-
sideration of the bill reported last ses-
sion from the committee on Pacific
railroads He was not in favor of its
passage but was opposed to it. No
such positions and remonstrances, Mr..
Morgan said, had ever been presented
to congress as had come from the Pa
cific coast against the management of
the Pacific railroads.
He hoped that the people of Cali
fornia would not be denied a voice in
those proceedings and would not be
sacrificed TO "a gorgon of monopoly"
COME AS MENDICANTS.
The Union Pacific company had in
its treasury enough money to pay the
interest on its first mortgage bonds.
and the Central Pacific had paid such
interest up to date and besides paid
per cent dividend to its British stock
holders. and yet both these companies
came to congress as mendicants, stat
ing that they were bankrupt All this
was "a false Dretense.''
MI Morgan was discussing the ques-
ton OF the government inter- pleading
in one of the foreclosure suits pending
and was expressing the hope and con-
fdence that the encouragement would
refuse to inter-Dlead. when Mr. Vest
said:
I would like to ask the senator what
he understands by that part of the
presidents message to the effect that
unless something be done by congress
in the very near future, the executive
department viii take steps by the 1st
of January next to protect the interests
of the government?
Mr. Morgan-The senator from Mis-
souri, asks me to interpret the presi-
dents message, while in Egypt there
was found but a single man, land he
divinely inspired), who could interpret
the dream of Pharaoh. I suppose that
the senator from Missouri can interpret
that message if anybody can; but 1
Will not stop to do it.
Another remark oe Mr. Vests as TO
the meaning of the message was re-
piled to by Mr.. Morgan with the SEN
tence:
L wish the senator from Missouri
would not bother me with that mes
sage, for certainly 1 am not paying
attention TO it,
AN EXPLANATION.
Mr.. Morgan went on to argue that
under the charter of the railroad COM
panies, they would cease wherever the
first default in payment of their bonds
was made. to have any right to the
property, but that all the property
passed iRmediateiT, and without any
action by congress or by the courts,
into the possession of the government
of the United States. The control of
the Pacific railroads was absolutely
necessary to the government in mill
tary point of view, and it was impera-
lively important to shut out the idea
that the government was ever going
to abandon its control into private
hands, particularly into the hands of
foreign stockholders, for" said he,
there IS not a railroad 200 miles long
that is not owned abroad American
in American railroads
would be a curiosity that should be
put in side show"
BONDS AND CONTROL.
Mr.. Gear said that he could point to
a railroad of over 1000 miles of which
IS per cent was owned by American
women and rs per cent Gncluding the
ownership of the women) was owned
by trust companies and churches. and
Who owns the bonds?" Mr..
Morton asked.
They are owned by people all over
the country" Mr.. Gear replied.
Show me the men who own the
bonds" Mr.. Morgan said and 1 will
show you the men who control the
road
They only co~trol the road" Mr..
Gear rejoined. en- the company de-
faults. and this company has never
defaulted.
Mr.. Morgan spoken for about an
hour and a half. and when he had
taken his seat, Mr.. Gear expressed his
satisfaction that the question had
come up, incidentally. 1t was evident,
he said. that there was a desire on
the part of the senate to take up that
important measure. The members of
the committee were unanimous, with
the exception of the senator from
Alabama, in reporting the funding bill,
but none of them were welded to that
specific plan. Personally, he was OPP
posed, now and in toto, to the opera
lion of the Pacific railroads by the
government, experience having shown
hat government operation of railroads
n Europe was more expensive than
operation by companies. He hoped
hat the senate would take up and
act upon the bill Immediately after re-
,ess.
Mr.. Pettigrew's resolution was then
-eferred TO the committee on appro-
oriations.
AND REFERENDUM
Mr.. Butler (Pop.). N c.. offered
resolution fer a committee of three
senator's to inquire into the principle
# legislation through the initiative
md referendum. Referred to the COM
nittee on contingent expenses.
A resolution was offered by Mr.. Call !
Dem.), Florida and was agreed to |
asking the president for information !
Is to the circumstances of the death /
n Cuba of Charles Govine an Amer !
can citizen, said to have been hacked |
o pieces by Spanish soldiers"
PENSION BILLS.
A dozen private pension bills. one of |
hep for the 90-year-old daughter of |
Evolutionary soldier, were taken up 1
md passed. Also a senate bill to pay. |
497 to the legal representative Edwin |
De Lon, late consul-general TO Egypt. |
he amount due him on adjustment of /
lis accounts.
At 2:4O p. m. the senate went into |
Executive session and shortly after