The record-union., 1896-12-23
Morgan Of Alabama Makes a Long Speech
Against the Measure.
Favors the Government Taking Pos
session of the Roads,
a Default i'm the Payment
of the Bonds OccurS-BOth the
Senate and the House, After the
DAYS Session, Take a Recess Un-
til After the Holidays.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 22-The spec
tators who had assembled in large num-
bers in the Senate galleries to-day in
expectation of witnessing interesting
scenes and of listening to an exciting de-
bate in connection with the Cuban Ques-
ton were disappointed, the only thing
that came up having any relation to
that subject being a resolution of IN
quiry as to the circumstances attending
the death of an American citizen said
to have been hacked to pieces by Span
ish soldiers in the island of Cuba.
Vest CD of Missouri did not call up,
as he had given notice that he would.
his resolution for an inquiry as to the
constitutional question presented by the
Secretary of State in his press state
ment touching the power of the Presi-
dent to ignore joint resolution of Con-
gress directing him to recognize the in
dependence of the Republic of Cuba.
The morning hour, in which that sub
ject might have been discussed, was oc-
cupied by Morgan CD of Alabama in a
long speech against the Pacific railroad
funding bill, and in favor of the Gov
ernment taking possession of those
roads, which he contended was its right
and duty to do, whenever default in
payment of the bonds occurred.
Early in the day the statement was
passed around that Senator Hale, who
is opposed to Cuban recognition under
existing circumstances, would demand
quorum if the debate was resumed
and doubling his ability to command a
quorum, so many Senators having left
the city, Vest had determined to post
pone his effort until after the recess
After this impression had gained ground
the proceedings rapidly assumed a list
less account, which intensified when
Hale (R) of Maine, from the Committee
On Appropriations, reported back the
urgent deficiency BILL and asked for it's
immediate consideration. There was
no objection, and the bill was read with
the amendments reported by the COM
mittee. 1t was agreed to and the bill
passed and returned Immediately to the
House for concurrence in the amend
mentS.
The joint resolution introduced yes
terday by Pettigrew (R) of South Da-
kota, declaring the Secretary of the
Treasury to pay the interest on the &
per cent. trust notes of the Southern
Pacific, and to take possession of the
bonds and stocks now held as collateral
for them, was taken up, and Pettigrew
spoke in explanation and in advocacy
of it as a business measure to protect
the interests of the Government In
no IF hi .Lc he taI
that the receivers of the Union Pacific
did not desire to pay on these trust notes
so as to complicate matters. 1t was
the duty of the Government, he said,
to pay off these notes. take possession Of
the road and it's branch lines, and oper-
ate them in the interest of the people all
along the line. He believed that it
was the fear that that would be done
which had led the managers of the
Union Pacific to handle the property so
as to be able to sever the branch lines
from the main road, on which the Gov
ernment had lien.
Platt R) of Connecticut said that
Pettigraws remarks should convince
the Senate of the necessity of immedi-
ate action to settle the debt of the
Union Pacific and Central Pacific to the
Government. There was no question
before the Senate more imperatively de-
mandng attention. He could not un-
derstand why Congress had been SO
utterly Indifferent to the question
whether a debt of over $1O0,0OO0OO to
the Government should be secured or
should be lost, and he hoped that when
Congress met after the holidays the
mo tpr wnll]d "a taken and acta6
Morgan D.) of Alabama said that as
a member of the Pacific Railroad Com
mittee the matter was entirely new to
him. He understood the plan of the
managers to be to get control of the
branch lines, unite them with the north
ern system and get up a parallel to
the Union Pacific line. The statement
made to-day by the Senator from South
Dakota made it proper that lit should
be investigated by the Pacific Railroad
Committee, and he proposed to ask that
the committee should sit during the va
cation and investigate the subject. He
wanted it distinctly understood that
when it came to be considered there
would be a claim of latitude of debate
commensurate with the magnitude of
the question He was in favor of the
session from the Committee on Pacific
Railroads. He was not in favor of its
passage but was opposed to it. No
such remonstrances, Morgan said, had
ever been presented to Congress as had
come from the Pacific Coast from the
management of the Pacific roads. He
hoped that the people of California
would not be denied a voice in those
proceedings.
The Union Pacific Company had in its
treasury enough money to pay their in
terest on its first mortgage bonds, and
the Central Pacific had paid such in
terest up to date, and besides paid /
per cent dividend to it's British stock
holders. and yet both these companies
came to Congress as mendicants, stat
ing that they were bankrupts. All this
was "a false pretense.'
Morgan was discussing the question
of the Government interpleading in one
of the foreclosure suits pending, and
was expressing the hope and the conf
dence that the Attorney General would
refuse to interplead.
Morgan went ON to argue that under
the charter Of the railroad companies