Evening star., 1896-12-15
THE HOU SE.


graced the desk OF Mr.. Morse of Massa-
chussets when the House met today. They
had been sent by the Anti-Saloon League
of this city lin grateful appreciation of
his efforts In behalf of temperance" Sew
eral minor relief bills were passed by
VI anirnous consent.
Atlantic and Pacific Railroad.
Under the arrangement made last Thurs
day the bill to transfer the rights of the
Atlantic and Pacific Railroad Company
under the original government charter to
the mortgages upon their purchase of
the property called up by Mr.. Powers
Of Vermont.
He explained the bill and it's purpose
Some 42.OO0,OOO acres of land were grant
ed to the road, an enormous grant, he ad-
lnitted. but much of the land was arid and
only 100000 acres had been sold The road
had been built by money loaned to 1t on
mortgage and row that the mortgage was
to be foreclosed il was only just that the
mortgages should succeed to the franchises
and rights of the original company. If the
original company had been derelict the
innocent advancers Of money should not
suffer. II this bill were not passed the
mortgages would be simply tenants in
common; they could not organize them
selves into a new corporation.
Mr.. McRae's Opposition.
Mr.. McRae (Ark.) attacked the bill on the
ground that it did not sufficiently protect
the interests of the government, the set
tiers and the creditors of the company. He
proposed substitute for 1t.
The substitute provided that as condi-
ton precedent to the reorganization the
purchasers should, in writing. relinquish
all claim to lands granted to the Atlantic
and Pacific companies which were adjacent
to or coterminous with the portions of the
road uncompleted July q. 1886. 1t also pro-
yided for the sale of the lands of the road
in tracts of from 40 to 160 acres. at 81 p per
acre. and for the assumption by the new
corporation of all the obligations of the old
road. In the latter respect it differed from
the original bill. which specifically relieved
the new road of all debts and obligations
rot assumed in the contract.
During the progress Of the debate Mr..
Bingham Pa-) reported the legislative ap-
preparation bill.
Mr.. McRae declared that the history of
the Atlantic and Pacific railroad showed it
had violated its pledges and obligations,
and that. therefore. all the obligations the
new corporation was to assume should be
nominated in the bond
Several minor amendments were adopted
One of them, offered by Mr.. Mitchell IN
W, provides that the new corporation
should assume all the legal obligations of
the old company
The Substitute Defeated,
The McRae substitute was defeated-1S
TO 163. Mr.. Prince Nl) proposed an amend
nlent providing that as a condition prece-
oent to the reorganization Of the road the
! purchasers should in writing relinquish all
claim to the land granted by the govern
ment adjacent to those portions of the road
unconpleted July q. 1885, He explained
that this amendment would simply forfeit
to the government all unearned lands. Mr.
Powers said that a suit was pending for the
forfeiture Of these lands and this amend
ment would be practically blackmail
The amendment was adopted, 7S43, and
the bill was passed without division
Mr.. Loud. Cal, chairman of the commit
| tee on post offices and post roads, then
! moved that the House go into committee
of the whole for the consideration of his
bill to amend the law relating to second
clasc mail matter. The opponents Of this
measure. led by Mr.. Quigg. NY, took the
offensive and supported the latter's mo-
| ton to adjourn