Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-12-23
MORGAN'S SNEERS.
He Lets Them Loose on the Ma.
tionaI Executive.
WORDS OF EXTREMIST CONTEMPT

Uttered on the Floor Of the Senate Of the
President Of the United States by the
Senator from Alabama-Cuba Given q
Rest-Annual Attack I'm the House on
Civil Service Reform-Both Houses Ad.
jOurn to Jan. o.
Washington, Dec 23-The senate in
dulged in long debate yesterday on
the Pettigrew resolution appropriating
$lO.OO0,C00 to take up the trust notes
OF the Union Pacific railway, the effect
OF such resolution being in the di-
rection OF government ownership. and
Pettigrew urged that 1t was a good
opportunity for the government to make
the experiment. This sort of debate
was net what the galleries had ex-
pected. The word having gone forth that
Vest was to speak on Cuba and Hill
to reply the galleries were crowded in
all portions. The resolutions were dis
cussed by Gear, Platt and others. Nor
gan also got the floor. He said that the
subject had been so deeply buried in
fraud and crime as to be almost be-
yond the possibility of intelligent con-
sidefation. As to the pending funding
bill Morgan said he opposed it. and
when II came up he would insist on
the fullest latitude of debate.
Wanted the People Protected.
He particularly desired to see the in
terests Of the people of the Pacific
coast protected against this monopoly
and against combination of those
two vast influences-the Union Pacific
and the Central Pacific-under private
control. No section Of the country had
been so bound and made subservient
as that OF the Pacific coast by this
Gorgon Of monopoly. He believed the
pending funding bill should be recon-
mitted to the committee and a more
adequate remedy presented. The Union
Pacific had enough in its treasury to
pay the interest on the first mortgage
bonds and yet 1t came to congress as
q bankrupt and mendicant asking for
pity. 1t was not only paying interest
on its bonds. but was paying dividends
to British bondholders. These roads
were pursuing what had become a fixed
policy in railway management in the
United States-the running down and
wrecking of roads In order to manipu-
late them.
Contempt for the Nations Executive.
Vest interposed at this point with q
question as to the meaning Of the pres
dent In his recent message that unless
congress acted on this Pacific railroad
question the executive branch would
act by Jan. 1. Morgan gave a depreca-
tory gesture and said: Now in all
Egypt there was only one man and he
was divinely inspired, who could inter-
pret the dreams Of Pharoah. The sena-
tor ought not to ask me to interpret the
presidents message. If any man is
capable of interpreting that message it
Is the senator from Missouri. i am not
stopping to interpret the message"
Vest, with message in hand, desired a
more exact answer, and proceeded to
read the presidents words, but he was
called off. amid laughter. by Morgan's
earnest remark: Il wish the senator
would not bother me with that mes
sage"
Gear Urges Speedy Action.
Gear spoke briefly, urging speedy ac-
tiOn on the Pacific railroad question,
and saying he would seek to secure
some headway Immediately after the
holidays. He announced that il q
quorum or the senators was here dur
Ing the recess meetings would be held
to inquire into the questions which had
been raised. Pettigrew's resolution was
then referred to the committee on Paci-
fic railroads.
Call secured the adoption Of a reso-
luton requesting the secretary Of state
for information as to the killing Of
Charles Gavin, United States citizen,
in Cuba. He read a letter from Mrs.
]. NJ. Gavin. mother of the deceased,
appealing for an inquiry, and saying
that her son had been hacked to
pieces" by Spanish soldiers
After passing several private pension
bills. the senate at 2:3S p. m. went into
executive session, which lasted until
S:05. The senate. then adjourned to
Jan. 8, 1897.