Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-18
P PACIFIC RAILROADS
Senator Allen Creates Sensation OIL tho
Funding Bills Introduction.
A Lively Debate Between Him and
Senator Gear-Other Senators
Participate.

olution in the Senate yesterday afternoon
Senator Allen caused diversion of an ex-
citing interest by remarks that he made
when Senator Gear, as chairman of the
committee on Pacific railroads, introduced
the funding bill that has been Jointly pre-
pared by the two committees on that sub
ject. The first evidence of bad feeling be-
tween the Senators when Mr.. Allen
started in to catechise MIR. Gear as to the
character of the testimony taken by the
committee during its hearings the fund
ing bill. Mr.. Gear impatiently replied that
he had not the time to recapitulate all the
evidence. which filed a large book, which
the Senator could get by applying at the
committee room. He intimated that of
course the Senator could read.
The Hearings Criticized.
Yes, 1 can read" replied Mr.. Allen. He
then went on to criticise the committee for
it's neglect to send special notices of hear
ings to the National Grange and the ma
tional and state alliances through which
the railroads run, the boards of trade, the
chambers of commerce and the great body
of shippers whose interests deeply af
fected by the legisla ton. He asserted that
it appeared like a studied effort the
part of the committee to cut these people
off from any opportunity to appear and to
opinion on the question.
Mr.. Gear repudiated the idea that the
committee had cut anybody off from a
hearing, and asserted that everything
usual had been done.
Huntington and the Committee.
Mr.. Allen answered that he could not
understand why the people whose interests
were directly and deeply affected were not
given a chance to be heard. He said that
he spoke of what he had seen with his own
eyes, and continued: II have been in the
Pacific railroads committee room on two
different occasions when this so-called in
vestigation was going on, and I have seen
that supreme magnate of American rail-
roads and American politics, himself the
embodiment of force and corruption, Coils
p. Huntington, sitting there. apparently a
lord over the committee and everybody
around him, and his lobbyists occupying
the seats in the committee room; not a
farmer. not merchant. not man living
upon the prairies. not man living along
the line Of the railroads there-not one"
He added that the bill now presented was
merely the extension of the debt of the
railroads substantially the lines laid
down by Huntington.
Changes of Political Faith.
Mr.. Gear protested that Mr.. Allen had
had the opportunity to appear before the
committee himself, and had failed to avail
himself Of the chance. He alluded to Mr..
Aliens political faith in a light manner,
and this drew the popuIist into detailed
statement of his votes for the presidency
since 1861. In that year he voted for Mr..
Lincoln, in 1868 and 1872 for Grant, in 1876
for Tilden. in 1880 for Garfield in 1884 for
Elaine in 1888 for Harrison and in 1899 for
Weaver. This caused Mr. Chandler to re-
mark that he supposed it was a test of a
mans knowledge to change tis politics
once in while, and Mr.. Allen replied tina.
the man who puts his party above his
country Is one of the most dangerous enc
nies the nation can have There was a
lengthy colloquy between Messrs. Chandler
and Allen. in which Mr.. Stewart OCCASION
ally Joined, and then Mr. Allen made a
euiosistic reference to Gen. Weaver that
caused Mr.. Gear to laugh aloud in a deris
i've manner that aroused Mr.. Aliens ire.
Gen. Weaver Defended.
Mr.. Gear charged that Gen. Weaver adj
vocated the confiscation OF private property
and this led Mr.. Allen to say.
Il will not dispute with James r.
Weaver himself; 1 dispute with the Sena
tor from Iowa. He is In this chamber 1
am his equal here. and anywhere else, for
that matter. He can not stand here and
utter falsehoods of that kind against one
of the greatest and most illustrous citizens
or the United States because he happens
10 De populist and go unwhipped of the
rebuke his language justly and necessarily
deserves"
Mr. Hoar called Mr.. Allen to order and
demanded that his words be taken down
Mr.. Faulkner moved that Mr. Allen be al
lowed to proceed in order, and after some
debate this was agreed to by a viva yoce
vote.
Mr.. Gears Response.
When order had been restored Mr.. Gear
said: To the language used by the Sena-
tor from Nebraska 1 take no exception. l
nave lived among the people where 1 have
made my home for more years almost than
the Senator has lived in his life They
know best whether the words he has stated
are true or false. I am satisfied now, if |
never was before, of the truth of an old
adage When L got into this unfortunate al
tercation with the Senator from Nebraska I
made a mistake. 1t is an old saying that
you can not touch pitch without being de-
filed 1 am sorry that had the alteration
with him."
Mr.. Allen replied at length. and after dis
claiming any ill-feeling for Mr.. Gear and
defending Gen. Weaver. he closed by sar-
casticaIy thanking Mr. Hear for keeping
80 close a watch over his words and ac-
tons in the Senate. The debate on the
bond resolution then proceeded without
conclusion until adjournment