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

Washington, Dec. 22.-The number of
spectators in the galleries today when
the senate met was much larger than
at the same time yesterday. the attrac-
ton being Senator Vests expected
speech on the constitutional question
raised in Mr. Olney's statement.
In his opening prayer, Chaplain Mil
burn spoke of The happy prospect
that, between the governments of Great
Britain and our own country there
should henceforth be peace, no appeal
to the horrors and hell of war. but to
the rule of reason and right feeling"
ana added: Grant that the example
set by these nations may be initiated
and followed by all the nations OF the
world so that the time shall speedily
come y hen the sword shall be beaten
into the plowshare and the spear into
the pruning hook"
Early in the day the statement was
passed around that Senator, Hale. who
is opposed to Cuban recognition. under
existing circumstances. would demand
q quorum if the debate was resumed
and doubling his ability TO command a
quorum, so many senators having left
the capital Mr. Vest had determined
TO postpone mis- effort till after the re-
cess. After this impression had gained
ground, the proceedings rapidly as
sumed a listless account. which were
intensified when Mr.. Hale lRep.9,
Maine. from the committee on appro-
priations, reported back the urgent de-
fciency bill and asked for its immediate
consideration There was no objection.
and the bill was read with the amend
ments reported by the committee. The
amendments were agreed to and the bill
was passed and the bill returned i'm
mediately 10 the house for concur
renee.
PACIFIC RAILROADS.
The joint resolution introduced yes
terday by Mr.. Fettigrew (2ep.), South
Dakota, directing the secretary OF the
treasury TO pay the interest on the 6
per cent trust notes of the Southern
Pacific railway. and to take possession
of the bonds and stocks now held as
collateral for them. and appropriating
$l0,OOOO0O for the purpose, was taken
up and Mr.. Pettigrew spoke in eX-
planatien and advocacy of il as q bust
ness measure 10 protect the interests
Of the government In the course of
his remarks, he stated that the re-
ceiYers of the Union Pacific company
did not desire TO pay interest on those
trust notes, so as to complicate mat
tiers. II was the duty of the govern
ment he said, to pay off those notes,
take posse ssion of the road and it's
branch lines, and operate 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 government had lien.
Mr. Plat (Rep), Connecticut. said
that Mr.. Pettigrew's remarks should
convince the senate of the necessity
of immediate action to settle the debt
of the Union Pacific and Central Pa
cific 20 the government. There was no
question before the senate and before
the country more imperatively de-
rnanding attention. He could not
understand why congress had been so
utterly Indifferent TO the question
whether a debt of over $l00,000.e00 to
the government should be secured or
should be lost, and he hoped that when |
congress met after the holidays the |
matter would be taken up and acted I
on.
sATURNALIA OF FRAUD.
Mr.. Morgan CDem.), Alabama, said