The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-01-14
HOUSE PROCEEDINGS.

Washington, Jan. S.-rhc house today
resumed the debate on the Pacific rail.
road funding bill Immediately after the
reading of the Journal.
Mr.. Payne Crcp) of New York was in
the chair.
Mr.. Patterson (drml of Tennessee,
member of the committee, opened the de
bate today with half hours speech in
favor Of the measure. He said he be-
heved the bill presented the best bargain
lhe government could make.
Mr.. Harrison ldem) of Alabama, an
ithcr member of the committee followed
h opposition TO the bill. He believed the
lime for action had come, but he could
not subscribe 10 the remedy proposed in
the pending measure, because IL was too
fiberal to the companies. The proposition
made by the Union Pacific to the gov
'erment was much better than that in
this bill. The Union Pacific was in n
better condition 10 pay than the Central
Pacific. Why should they be placed on
the same footingI
Mr.. Harrison also opposed the Bell sub
stitute on the grounds that the roads
could not comply with their propositions.
One was too liberal and one was too
stringent. He proposed substitute
which would create a commission con-
sisting of the secretary of the treasury,
secretary of the interior and the attorney
general, with full power to settle the in
debtedness Of all the bond-aided railroad
companies.
Mr.. Boatncr (dem.) of Louisiana an
aagoniyed the bill. He insisted that the
government of today, by the execution of
the Thurman act had control of all the
property Of the roads and might obtain
no additional security by the pending bill.
He declared that the government was not
A helpless creditor 10 an insolvcrt debtor.
The government could not afford to dis
regard the fact that these roads had been
despoiled of enough money 10 pay the
entire debt. He declared that the govern
ment had Il right, after II exhausted its
ability 10 secure its debt from the roads,
TO proceed against those who had dcspoil-
I'd them.
The supreme court had held that the
United States had that right Ms soon as
the roads defaulted They had now de-
fauted. He favored a settlement, he
said but he never would vote for a meas
nre which would cut of the right Of the
government 10 proceed against the de
faultiug directors and officers of the
roads, who had enriched themselves At
The expense of those properties. III,
wanted il distinctly understood that this
or any other funding bills would give
these men quit claim.
MIR Swanson (dem) of Virginia, in op
posing the bill, asserted that this bill con
,tituted the poorest proposition from th'
standpoint oil the government ever sub
gnitted TO congress. Two years ago. h
said. the Union Pacific reorganization
committee offered a proposition twice a
good as this.
Mr.. Mccall (rep) of Massachusetts, e
whom ten minutes was yielded, opposed
the measure and directed most OF tina
time 10 refutation of the claim that TN
United States at present had no clam
upon the Omaha terminal
MIR. Wheeler (dcm.) of Alabama said
he wanted the government 10 settle oil
the best terms TO be obtained. He wa
ready TO accept Mr.. Harrisons commits
sion scheme or lump sum, as propose'
by the secretary of the interior.
Mr.. johnson (rep) of California, !;
member of the committee and the onl!
member of the California delegation il
favor of the bill, made characteristic
speech Of twenty linutes in its favor