The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-01-12
lN CONGRESS YESTERDAY
TIE PACIFIC RAILROAD FuNDiNG
BILL DEFEATED.
Mr. Nils Remarkable Speech on Ills
Cuban Fesolu.ion The event
in the Senate.

Washington, Jan 1.-THE Pacific
Railroad funding bill went down TO its
doom in the House to-day under an ad-
verse majority of 6G. The friends OF the
measure who had predicted It's passage up
to the last moment were surprised by the
decisive character of their defeat. They
had been led to hope from the votes on
the substitutes that the bill had more
than an even chance of passage The
Bell substitute provided that if the Union
Pacific and Central Pacific would clear
off the first mortgage and advance the
governments lien the government would
extend the Indebtedness at 3 per cent
1t was defeated 10 to 15S.
The Harrison substitute provided for
commission to negotiate a settlement of
the debt. 1t was rejected by the House
by a vote of 55-214 Many of the men,
bers were as much opposed to these sub
stitutes as to the Powers bill The Cali
fornia and middle west members voted al
most solidly against them. When the
vote came ON the main proposition the
whole opposition swung into line and
crushed it by an adverse vote of 102 to
1GS. The vote was not taken directly on
the passage Of the bin but on the prelim-
mary motion to engross and read the
bill a third time
Bills, the subject Of hard contests are
usually brought to a final test before the
last parliamentary stage is reached.
The Reilly Pacific funding bill two
years ago was defeated in the same man
ner on the same motion. This is the
fourth funding bill killed in the House
in ten years.
An analysis of the vote to-day shows
that So Republicans and 1G Democrats
voted for the bill and 90 Republicans, 58
Democrats and POpulists and five In
dependents against it. Mr.. Powers, the
chairman of the Pacific Railroad commit
tee, entered a motion to recommit the
bill to-day after he had recovered from
the shock OF his defeat, saying that the
members of the House Were all in favor
of a settlement, but evidently opposed to
the principle of the measure his commit
tee had brought in. He thought his
committee should have an opportunity to
formulate another bill in the hope that
it would prove acceptable. A point Of orr
der was made against Mr.. Powers mo-
ton, but at the suggestion of the Speak
er, the point was not ruled upon to-day,
pub WIZ ON VhNa tAiC AAOhbS NVANtnc5 To-
morrow.
Mr.. Powers said tonight that he did
not know what would be done, but ex-
pressed the opinion that another effort
should be made to pass an acceptable
bill. The opponents of the bill, ON the
other hand are rejoicing and say the vote
to-day settles the fate of all schemes to
fund the debt at this session. After the
bill was disposed of the military appro-
priation bill and several other bills were
passed The military bill carried S23, 1885,
344, S155, ,55S, less than that for the cur
rent year.
SENATE PROCEEDINGS.
Washington, Jan. 11.-The chief event
of the Senate to-day was an impassoned
speech by Mr. Mills, of Texas in favor OF
a resolution introduced by him to declare
the recognition OF a foreign government
a Congressional prerogative. and to
recognize the independence OF Cuba and
$4,000 for the salary of
minister.
In support of the first proposition tho
Senator quoted a long line of precedents