Omaha daily bee., 1897-01-10
ALL READY FOR FINAL VOTE
House Finishes Debate on the Pacific
Funding Bill.
MEASURE TO Be VOTED ON TOMORROW
Members Have Their Final Say Under
the FIvc-Minutc RuIc--Adoption
of Amendment of Minor
Importance.


WASHINGTON Jan. 9.-The debate in
the house OF representatives. on the Pacific
railway funding bill came to close at
8 o'clock this afternoon, and the final vote
on the bill and eleven amendments and
substitutes will be taken Monday noon on
the assembling of the house. The debate
today was of that fragmentary character in
cident to a fve-minute debate, and was not
productive of any new features. But one
vote was TAKEN and that on an amendment
OF comparatively minor Importance, by Mr..
Parker of New jersey, charging the de-
scrlption of the assets covered by the gov
ornment lien and requiring the consent of
the secretary OF the treasury to any sale
made by the roads under the terms Of the
bill. MIR. Powers resisted the amendment
but it passed by a decisive majority. Dur
ing the day, Mr.. Northway of Ohio offered
an amendment to the Harrison substitute
providing for a national commission to
effect a settlement, which, on being APP
proved by the president, shall become
operative.
After a brisk controversy early in the
day the order made last night for the ar
rest by the sergeant-at-arms of all mem-
bers absent from the session last night
pension night, was vacated. to the satsfac-
tion of over 200 members to whom the
order of arrest applied.
Before taking up the funding bill, the
house passed the senate bill for bridge
across the Red river at Fulton, Ark
MEMBERS LET OFF.
preliminary furry occurred over a mo-
tion by Mr. Henderson, republican of Iowa,
to reconsider the resolution adopted at the
night session of the house last night di-
recting the sergeant alarms to arrest alb
sent members and bring them to the bar Of
the house on next Tuesday. = produced a
sharp parliamentary struggle, Mr. Baker,
republican of New Hampshire, making the
point that MIR. Henderson was not present
at the night session and had no right to
move to reconsider.
Mr. Thomas, republican OF Michigan, who
secured the adoption OF the order for the
arrest of all absent members, defended the
justice Of bringing In the absentees at the
Friday night session, when private pension
bills are col sidered, because they practi-
caly brought pension legislation to a stand
still. There was much confusion as Mr..
Thomas sought to read the names of all
members absent last night. He said he
wanted the country to know who just who
were responsible for this delay in legsla-
tiOn.
After many objections the speaker ruled
that the names could not be read as part of
Mr. Thomas remarks, and they were accord
ingly read from the desk amid loud mur-
mur Of dsarproval. 1t disclosed 23S absent
from the night session and now subject to
arrest
Mr.. Grosvenor caused laugh by asking If
the sergeant-at-arms was to furnish trans
portatlon, lodging and food for his prison.
ers.
POLITICS CROP OUT
Mr.. Meredith democrat of Virginia, in
terposed the statement 81 suggest that the
gentleman Thomas) have read his petition
to be commissioner of pensions under the
netX administration"
There is no such petition and the gentle
man (Meredith) knows 1t" returned Mr..
Thomas. warmly.
Il have heard 1t was in existence. said
Mr.. Meredith.
The motion to reconsider was adopted
130-1O9. Mr.. Thomas sought to get record
vote, but failed The call for yea and nay
vote was defeated-16 TO 165.
lis the speaker counting members now
under arrest?" interposed Mr.. Thomas, as a
last resort.
"The speaker is not aware that any men,
ber of the house Is under arrest" responded
Mr. Reed, sharply.
mo arrests have been made under the
order" added Mr. Henderson.
Certainly, the sergeant-at-arms made ar
rests last night" insisted Mr. Thomas land
more were made today"
The speaker said he had no information of
such arrests. Thereupon without further
division all proceedings under the order for
arrest were suspended.
With this lively episode out of the way the
Pacific funding bill was taken up under the
hve-minute rule.
Mr.. Powers republican of California
opened the opposition in an onslaught on
the management of the Pacific roads and
the bill. He characterized the measure as
plan to continue the most tyrannous
monopoly that had ever been organized.
1t was part of an Infamous and fraudu-
lent transaction; an attempt to prolong the
grip of the anaconda of the Pacific coast"
LOSSES AND GAINS.
Mr.. Johnson, republican of North Da-
kota, opposed the bill He made a state
ment of the enormous profits that in
dividuals had made, and the enormous losses
the government he said. had sustained
When Mr.. Powers, republican of Vermont,
in charge Of the bill asked for more time
for Mr.. Daniels. republican of New York,
one OF those supporting it. Mr. Mcguire,
democrat of California interposed saying:
Every man from the Pacific coast has been
shut out OF the general debate. and there
can be no extensions in favor of the bill
'If there has been any shutting out, !"
responded Mr.. Hepburn. lit was at the
elections and not here"
Mr.. Daniel argued that the settlement
should be made now and not left as a legacy
to the next administration.
Mr.. Grosvenor said the bill probably gave
the best means of closing the protracted
contest and protecting the government.
Mr.. Dockery urged that congress had not
been given the full financial statement as
TO this settlement which would warrant its
adoption.
Mr.. Arnold, republican of Pennsylvania,
said that unless this settlement was made,
the next administration would be COM
PEELED either to issue s6O,0OOOOO in bonds
to pay of mortgages or else throw up all
its liens.
Mr.. Hilborn, republican OF California, con-
tended that in the pending proposition an
old overland branch of the Central Pacific
now Abandoned was included instead of
the new branch. He also insisted that