Evening star., 1897-01-09
FUNDING BILLS FATE
It is Believed That This Measure Will Be
Defeated.
Pacific Railroad Advocates Are Said
to Be Working Hard to Change
the Sentiment.

Should there be no change in the situa-
ton between now and Monday. The Pa
cific railroad funding bill will probably be
defeated as heretofore indicated in The
Star. The change of sentiment has been
SO rapid as to puzzle the advocates of the
funding bill and the lobbyists who are at
work to have 1t passed. The opponents of
the measure have the fight well in hand,
and are contesting every inch. A great
ceal OF quiet, personal work is being done.
In fact, it has been going on for weeks
IT the bill is defeated the indefa tigable
California members will deserve the praise
which they will no doubt get from their
constituents. When they began the night
last winter they saw little hope in win
ming, but they have kept at the task and
now see victory ahead.
The anti-funding bill men say that a
careful poll of the House reveals tina;
there are 202 votes against the bill. JOG for
1t and 4S doubtful. These figures bear out
the estimate in The Star yesterday that
three out of five members will vote against
the bill.
No Division on Party Lines.
There is no division on party lines on
the question. Democrats and republicans
are working for and against it, as their
opinions may dictate 1t is probable that
the democrats are more unanimous in
their opposition than the republicans The
popullst members are solidy arrayed in
opposition. Judge Culberson is one of the
leading democrats who is not fighting the
Dill as strongly as some of the others He
Is understood to be in favor of the Bell
substitute, but if that cannot be adopted
ne VIII vote for the pending measure.
Judge ktefer of Minnesota said the bill
woCid be defeated beyond doubt and add
ed: Unless the United States can get a
first mortgage am in favor of foreclosure
ana the usual prncee.3inp in
Inc case Is the same IS business trans
acuon between private individuals. II
man can't live up to his contract he has
to be forced to do so by law"
Representative Barham: THE impression
Is growing that the bill will be beaten"
Representative Cooper of Texas: I'VE are
going to beat the biil.'
Representative Lacey of Iowa: 'I think
the vote Is going to be Close
Representative Allen of Utah: Il shall
vote against it,
going to be beaten. 1 am going to vote
against 1t.
Representative Dockery: MY vote will
be against the BILL
Representative Linney: II am against the
bill.''
Representative Kendall: II am going to
vote against it,
Senator White of California speaking of
the reception of the funding bill would re-
ceive in the Senate If it should be passed
by the House OF Representatives, said:
Il think, in the first place, the bill has
small chance of passing the House. / be-
Heve vote taken on 1t there will result
in its defeat. If it should pass the House
and come to .tIe Senate plenty of oppor-
tunity will be given for debate .on it. We
will give the friends of the measure every
opportunity to discuss it, and will got fail
to Show up its many points of weakness.
The legislature of California has instructed
the California representatives in Congress
to do everything in their power to defeat
this measure, and everything that can
hoL orably be done will be done. If the
measure does get in the Senate there is no
doubt that there will be a long struggle in
that body over it, which, l believe, will
result in its defeat.
From "a Party Standpoint.
1t is said that none of the parties is will
ing to assume the responsibility for the
passage of the bill. Individual members Of
the parties may vote for the bill, but no
party will champion the measure. The
opponents of the bill urge, with much
reason, that sooner or later scandals will
crop out and that the party which sanctions
this bill will be called to account. The fact
that little has been learned from the
witnesses before the different committees
is used effectively to show that there is
a great deal concealed which will come to
light some day.
The Pacific railroad lobbyists are harder
at work today than ever before. They
forsee the fate of the bill and are doing all
they can to head II on. EX-memberS. said
to be lobbying for the bill, are seen on the
floor of the House.
Vandcrbilts Said to BE Fighting IL.
An interesting story is revived that the
Vanderbilt interests are quietly fighting the
passage of the bill. This story is not favor
able to the claims of the Pacific railroad
managers and the advocates of the bill
that there would be bidders for the
reads If the government foreclosed its
mortgages and the roads were offered for
sale. 1t is said that the Vanderbilts stand
ready. il the opportunity ever comes, to
bid on the property, because it would give
them, with roads now in their possession,
through line from the east to the coast.
The idea is that the Vanderbilts are not
taking any big hand in the fight now on,
because they cannot afford to do so. They
are however, in the position of prospective
bidders il the bill is defeated and The gov
ernment forecloses. 1t is rumored that the
Baltimore aud Ohio people or j. p. Morgan
might like to get chance at bidding on
the PROPERTIES
A number of opponents of the pending
bill express the belief that there would be
several bidders for the properties and that
the government would be able to get what
is due 1t.