The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1897-04-09
CUBA AND BANKRUPTCY.
The Tw % Subjects Debated in the Senate
Yesterday.

Ahe w SUBJECTS OeDated III Jne senate
! Yesterday.
Washington, April s-The Senate
| galleries were well filled again today in
expectation of continuance Of the
Cuban debate. MIR. Chandler offered
resolution, which was agreed to. ere
solved, that the committee on inter-stat tie
commerce be directed to investigate the
payments made or agreed to lie made BIZ
the Interstate commerce commission for
attorneys fees and also to inquire in any
cases the attorneys of the commission
have also been employed by railroad COM
panies in similar cases, and further
whether any additional authority from
Congress is required for the employment
of counsel in any pending proceedings
which have been instituted by or motion
OF the miSsiCn.o y
The Morgan resolution declaring that
a state of war exists in Cuba was then
taken up without objection. and Mr.
Morgan resumed his spesch in support OF
it. The Senator reverted to the state
ment OF Mr.. Halls yesterday that the
nnmb ber OF American prisoners in Spanish
prisons were reduced to twelvs In
sarcastic tones, MIR. MORGAN said that
such releases as had occurred were the
result of supplication By our government
and perhaps 1t Nould be appropriate to
adopt vote of thanks to Spain for not
Staying these prisoners outright.
Mr.. Morgan said the question of pro-
teoring Americans Imprisoned in Spanish
prisons could not turn on mum bers:
whether seventy-four Or twelve were in
prison. Suppose instead of seventy four
it had been only one. Who could say
that the United States governments would
M @ N hu cfo H.
while this one American citizen was held
By Spain in violation Of treaty provisions
and contrary to every principle of OWL
ization and Justice. Mr.. Morgan spoke
Of the Competitor exhibition. He re-
viewed the commencement of the depart
uTe of the schooner probably with the
purpose of carrying aid to the insurgents
in particular. The Senator took up the
case Of young ODa Melton, one of the
Competitor prisoners and followed the
progress of his trial and his imprison-
ment in communicate in the Spanish
dungeons. Mr.. Morgan declared that it
was long course of violation of treaty
judicial procedures. EMr. Morgan then
reviewed the case of the DR.. Diaz while
preaching at Havana. BON bsheIls had
been thrown into his church. He and his
brother were arrested and held for seven
days in communicate. Mr.. Morgan read
portions Of the evidence given by Messrs
Lawrence and DiaZ, and heretofore pub
iisheu as q Senate document. Mr.. Nor
gan said he had tried for year TO get
from the State Department the facts in
the case OF Ona Meton, and that not
nutil the closiug days of the last admin
sssttion was he able to get even part
ement. The Senate would be in the
today as to the Melton case if the
almittes had not seized on every Que of
b fF,a fun
cent man on the face of the earth than
Ona Melton. and yet this young Ameri-
can was held by Spain in fragrant and
oontemptuous defiance of treaty rights
Mr.. Morgan read from the laws and tried
to show the just character of Melton g
imprisonment.
Mr. Morgan gave way at 2 O'Clock to
the bankruptcy bill, stating that he
would conclude his speech at the next
meeting of the Senate.
Mr.. Nelson, Republican of Minnesota,
said there was no public demand for the
drastic collsction machinery provided by
the Torrey bankruptcy bin. Mr.. Nelson
criticized the Torrev bill in detail, saying
1t was vicious and complicated, providing
fifteen distinct causes for bankruptcy.
The bill also created pensl offences,
with severe penalties attached, and If
oucoO UWOuly -5of0u COuIu DO DuUlSQ0Q
with Imprisonment for two years and
e nes up to $4,000
Mr.. Nelson argued that the rule for
preferences as laid down in the Nelson
bill was more equitable than that of the
Torrey bill. The purpose Of the su bsti-
| tute was to make the lrogress simple and
Inexpensive, limiting bankruptcy to
few causes. and leaving creditors in ali
other cases to the state laws. There was
no demand, he said. outside of a few
lobbers and wholesalers who favor Of the
rorrey bill. Next to the tariff bill, Mr..
Nelson said he regarded a conservative
| bankruptcy bill, designed to help debtors,
as the subject Of chief Importance. be-
fore Congress. He hoped Congress would
not adjourn before passing some bank
| rnptcy bill, and he would even be will
Ing to take the Torrev bill rather than
sue legislation fail.
Mr.. Hoar defended the Torrey bill
! against Mr.. Nelson's charges Of hapsh-
| ness. There were, he said, 800, 600 debtors
awaiting the relief of this humane bill
The Nelson substitute, Mr.. Hoar re-
parded impraotica BILE. Mr.. Hoar declared
also that the Nelson bill was uncnnstitu-
tien2L Tho constitution gave Congress
authority to provide nniform rystem ef
| saakruyScys bus ths Nelson bill wosla