Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1897-01-28
FIFTY-FOURTH CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON, January 2S
SENATE.

Several petitions favoring the imme-
date ratification of the arbitration
treaty were presented.
Mr.. Allen offered resolution instruct
ing the committee on Pacific railroads
to inquire and report whether under
! existing law, the executive department
has authority to foreclose the govern
ment mortgage on the Union Pacific
Railroad and to sell the property with
out additional legislation: also as to
the authority of the President or the at.
torney general to contract, in advance
of sale, for the amount that is to be bid;
also whether it is not the duty of the
President or the Secretary ofthe Treas
ury to redeem, or otherwise clear Oft,
all the paramount liens by paying the
same, and directing the attorney gen.
eral in the meantime to refrain from
interfering into further stipulations or
agreements respecting the sale of the
property.
MIR. Allen proceeded to explain and
advocate the resolution. He said that
the reorganization committee would be,
by virtue of the purchase, subrogated
to all the rights and properties of the
Union Pacific Company, including a
| sinking fund of fourteen or fifteen mil
lion dollars and land grant of about
eighteen million acres. 1t was neces-
sary, he said, that Congress should
have full information, so as to be able
to act intelligently on the subject. He
argued that it was the duty of the
President under the law not to direct
foreclosure, but to pay fall paramount
liens and take possession of the prop
erty. There was no pretense, he said,
that any effort had been made by the
President to redeem the property. The
right to foreclose was secondary right,
dependent on the failure of the primary
right of redemption.
Mr.. Clark asked Mr.. Allen whether
he took the position that no foreclosure
could be attempted until the govern
ment had first paid in full the prior
liens on the road.
"Elther paid in full, Or have made an
honest attempt to pay in full That is
my position" Mr.. Allen replied.
"Certainly," said Mr.. Clark, "the
government would pay in full, if it
made the attempt. | cannot believe
that the Senator from Nebraska wants
! the government to pay out of the treas
ury all the money due on the prior liens,
because know that the Senator is an
eminent jurist and friend of the peo-
| pie"
Mr.. Platt asked Mr.. Allen whether.
under the statute, the President had to
use both remedies, or whether they
were alternative remedies.
=, Mr.. Allen replied that the language
of the statute was not couched so as to
make the remedies alternative. The
President, he added, could not
ignore the provision of the statute.
He might declare that he would not do
so; and he might and say, in the Ian
guage of boss Tweed, "Wbat are you
| going to do about it 2" The price iix-
ed, Mr.. Allen asserted, was not equal
to so per cent. of the value of the prop
erty; in his judgment it was not equal
to 80 per cent. He complained that
the property worth $40, 900 should
be taken from the control of Congress
by an executive order; and said it was
bad enough to have the Cuban affair
and other foreign matters Withdrawn
from the control of the Senate, without
having domestic matters also with.
drawn.
Mr.. Thurston said that he desired to
address the Senate on the subject, and
asked that the resolution go over until
tomorrow. 1t was so ordered.
The Senate bill to provide for the
representation of the United States by
commissions at any international mon
etary conference was taken up, and
Mr.. Chandler addressed the Senate in
support of it. He said This bill rep.
resents new movement beginning in
the United States for the establishment
of bi.metallism; the unlimited coinage
of silver and gold as standard money.
1t simply authorizes the coming Presi-
dent to appoint delegates to any con
ference which may be called by the
United States or any other nation, and
provides for paying their expenses. 1t
does not compel the President to init
ate an international conference, wheth-
er the time has arrived and due prepa-
rations have been made for it or not;
and it is not desirable that such compul
sion should be ordered. The responsible
ity for action or non.action will be his,
and there need be no desire to take it
from him in view OF his utterance upon
accepting the nomination of his party,
namely "rhe republican party has
declared in favor of an interna-
tional agreement, and if elected
President it will be my duty to en-
ploy all proper means to promote it. !"
The bill does not undertake to de-
clare what the action of this govern
ment will be in case the conference
shall fail to establish bimetallism.
This bill for an international bime-
tallic conference has been deliberately
presented in body, majority Of
whose members are in favor of the free
coinage of silver by the United States
Independently of other nations, and
who believe that no successful result
| will come from the conference.
HOUSE.
The Speaker laid before the House a
number of private bills with Senate
amendments, which were agreed to.
Other bills, which the House had
amended, were sent to conference, the
Senate refusing to accept the House
amendments.
To halfa dozen others, mostly private
pension bills, objection was made and
thew went over.