The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-01-10
DEBTS OF THE PACIFIC ROADS.
COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE ENDS
ITS CONSIDERATION.

The Measure with Certain Pending
Amendments Reported to the
House and TO BE voted on Monday.
BELL of Texas Proposes That the
Rate of Interest of the Proposed
New Bonds he Increased to Three
Per Cent.
Washington, Jan. 9.-The text Of the bill
TO refund the Indebtedness Of the Union
and Central Pacific railroads to the United
States was perfected to-day, so far as the
committee of the whole House was con-
cerned, and the measure with certain
pending amendments was reported to the
House at o'clock, after a three days
parliamentary battle, and a vote on its
passage win be taken Monday. In the
course of the debate. which to-day was
conducted under the hve-minute rule MI
Bell, dem, Of Texas, proposed subsu-
tute for the committees bill. fixing the
rate of interest on the extended debt at
3 per cent. per annum. instead of ?, as
the committee propose.
Mr.. Harrison, dem, Of Alabama, also
submitted a substitute. constituting the
Secretaries of the Treasury and of the
Interior and the Attorney General a com
mittee to settle the debt with the APP
proval of the President To this, Mr.
Northway of Ohio proposed an amend
Tnent, making the committee consist Of
three persons, one to be appointed by each
of the officials named.
The committee Of the whole adopted two
amendments offered by Mr.. Parker rep,
of New Jersey, one to more clearly and
oomprehensively specify the property and
assets of the Union Pacific to be covered
by the proposed new mortgage to the
United States, and the other to forbid the
company to dispose of any of its assets
without the consent of the Secretary of
the Treasury.
Many members spoke to-day and the
discussion was quite interesting at times.
The bill was advocated by Messrs. Dan
iels, rep, of New York, Grosvenor, rep,
of Ohio, Arnold, rep. of Pennsylvania,
Kyle, dem, Of Mississippi, Henderson,
Watson, Cannon, Knox, Mitchell and
Faris; and opposed by Messrs. Bowers,
rep, of California, Johnson, rep, of North
Dakota, Dockery, dem, Of Missouri Boat
ner dem, of Louisiana, Hilborn, rep. of
California, Harrison, dem, of Alamaba,
BELL, dem., OF Texas, Mcguire, DEM, or
California, McLachlan and Barham, reps,
of California, Bartlett, dem, of New
York Grout rep, of Vermont, Perkins,
rep, of Iowa, Parker, rep, of New Jer-
Eey, Lawson, dem. of Virginia, Hubbard,
rep, of Mssori and Northway, rep, of
Ohio.
The latter created an outburst of APP
plause by declaringing that rather than
submit to compulsion by the debtors of
the government in the settlement of the
debt, he would advocate foreclosure and
the purchase of the road by the United
States This outburst, his colleague, Mr..
Grosvenor, said, came from those who be-
lieved in the doctrines of the Ocala plat
form. He protested against republican
association with government ownership
of railroads, and also against referring
the question for settlement to the in
coming administration.
Early in the days session the action of
the House last night in postponing until
Tuesday next the return of the sergeant
alarms upon the execution of the war
rants for the arrest of members absent
from the session, was reconsidered, on
motion of Gen. Henderson, rep. of Iowa,
after a vigorous effort to prevent it by
Mr.. Thomas. rep, of Illinois, who had
declared his intention to protest against
any member named In the warrant voting
on any matter until excused by the House.
Proceedings under the call were formally
dispensed with and thus the danger to
many members that they would not be
permitted to vote on the Pacific railroad
bill was averted