The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1897-02-05
Mr., Villas FlLlBUSTEPlNG
IN THE SENATE.
HE STILL HAS THE FLOOR
Mr Thurston speaks on the Pacific
Railroad Funding Bnl-Houss Dis
poses OF the Cornett- Swanson
Election Contest from vir-
ginia--Other Late News
from Washingtan.

WASHINGTON, Feb. AFTER brief
preliminary struggle in the Senate yes
terday, the friends Of the Nicaragua
canal bill were unable 70 hold quo
rum and sit out the obstruction to that
measure Mr.. Villas (Democrat) of Wis
consin had continued his speech in op-
position, this being his third successive
day. At 4:3O p. IN. a cross-fre of mo-
tions to adjourn and calls of the SEN
ate began The friends of the opposi-
tion sought 10 close the session and
give Mr. Villas p rest from his pro
tracted efforts
The parliamentary contest continued
at intervals for half an hour, when all
business was suspended by the absence
OF "a quorum and refusal TO adjourn
The friends Of the bill finally gave up
hope of securing quorum and yielded
to an adjournment Mr. Villas con
tinues to hold the floor.
The Senate agreed 70 the House
resolution fixing February 10 for the
ceremony of counting the vote for
President and Vice President before
the two Houses of Congress.
Although defeated for reelection,
Senator. Du bois of Idaho was welcomed
back TO the Senate with marked cor
diality and with an abundance OF horal
tributes
When the two Allen resolutions
questioning the power Of the Executive
to forcclose the government liens
against the Pacific roads were taken
up. Mr. Thurston Republican, Of Ne
braska, spoke lie argued that the
uniform opinion Of the courts had been
that the government lien was limited
strictly to the precise lines on which
guarantee bonds had been issued and
that the Thurmun act did not extend
this lien beyond the original lines of
the Union Pacific and Central Pacific
roads This. he held, took the Omaha
bridges. approaches, terminals, etc, ID,
outside of the original govern
ment lien The situation as 10
the Union Pacific was that all
terminals. all side tracks etc. were
covered by "a first mortgage, to which
the government lien is subject The
lien of the government was on that
main line beginning at the Missouri
river about three or four miles north
of the present Omaha bridge, and run.
ming westward to Ogden. Utah. II,
then. the United States acquired the
rights of the first mortgage and was
subrogated to those rights, its lien
would be extended 10 all terminals,
/ etc. The obligation 10 the government
reached s53.000 coo, and Il was pro-
posed by the present negotiations 10
pay an upset price OF between SI5. 900, e
O0p and Sl6, ,OOO,O0O
Mr. Thurston said there were only
! two propositions from which to make
a choice. One was 10 realize q large
per cent Of the governments claim. the
other TO invest more of the peoples
money in FULLY acquiring road pre-
sumablv for the purpose of govern
ment ownership and operation Mr..
| Thurston doubted whether Congress
could now create new federal Union
! Pacific railroad owing TO the laws of
several of the states prohibiting the
! Operation Of railways by other than
/ domestic corporations.
Answering a question by Mr.. Allen
| Mr.. Thurston declared that the right
of the attorney general TO appear in
any foreclosure suit was absolutely un-
questionable, irrespective OF any legis-
| lation ON the subject
Mr.. Thurston gave way at , o'clock
| TO the Nicaragua canal bill.