The record-union., 1897-02-04
Villas Continues His Speech in Opposition
TO the Measure
In Spite of Efforts of Its Friends to
Force Vote.
Thurston of Nebraska Addresses the
Senate on the Allen Resolutions
Questioning the Power of the Pres
ident to FOreClOse the Government
Liens Against the Pacific Railroads.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.-After a
brief parliamentary struggle in the
Senate late this afternoon, the friends
of the Nicaragua Canal bill We're unable
to hold a quorum and sit out the OBJ
StructiOn to that measure. Villas CD
of Wisconsin had continued his speech
in opposition, this being his third day.
At 4:30 2. m. a cross fire of motions
to adjourn and calls of the Senate be-
gan. The friends of the bill resisted
adjournment. while the opposition tried
to close the session and give Villas a
rest from his protracted efforts The
parliamentary contest continued at in
tervals for half an hour, when all bus
mess was suspended by the absence of
a quorum and refused to adjourn. The
friends of the bill finally gave up hope
of securing q quorum and yielded to an
adjournment.
Villas continues to hold the floor. In
his remarks to-day he asserted that the
Clayton BulWer treaty was in full force
and that the American people would in
sist upon the full and honorable adher-
crce to its terms.
The Senate agreed to the House res
olution fixing February 10th for the
ceremony Of counting the vote of Pres
idemt and Vice President before the
two houses of Congress.
Although defeated for reelection,
Senator Dubois Of Idaho was welcomed
back to the Senate to-day with marked
cordiality, and with an abundance of
floral tributes. His desk was literally
overwhelmed with flowers, while the
tables, chairs and adjoining desks were
brought into use to support the many
unique devices into which the roses
and violets had been wrought. A great
cluster of viOlets was tied with ribbon
bearing in silver 1900" The main de-
sign, rising eight feet from the floor,
was an arch. the pillars being white
roses and the capstOne of immortelles
bearing the word Honor"
When the two Allen resolutions ques-
tioning the power of the Executive to
forecIcse~ tie Government liens against
re Pacific roadhs We're taken up Thurs
ton (R) Of Nebraska spoke. He ar
gued that the uniform opinion of the
courts had been that the Government
lien was limited strictly to the precise
lines on which the guarantee bonds had
been issued. and that the Thurman
a ct did not extend this lien beyond the
original lines Of the Union Pacific and
the Central Pacific roads. This, he held,
took the Omaha bridge approaches,
terminals, etc, outside Of the original
Government lien. The situation as to
the Union Pacific was that all termi-
mails, all side tracks, etc, were covered
by first mortgage, to which the Gov
eminent lien is subject. The lien of the
Government was on that main line be-
ginning at the Missouri River about
three or four miles north of the present
Omaha bridge, and running westward
to ogden, Utah. If, then, the United
States acquired the rights of the first
mortgage and was subrogated TO those
rights, it's lien would be extended to
all terminals, etc The obligation to
the Government reached So, 900, 900,
and it was proposed by the present ne
Gotiations to pay an upset price of be-
tween $40, 900 900 900 and SIG 000, 900
Thurston said there were only two
propositions from which TO make a
choice. One was to realize large per
cent. of the Government claim, the
other to invest more of the peoples
money in fully acquiring a road, pre-
sumably for the purpose of Govern
ment ownership and operations Thurs
ton doubted whether Congress could
row create a new Federal Union Pa
cific Railroad, owing to the laws of sew
eral Of the States prohibiting the oper-
alton Of railways by other than domes-
tic corporations
Anwesring a question by Mr. Allen,
Mr.. Thusrton declared that the right
of the Attorney General to appear in
any foreclosure suit was absolutely UNI
questionable, irrespective of any legis-
lation on the subject The Government
cculd be brought into court, and that
had been done in this foreclosure suit.
To be sure, Congress could take from
the United States Circuit Court au-
thority over the subject. but what a
wanton, unauthorized, despotic use of
power that would be.
Thurston gave way at o'clock to the
Nicaragua Canal bill This occasioned
a brief furry showing the anxiety to
advance various measures. 1t was final
~ arranged that the Pacific Railroad
resolutions could be taken UP to-mor-
row.
Morgan, in charge of the Nicara qua
Canal bill, gave notice of his accept
ance Of the amendments offered by Tel
Ter (Ro OF Colorado yesterday
Villas Cd of Wisconsin resumed his
speech opposing the bill.
At o'clock Mitchell of Wisconsin
suggested the absence of a quorum,
and Daniel Cd of Virginia moved an
Defeated-17 to n.
After waiting twenty minutes only
enc Senator, Lindsay, was added to the
number present. 1t was evident that
a quorum could not be secured, and at
go p. m. Aldrich withdrew further OPP
position to adjournment. which was
had