The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-01-21
THE PACIFIC ROADS AGAIN.
THE QUESTION LIKELY TO RE-
APPEAR IN CONGRESS THE
PRESENT SESSION.
harrison PLAN MAY Be ADOPTED.
Provides for Commission to Make {
Settlement With the Roads-Action
of the House Committee
in the Matter.

Washington, Jan. 1.-THE course
taken by the house committee on Pacihc
railroads today makes it probable that
the railroad question will be brought be-
fore congress again this session in the
form of a proposition to adopt the plan
of Representative Harrison of Alabama
for government commission to make
settlement with the roads. With but one
dissenting voice the committee decided to
empower q subcommittee to consider Mr..
Harrison's plan, which is embodied in d
| BILL and it is predicted by most of the
committee that the bill will be presented
to the house. 1t was decided to give
hearing on the question next Wednesday.
| The members of the committee are
Messrs. Powers, Hepburn, Patterson of
| Tennessee, Harrison of Alabama and
Hubbard of Missouri. In its personnel
every shade of opinion on the railroad
question is represented.
The committee was impelled to its ac-
ton by the strong feeling entertained by
|
closure by the government, with the
probability of government ownership,
| which the members consider nearly in
evitable if the government forecloses.
1t was conceded that the funding plan
in any form was dead. Nothing was
said in committee today about the views
| of the railroad companies upon the COM
mission plan, but it is assumed that they
will prefer an opportunity to continue
negotiations with the government to fore
| closure.
The Harrison bill. which embodies the
suggestions made to congress by eX-
| President Harrison, names the secre-
| taries of the treasury and the interior
| and the attorney general to constitute
the commission. A suggestion was made
| that there should be IA commission of
| those not government officials appointed
| by the president, it being argued that the
cabinet officers would not have to be en-
gagged in the negotiations. Another. sug-
gestion was that the secretary of the
interior and the attorney general with
three other persons, one selected by the
officers, constitute the commission.
The railroad question was opened be-
fore the committee by representatives of
the Sioux City and Pacific company to
secure an independent settlement with
the government. Attorneys for the Chi
cago and Northwestern appeared by
their representative, Mr.. Brown, to
urge the adoption of a bill introduced by
| Mr.. Hepburn of Iowa, authorizing the
secretary of the treasury to make Il set
Element of the roads Indebtedness to the
government There are 81 100000 of
subsidy bonds maturing on January /,
1898, and the government has paid inter
est on these, which brings the roads in
debtedness up to about $4,0OO,OOO A
majority of the Sioux City and Pacific
stock is held by the Chicago and North
western, which holds a lease of the
road, and any settlement practically
would be made with the latter corpora
ton. Counsel for the Curtis Commute
ton company of Sioux City, which in
cludes $40 banks in twenty-five states,
holding the securities spoke against the
bill. The Sioux City interests have OPP
posed the funding bill and are an
with any of the Pacific railroad compa-
MES. They desire an arrangement by
| which the Union Pacific would be pre-
vented from discriminating against them
in traffic arrangements. The Sioux City
question was, with the Harrison plan,
entrusted to the subcommittee. Mr..
Harrison said today that his bill proba bly,
| Will Dt untllucu W give tllc SONtTDIutuJ
commission authority to fOreclose upon
the roads in case it fails to make set
Element with them. This change was
suggested recently by eX-Secretary Hoke
Smith, who took an active interest in the
Pacific railroad question when in Office.
One point provided for by Mr.. harri-
sons bill. on which he is insistent is
that all testimony taken by the commits
sion shall be given under oath. The
| witnesses hpforn tha pnnnitton u,bop tho
funding bill was being prepared were not
sworn, and Mr.. Harrison says that no
weight is to be given to unswOrn eX
parte testimony in dealing with ques-
ton involving so much money.
APPROVED BY THE PRESIDENT.
Washington, Jan. 14.-The president
has approved the act providing for the
purchase of public lands for reservoir
sites, the acts authorizing the construc-
ton of railroad bridges across Caddo
lake, La. and Black river, La, and the
granting pension to the widow of Gen.
ii. L. Vancleve.
TARIFF Thinkers TAKE A REST.
Washington, Jan. 1.-the republican
tariff makers held no meeting today, hav-
ing encountered several perplexing
points in the chemical schedule. Certain
| IneulDeTS were assigned 10 procure III
formation.
While there has been little discussion
of the general character of the measure,
two or three underlying principles are
understood. There is no question but
that specific rates will be levied
wherever possible. The bounty scheme,
it is understood, will be abandoned. with
adequate duty on sugar. The principle
of free raw materials will be disregarded.
Wool is considered by the republicans as
the farmers finished product, which
should be protected as the manufacturers
products are, and lumber is also regarded
as quite as deserving of protection as
other articles in which labor is a large
element of cost.
EXPORTS ON THE INCREASE.
Exports and Imports for December and
for the Calendar Year.