Evening star., 1897-02-22
THE HOUSE.

Four large fags hoated from the dome of
the Capitol today in honor of the ami
versary of WashIngton's birthday. Both
houses were in session. The Rev Couden,
the chaplain of the House, referred feeling
ly to the memories which hovered over the
day.
There was a clash between the appropria-
tions committee and the District of Colum-
bit committee over the right of way. This
was District of Columbia day under the
rules. but the appropriations committee
was anxious to go ahead, and an agreement
was reached by which District day was
postponed until after the naval appropria-
ton bill was out of the way.
Mr.. Walker (Mass.) then secured the
floor on a question of privilege.
MIR. Walkers Explanations.
He said he objected to being used by cor
respondents who We're accorded privileges
for correctly reporting the proceedings of
the House TO do injustice to members. He
thereupon read the head lines in New
York paper of last Saturday over Wash
inston dispatch as follows: Gear Reeds S
tyranny leads to open revolt. Representa-
tive Walker of Massachusetts fires the
first shot
Mr.. Walker disclaimed any intention of
rejecting on the Speaker In the remarks
he made last Friday any further than to
House was drawn by the rules. He said
the Speaker was compelled to exercise the
power which devolved upon him under the
rules. and while that power. in his opinion
was both arbitrary and tyranntcal he de-
clared that no Speaker had ever exercised
1t with more candor. discretion and patriot
ism. He paid a high tribute to Speaker
Reed for his reforms in parliamentary pro-
cedure, by which the House was freed from
the tyranny of single member In the mat
ter Of blocking legislation, and asked and
secured the privilege of inserting in the
Record a series OF articles written by the
Speaker in explanation Of the difficulty of
adequate rules for the government Of the
House. Mr.. Walker was proceeding to
cr:ticlse an alleged usurpation OF power
by the appropriations committee, when the
point Of order was made and sustained that
this did not constitute a question Of prtvi-
lege.
The House then went into committee of
the whole and resumed the consideration
Of the general deficiency appropriation bill.
The Southern Pacific Claim.
The pending question was Mr.. Sayers
motion to strike out the appropriation of
$1,31O,OOO to pay the balance Of the judg-
ment secured against the government in
the Court of Claims by the Southern Pa
cifc railroad. Mr.. Ssycrs in support of
his amendment said that for ten years
Congress had resisted the payment of this
claim. 1t had been fought over and over
again. and always had resulted in favor
of the government. The validity of the
Judgment wak admitted, but inasmuch as
the stockholders and directors of the South
ern Pacific and Central Pacific were large
ly the same. and as the Central was IN
solvent and aargely indebted 20 the gov
ernment, he 60ntended that Congress- would
be derelict id It's duty II it paid to this
Southern Pacific corporation, which was
practically Identical with thu other. the
Central De 40
Mr. Northvfay Ohio said that he favor
ed the payment Of this claim OF the South
ern Pacific The Road bound itself to carry
the mails 1t had performed Its duty. and
we were in Gbn0r bound to discharge our
part of the contract. II we withheld this
money, we might as we'll refuse the nav
ment of outstanding bonds when they
Congress had tie physical mower IN re-.
pudiate. but fair and honest dealing re-
Quired that the government should pay
its debts.
Mr.. W. A. Stone Pa.) devoted himself
to a legal argument as to the validity Of
the claim. There was neither equity, law
or reason in the refusal to pay this debt.
The doctrine that the debt Of one Individual
who happened to be stockholdsr In a
long as the corporation was In arrear.
had never been sustained by any court
in christendOm and never would he
Mr.. Dockery CMo.). supporting the mo-
ton to strike out this appropriation. re-
counted the alleged manner in which the
traffic Of the Central was diverted to the
Southern by &c. p. Huntington and
Others"
In conclusion. ne said 1t was but fair that
money he withheld until q ID Hnnti,rto,,