Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-01-14

number Of bills including several
amendments of the law of navigation
and also bill authorizing the pres
ident to re-appoint to the navy Com
mander Quackenbush, whose case oc-
casioned much controversy. Progress
was made on the bill for free home
steads on Indian lands, but a final
vote was not reached. Senator Plat
rep, Conn., opposed the bill, point
ing out that it would cost
the government the loss Of many
millions. 1t was disclosed during the
day that Representative Edward E.
Robbins dem, Ala.) was the author
OF the letters from Havana read in the
senate Wednesday. Senator Mills
(dem., Texas offered joint resolution
declaring that the power of recognlz-
! ing a new republic resides in congress
and recognizing the independence OF
Cuba and appropriating $4,000 for the
! United States minister to the republic
OF Cuba. The senator adjourned until
Monday.
! Washington, Jan. THE Pacific
railroad funding bill which is con-
sfdered the most important piece of
legislation which has come before
congress this session came up
in the house under the special order
which provides for final vote Monday.
There were only four speakers
Mr.. Powers rep, VT chair
man of the Pacific railroad COM
mittee, who opened with an exhaustive
two hours argument IN support of the
bill; Mr.. Hubbard (rep-, Mo- the
minority member of the committee,
who has charge of the opposition, and
| Messrs Grow rep, PAP and Bell
! dem, Texas who spoke respectively
for and against the measure.
Mr.: Powers said the govern
nent must act. If it took the road it
would have to pay off over SCI 900, 900
in first mortgages and get only the
inside road" without the terminals.
The property would be at the mercy of
the owners of the terminals. If the
present bill passed the government
would get it's money out Of the road
and if obliged to eventually take it it
would get railroad and not part OF
d. one. The question was whether the
government world get it's money out
Of the road and if it would get a rail
road and not a part of a one. The
committee bill squeezed the road to
!, the, fast cent The question was
whether the government should under
take to collect its debts Or" throw them
away and not one of fight yetween
Huntington and. Major Sutro. Mr..
Hubbard rep, MOI for the opposition
asserted that the companies are will
ing tor concede better terms than those
;, of the committee bill and that the bill
offered neither a good nor safe settle
ment for the government. The com
mittee he claimed, rejected the bill OF
$4S, 100000 better for the government
than THE present one and went elabor-
ately into the several propositions that
the roads had made to prove his as
" sertion. Mr.: Bell (dem., Texas SAID
. the builders of the Pacific roads were
: entitled to no consideration. Thu
scandals growing out of their manip-
ulations were a blot on the civilization
of the age. None of those men, he
said, had the right to ask congress
I to- extend to the road the great priv
y ilege of this bill. He persisted that
the government held a lien on the
, terminals as an express provision OF
3 the original act. He admitted that
) the roads had not been making salts
= factory earnings for years. why
he shouted dramatically, because il
was not in the interest of those in
! control to make money for the roads.
Washington, JAN S.-The second
5; days debate in the house or
the funding bill developed by
far the most sensational in
t cident of this session in congress
Mr.. Johnson (rep., CALI the only mem
Der Of the delegation who favors the
; funding bin, in the course Of his re-
marks took occasion to make a re-
markabFe vituperative personal attack
on Editor Hearst of the San Francisco
|, Examiner. He described Hearst anC
Mayor Sutro as men who are terroriz-
ing the Pacific coast members and
made statements concerning the
Wis., later to characterize it as ''the
most d1sgracefuI attack in the legis-
latlve annals of the United States.
, The members who listened attentively
, to Mr.. Johnson's remarks, as he al
ways is one of the most entertaining
speakers in the house, were thunder
struck at the lengths to which he went
Once at the last session Mr. Johnson
denounced Hearst, but on that occasion
ne was called TO order by Mr.. MCGUIRE
OF California. Today he completed his
philippe without interruption. The
speech created a profound sensation
which was increased by Mr. Cooper 5
denunciation Of it as a coward1y at
tempt TO blacken the reputation Of a
man who is a positive genius" Mr.
Cooper also took occasion to score the
gentleman from California for his at
titude toward the bill Others who
spoke were Messrs. Patterson (dem.,
TERM, Johnson (rep., Cab, Arnold
rep, Pa) and Hepburn rep, Iowa.
in favor Of the measure and Messrs
Harrison dem, Ala Bactner (dem.,
La-), Swanson dem, Va, Mccall (rep.,
Mass0, Wheeler dem, Ala), Cooper
rep, Wis.,. Shafroth rep, COLI, Bell
pep, COLI, and Parke (rep.. n. j.
rep, n. j. against it.