The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-01-14

was defeated. The House is too large a
body to handle a question of this kind.
A commission OF not over five members,
to be appointed by the President and con-
tirmed by the Senate, might settle the
whole thing sooner than it looks as though
it would be settled"
Mr.. Powers expressed the belief that the
bill was defeated because many members
of the House were afraid their constitu-
ents would hold them responsible if they
voted for the bill.
Doub is expressed whether new bill
can be prepared and pushed through Con-
gress at this session, but a number OF
members of the House committee think
that one could he put through if it met
the wishes of the House. Mr.. Hubbard,
who led the opposition to the bill which
was defeated, thinks that u bill might be
put through at this session if it was for
the appointment of a commission. That
is his idea of a settlement of the matter,
aud he so stated to-day.
'The appointment of a commission hav-
ing full power to act is the logical way
out of this matter" said Hubbard. Hut
bard is the man who defeated Bland two
years ago, and who was defeated by Bland
last fall.
''That commission" he continued.
must be made in such way to be accept
able to Congress. l have no fixed idea yet
as to how it should be arranged or what
its powers should be, except that it should
be composed of men from the different
sections OF the country, who will be fair
and Just to the Government and to the
railroads. The commission should have
power to summon Witnesses and 10 hear
all the testimony"
Mr.. Hubbard said he had no idea
whether commission would be accept
able to the President. He said it is at the
option OF President Cleveland whether he
begins foreclosure proceedings now or
not. The present law, he said, is opera
tive until it is repealed, and as been so
decided by the Supreme Court. Under
that law the Government can retain 30
per cent of the net earnings of the road.
1t can retain all the transportation and
mail charges.
"That," said Mr.. Hubbard, sis $4,000
a year more than the Government could
have got under the present bill. "
Representative Harrison, whose substi-
tute providing for a commission was de-
feated, expects meeting of the Pacific
Railroads Committee to be called at an
early date. He looks for further action.
Some of those who voted for the Harri-
son substitute say that it would have been
stronger had it stood on its own merits,
but the opponents of the finding bill
were determined to defeat it. and to do so
they defeated every substitute and every
proposition offered.
There is a strong element which asserts
that no new bill can be got through this
session. This element IS com posed of the
men who want to force the Government to
begin foreclosure. They do not want any
thing else, because they think the Govern
ment can get all that is coming to it by
this method.
While the House committee is consider
ing what it will do, the Senate committee
may also be debating the question. 1t
knows now that there is no use to push
The bill defeated by the House, and it VIII
possibly report another bill. 1t is not i'm
possible that Chairman Powers and the
members Of the committee may confer
with the Senate committee and determine
what will be best to do. II this is done the
two committees can report similar bills,
as they did On the bill just defeated.
There is but little doubt that Mr.. Hunt
ington has intimated to Senator Gear and
Representative Powers, chairmen respec-
lively of the Senate and House commit
tees, that the bill for commission would
be acceptable to the Central Pacific. He
hopes to be able TO control its members,
anG for the same reason he consented that
commission be appointed to settle the
location of a deep harbor on the Southern
California coast.