The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-09
Virtually Shelved I'm the senate Com-
mittee on Interstate Commerce
After a Heated Discussion.
NEW PACIFIC ROADS BILL
HARRIsON'S COMMISSION SCHEME TO
BE FAvORABLY REPORTED.
Texas Judicial District Measure
Passed over the Presidents Veto by
the Senate, with Only One Nay.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal.

| Special 70 the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON. Feb. S.The bill for the
suppression of ticket scalping was knocked
in the head to-day at the session OF the
Senate committee on interstate-commerce.
and IL will hardly be heard from again this
| session. The passive opposition TO the
measure, alluded 10 previously in these dis
patches, broke out to-day in visible antag-
onism, Senators German. Chandler and
Chiffon coming right into the open with
their paint on. First il was pointed out
that no bill could go through this session
against which the least opposition was
offered. and then il suggested that the
best course would be TO pass the matter
over to the Fifty-fifth Congress without
prejudice and without vote. Friends of
the bill seemed TO want test, whereupon
heated speeches were made I'm which at
tention was called TO the fact that the cor
porations were guilty of very bad taste i'm
trying TO force a measure through re-
luctant Congress. comforting special and
most unusual benefits upon themselves and
at the same time and with the same men
| and agencies opposing legislation demanded
by the people. The porcine qualities OF cor
porations were dwelt on, and IL was sug-
gested that they would have a better stand
ing before Congress if they would confine
their attention in the future to legislation
in which they were directly concerned. This
view was met with a cheerful acquiesence
of the committee majority and the scalping
bill went over. III a vote had been insisted
on the bill would surely have been defeat-
ed. There has been hardly a general meas
ure before Congress in two years I'm which
corporation interests for or against have
not been actively felt, hence the protest to-
day The result is that they have aroused
an ugly feeling against them among friends
of defeated and deferred propositions which
has operated distinctly TO their disad-
vantage. sss
Representative Sherman. OF New York.
to-day submitted petition signed by five
labor organizations-the brotherhood OF
Locomotive Engineers, the Locomotive
Firemen, the Railway Trainmen. the Order
Of Railway Conductors and the Order OF
Railway acknowledgements the passage
OF the bill to prevent ticket brokerage. The
evils arising from the practice, they say.
has resulted in the dismissal from the rail-
way-service of $1,000 of their co-laborers
They petition that the money paid for tick
cts be turned into the proper channels in
order that the railway companies may
ployes
The House committee on Pacific railroads
after an acrimonious session, in which Mr..
verely to-day. decided TO report favorably
to the House the bill introduced by Rep
resentative Harrison. of Alabama, for a
commission TO settle the Indebtedness OF
the Pacific roads to the government. The
commission is to consist of the secretaries
of the treasury and interior and the attor-
ney general. The amendment suggested by
Attorney General Harmon that the COM
mission should not interfere with pending
negotiations was adopted. The bill contains
another amendment suggested by Attorney
General Harmon authorizing the commits
sion TO sell the governments interest in the
properties In case it is not able to make set
Elements.
There was a rather stormy session of the
committee caused by the failure OF the
heads OF Western railroads who appeared
interest in the Union Pacific. The commit
tee was ready to report the Harrison bill
at its meeting last week, but postponed ac-
tion at the request of Representative Hub
bard of Missouri. who desired 10 have the
representatives OF roads connecting with
the Eastern terminus Of the Union Pacific
appear. The members understood Mr. Hub
bard to say that these roads were prepared
to make an offer TO the government for the
Union Pacific OF ten millions more than the
offer of $4,000 by the New York syndi-
cate. The men who appeared to-day said
they had not had any oner under discus
sion. Members of the committee accused
Mr. Hubbard OF having purposey STAYED or
action on the bill and said they did not
consider his course straightforward. Mr..
Hubbard said that he had not intended 10
convey the impression which was RECEIVED
that a definite offer would be made. His ac-
tion was the subject of a rather acrimon-
ious hours session and will be further con-
sidered at another meeting.
Suuyvesant Fish, the president OF the Illi-
nos Central Railroad, to-day gave his
xin%s an, 81 to sne 1he Paci,c Rsilros6s
Representing one OF the roads which, he
said, should have part OF the business
with the Union Pacific at Sioux City the
a suggested
the government should manage to fore
close on the Union and Central Pacinc at
the same time and make them public high
ways over which all connecting roads
should have equal rights. The Sioux City
& Pacific, branch OF the illinois central.
had been built on the faith of the Pacific
railroad act that ii would be branch OF
the Union Pacific, but was cut on from
business with that road. He opposed gov
ernment ownership OF the roads on the
ground that all government works were
conducted extravagantly. but said the gov
ernment should take some steps TO give TO
roads connecting with the Union Pacific
their rights under the original act author
izing the building of the roac. Mr.. Fish
said that If the government looked only
to making the most money out OF Its Pa
cific Railroad interests IL should accept the
first good offer for them. he had no offer
Mr.. f. s. Bond. vice president OF the
Chicago Milwaukee * St Paul also spoke,
but like Mr. Fish, said that the Western
companies had no offer TO make the gov
ernnent for its interests and had no con-
SultatlOn on the
The petition of the sugar planters OF the
South and West for appropriation OF
Sl,OiS,OO0 to pay the sugar bounty in fun
on the crop which was planted under the
Mckinley law and harvested under the
Wilson law will be granted by the House
committee on appropriations. The SUBJ
committee on the sundry-cvil bill had
special meeting Sunday 10 consider the re-
quest which had been presented by the
Congressman from Louisiana. Nebraska
and California. and concluded that the
claim valid one. The Wilson act
cut off the bounty entirely. but Congress
made an appropriation OF something more
than 100000 TO pay the bounty on the
crop which was in the ground when the act
went into effect. and which. IL was said.
the planters had planted largely on the
strength OF their expectations of bounty.
That appropriation was not for the full
amount OF the bounties due. and was di-
vded pro rata among the claimants The
additional appropriation now proposed Is
to make up the full amount of the bounty
due for that year. and the committee viii
quote the opinion OF the Supreme Court
in overruling the action of Controller Bow
Ter in Withholding payment. that the prom
ised bounty was. in effect contract made
hv the Governments with the planterS Thn