The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-02-04
FAILED ON QUORUM.
The Friends of the Nicaragua Bill
Forced to Give In.
THERE WAS MUCH FlIlBUSTERING.
Pacific Railway Foreclosure Mas Tn
for Discussion
VIRGINIA ELECTION CONTEST,
VIRGINIA ELECTION CONTEST
The Cornctt-Svnuson Case Decided
by the House In Favor of swan
son, the sitting Member.

Washington. February 3--Aftor brief
parliamentary struggle in the senate late
this afternoon the friends OF the Nicaragua
canal bill were unable to hold a quorum
ana sit out the obstruction of that measure.
Mr.. Villas lDem) of Wisconsin had con
tinued his speech in opposition, this being
his third successive day.
At 1870 p. IN. d cross fire Of motions 10
adjourn and calls Of the senate began. The
friends of the bin resisted adjournment
while the opposition sought TO close the
session and give MIR. Villas rest from his
protracted effort.
The parliamentary contest continued at
Intervals for half an hour. When all bust
ness was suspended by the absence of
quorum and refusal to adjourn. The friends
OF the bin finally gave M hope Of securing
quorum and yielded to an Adjournment
Mr.. Villas continues to hold the floor In
his remarks today he asserted that tho
Clayton Bulwcr treaty was in full force
and that American people would insist
upon a full and honorable adherence 10 its
terms.
1he senate agreed to the house resolution
liking February ~ for the ceremony OF
coUhtins the vote for president ana vice
president before the two houses OF oou-
srcss.
Although defeated for re- election Senator
DUBOIS luanU was welcomed baen ~
the senate with marked cordially and an
abundance of floral tribute HIS desk was
literally overwhelmed with flowers. While
| tables. chairs ana adjoining desks were
broalgnt into use to support the many
unique devices into when the roses aud
Vloiets had been wrought. great clus-
Ter OF Violets was tied With a RIBBON pear
ing ia solid silver 1900" The man de-
sign, rising eight feet from The fio9r WAC
an arch, the pillars being white i.Tes aud
the capstono OF i!nmorte.los bearing the
word Honor
When the two Alien resolutions question:
ing thpApowers of the executive TO fornFl9ss
The government Hens against the Pacific
roads were taken up. Mr. rhurston (Rep.)
OF Nebraska spoke. lie argued that the
uniform opinion OF the courts has hecn
that the government lien was limited
strictly to the precise lines on which guar
| antee bonds had been issued and that the
Thurman act did not extend this lien be-
yond the original lines of the Union Pa
ciiic and Central Pacific roads. This. he
held took the Omaha bridge. approaches
terminals, etc, outside of the Original gov
eminent lien. The situation as to the
Union Pacific was that all terminals all
side tracks, etc. were covered by a first
| mortgage to which the government lien was
subject The lien Of the government was
on the main line beginning at the Missouri
river about three miles north of the point
q tho Omaha bridge and running westward
| to Ogden Utah. II, then. there were ac-
qurod the rights OF the first mortgages and
| the governments clam was subrogated 10
tbosa ripbtc lion would b, py dgt Ia
all terminals, etc. The obligation to the
government reached $50, 600 900 and it was
! proposed by the present negotiations 10
| pay an upset price of between $4,000 900
and si6000000, Mir. Thurston said there
were only two propositions from which to
make a choice one was to realize a large
FER cent of the governments claim, the
/ other to- invest more of the peoples money
| in fully acquiring a road presumably for
| the purpose of government ownership and
| operation.
Mr. Thurston doubted whether congress
| could now create a new Union Pacific
railway owing IN the laws of several of the
States prohibiting the peragration Dc rail-
ways by other than domestic corporations.
Answering question by Mr.. Allen. Mr..
| Thurston declared that the right of The at =
torney general TO appear in any fore
closure suit Was absolutely unquesrionabic
| irrespective of any legislation on the sub
into court and that had been done In This
foreclosure suit. To be sure congress
could take from the United States circuit
court authority over the subject. but wan
ten, unauthorized, despotic use OF power
that would be-
Mir Thurston gave way at n. m to the
Nicaragua canal bill This occasioned a
brief furry. showing the anxiety TO adj
| vance various measures. II was finally
arranged that the Pacific railway resolu-
lions could be taken mp tomorrow
Mr. Morgan. in charge of the Nicaragua
bill gave notice of his tco.aptance of the
amendments offered by Mr. Teller (Rep)
Of Colorado yesterday.
Mr. Villas then resumed his speech OPP
posing the bill
At p m. Mr.. Mitchell (Deml of Wis
consin suggested the absence Of a quorum,
and Mr. Daniel (Dem) of Virginia moved
an adjournment pefeated--17 TO "a.
After waiting twenty minutes one sem
ator Mr. Lindsay. was added TO those pres
emit 1t was evident that quorum could
not he secured. At $50 p m. Mr.. Aldrich
withdrew further opposition 10 adjourn
ment which was had