The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-01-12
FUNDING BILL KILLED.
The Measure Overwhelmingly De-
feated in the House.
GOVERNMENTS PROBABLE ACTION.

Assistant Attorney General Russell Says
Congress Can Legally Declare a For
feituro of the Land Grant and Property
of the Pacific Roads. u.s.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 12.-The Pacific rail-
road funding bill went down to its doom
in the house yesterday under an adverse
majority Of 66. The friends of the meas
ure who had predicted its passage up to
the last moment were surprised by the
decisive character Of their defeat They
had been led to hope from the votes on the
substitutes that the bill had more than an
even chance of passiag. The Bell substi-
tute provided that II the Union Pacific
and Central Pacific would clear off the
first mortgage and advance the govern
ment's lien the government would extend
the Indebtedness at 3 per cent. 1t was de-
feated by vote Of 10 to 58. The Harrison
substitute provided for n commission to
negotiate q settlement of the debt. This
was rejected by the house by vote of 30
to 214.
Many Of the members were as much OPP
posed to these substitutes as to the Pow
ers bill. The California and middle west
members voted almost solidly against
them. When the vote came on the main
proposition the whole opposition swung
into line and crushed 1t by an adverse vote
Of 1Oa to 1863. The vote was not taken d.
rectly on the passage of the bill, but on
the preliminary motion TO engross and
read the bill third time.
Bills, the subject of hard contests, are
Id A.. boat hafp n
last parliamentary stage Is reached. The
Reilly Pacific funding bill, two years ago,
was defeated in, the same manner on the
same notion This is the fourth funding
bill killed in the house in ten years, An
analysis Of the vote shows that SO Republic
cans and 10 Democrats voted for the bill
and 80 Republicans IS Democrats, 8 Popu-
lists and independents againstit.
Mr. Powers, the chairman of the Pa
ciflc railroad committee, entered motion
to recommit the bill after he had re-
covered from the shock of his defeat, say
ing that the members Of the house were
oil in favor of settlement, but evidently
opposed to the principle Of the measure
his committee had brought In. He thought
his committee should have an opportunity
to formulate another bill, in the hope that
1t would prove acceptable. point OF or
der was made against Mr.. Powers mo.
ton, but at the suggestion of the speaker,
the point was not ruled upon, the ruling
being postponed until today.
Mr. Powers said last night that he did
not know what would be done, but ex-
pressed the opinion that another effort
should be made to pass an acceptable bill
Tho opponents of the bill, on the other
hand, are rejoicing. and say yesterdays
vote settles the fate of all schemes to fund
the debt at this session. After the bill was
disposed of the army appropriation bill
and several other bills were passed. The
army bill carried SEQ, 126, 344, Sl55,55s less
than that for the current year.
What action the government will take
since the Pacific railroad funding bill has
been defeated in congress cannot be stated.
1t is believed that 1t is the intention to
take some step looking to the settlement
In the courts, If necessary, OF this long
pending and voxed question. According
to the treasury figures oD Jan. the net
amount due to the United States by tho
bond aided roads, after deducting the
amounts credited on account of transpor-
tation service, is Sl2l3l0, S76 the original
principal of which was s64, 623,5l2. In adj
lition to the amount owing to the United
States the companies, under the authority
granted by the act of 1864, issued bonds
amounting to S6i,6l3,000, which have
since. by act of congress become first
lien on the roads. 1t is the opinion OF
many that before the government could
institute foreclosure proceedings it would
be compelled to secure the interests OF tho
first lion holders. This, however, is not
The opinion Of Assistant Attorney General
Russell, who holds to the opinion that
congress can legally declare forfeiture of
tho land grants and property of the roads
on the ground Of conditions broken.
The chief event Of yesterdays senate
session was an imprisoned speech by MIR.
Mills, of Texas, in favor of resolution
introduced by him to declare the recogni-
ton of foreign government congress
sional prerogative and to recognize tho in
dependence of Cuba and appropriate slO,-
900 for the salary of minister. The SEN
ator quoted q long line of precedents and
strongly denounced the administration,
charging it with favOritism toward Spain.
He spoke contemptuously of CASTELAR, anu
Weyler and of Signor Cripsi because of
MS ueclafatloH tilltt ElroPo touiu hop tooh
without concern upon the pretensions OF
the United States The Cuban question
was the mercantile spirit OF tho nation
against its honor, ho declared Mr. Proc
tor made speech in favor of constitu-
tional amendment to limit the president
to one six year term, and Mr.. Allen, OF
Nebraska, made an unsuccessful attempt
to secure the adoption of resolution call
ing on the secretary Of the navy for in
formation as to whether contractors men
in tho Brooklyn navy yards are made to
work more than eight hours per day.
The arbitration treaty between this
country and Great Britain was delivered
to the senate at 8 o'clock. Afterwards in
executive session, 1t was referred to the COM
mittee on foreign relations and without be-
ing read was ordered to be printed.