Evening star., 1897-02-03
SENATE AND HOUSE
nc
Mr.. Ale1F Pacific Railroads Resolu-
.tions Discussed.
SqAHEMEE$ BY SENATOR THURsloH
A Virginia Contested Election Case
Debated.
OPINIONS ON BOTH SIDES

| OP1NlONS On BOIH SIDES
Although defeated for reelection, Sena-
| tor Dubois of Idaho was welcomed back
| to the Senate today with marked cordial
ity and with an abundance of floral trib-
| utes. His desk was literally overwhelmed
| with flowers, while tables, chairs and ad-
| joining desks were brought into use to
| support the many unique devices into
which the roses and violets had been
wrought. A great cluster of violets was
tied with ribbon bearing in solid silver
1900" The. main design, rising eight feet
| from the floor, was an arch. the pillars be-
| ing white roses and the capstone of i'm
mortelles bearing the word Honor
The bill was passed authorizing Maj
| Gen. Alexander NJ. McCook. retired. and
Capt G. P. Schriven to accept medals
from the Gar Of Russia.
Pacific Railroads Resolutions.
The two Allen resolutions questioning
| the powers of the executive to foreclose
the government liens against the Pacific
roads were taken up, and Mr. Thurston
| (Neb) spoke on the general status of the
Pacific railroad debts.
He argued that the uniform opinion of
the courts had been that the government
| lien was limited strictly to the precise lines
| on which guarantee bonds had been issued.
and that the Thurman act did not extend
| this lien beyond the original lines OF the
| Union Pacific and Central Pacific roads
This. he held. took tn. Omaha bridge, ap-
proaches, terminals, etc, outside of the
original government lien. The situation
| as to the Union Pacific was that all ter
| minals, all sidetracks. etc, were covered
by first mortgage to which the govern
| ment lien Is subject. The lien of the gov
ernment was on that main line beginning
at the Missouri river, about three or four
| miles north of the present Omaha bridge,
| and running westward to Ogden, Utah.
1t, then, the United States acquired the
! rights of the first mortgages and was sur
rogated to those rights Its lien would be
extended to all terminals, etc. The obliga-
| ton to the government reached $53,0U,GIO,
and 1t was proposed by the present nego-
| tiations to pay an upset price of between
s45oO0,00o and s46.OGO.OOO.
Mr.. Smith On. j. interrupted to say that
the $f',0UD,o0O did not represent the actual
| obligations to the government, which, with
the proper. allowance of interest paid on
| bonds made $SS,OOO.000 which the Union
Pacific owed the government.and for which
| this syndicate proposed to pay S453UOOO.
| Mr.. Thurston said he had taken the $i,.-
| 0Oo.OOo from government estimates. There
| were, he said. only two propositions from
ize about 3G per cent of the governments s
| claim, the other to invest more of the
peoples money in fully acquiring road
| presumably fan the purpose of government
| ownership and operation.
| Mr.. Allen and Mr.. Morgan interrupted
| with frequent inquiries indicating a wide
difference Of opinion with Mr.. Thurston.
| Mr.. ThurstGm doubted whether Congress
| could now create a new Federal Union Pa
| cific railroad. owing to the laws of several
| of the states prohibiting the operation of
railways by afy other than domestic cor
| porations. Z. "a
|
| Right of the Attorney General.
Answering question by Mr.. Alien, Mr.
| Thurston II declared that the right of the
Attorney GenfrA, to appear in any fore
| closure suitsEas absolutely unquestiena ble
| irrespectiNe Of any Legislation on the sub
| Ject. Theoesoverhment could be brought
| into court. and that has been done in this
| foreclosure suit To be sure Congress
could take from the United States circuit
| court authority oYer the subject but what
| wanton, unauthorized, despotic use OF
| power that would be.
| 4 Brief FURRY.
| Mr.. Thurston gave way at . o'clock to
| the Nicars qua canal bill. This occasioned a
| brief furry, showing the anxiety to ad-
| vance various measures. Mr.. Lodge gave
notice that he would push the immigra ton
| bill tomorrow. Mr.. Allen insisted that
| the Pacific railroad resolution be kept to
| the front tomorrow.
Did the Senate propose to do nothing?
| The bankruptcy bill was in the last stages
| of consumption; the Nicaragua canal bill
was about to be nailed in it's coffin, and
| senators were putting off these Pacific
| railroad resolutions
| Mr.. Gear Qowa), chairman of the Pacific
| railroad committee, said he proposed TO
| urge the bill for a settlement of the Pacific
debt as soon as the Nicaragua canal and
| bankruptcy bills were cut of the way. He
| had assurances that the bankruptcy bill
would yield at the proper time.
! 1t was hnally arranged that the Pacific
railroad resolutions would be taken up
| tomorrow.
Mr.. Morgan. in charge of the Nicaragua
canal bill, gave notice of his acceptance
of the amendments offered by Mr. Teller
| Col) providing that a survey shall pre-
| cedc the government guarantee of bonds
| or the beginning of work; also that If the
| survey showed the cost would exceed $780,
100000 nothing shall be done until Congress
gives further authority.
Mr.. Villas (Wis) then resumed his speech,
| opposing the bill.