Evening star., 1897-01-29
said he would asksR vote on It, although
IL defeated he would vote for the original

said he would ask,a a vote on 1t, although
bill.
Mr.. Chandler. in charge of the bill. asked
unanimous conss5lt that the Anal vote on
the measure be 3takeu at 4 pm. today.
There was no dbjeetion. and the speedy
close OF the cont4st was assured.
senator &otes' state.ent.
Arkansas made aFIstk ktement OF his attitude.
which. In view oFyhSs position as chairman
OF the democratf rptional committee. at
tracted some atts He said he believed
in allowing the fstetis of the bill to shape
1t as their own. >4Is desired them to have
complete opportusftts to try the plan for an
international conference
He believed 1t XoSld not. And yet there
were many earnest friends of silver who be-
tion had shown that the sentiment was al
most universal for bimetaHism. the only
division being as to the method of bringing
1t about: If 1t came through an interna-
tlonai agreement he would gladly accept
it. Mr.. Jones said he would oppose any
amendment not approved by republican
senator's, as he desired to make them fully
responsible for this movement.
MI Morgan. in charge of the Nicaragua
canal bill. endeavored to have Tuesday
next at pm. fixed as the time for the
vote, but Mr.. Turpie objected Mr.. Morgan
then announced that he would press the
Dill to conclusion on Monday.
THE HOUSE.
Immediately after the reading of the
journal Mr.. Powers CVt) called up the
conference report on the Senate bill to
define the rights of purchasers of the At
lantic and Pacific railroad under mortgage
foreclosure
Mr.. Powers explained the nature of the
agreement reached by the conferees. One
OF the provisions of the report which was
combated was that providing for issue
of stock by the new company to the amount
of the funded debt unpaid at the time of
foreclosure. and limiting it to 500. 1000. 900
Mr. Moody tMass) said 1t had been as
serted that the reorganization committee
OF this proposed road advertised that the
bondholders should not only have their
bonds. but an equal amount of stock. He
asked If Mr.. Powers was prepared to make
a statement on his own responsibility as
to the truth of this rumor. The latter re-
piled that he had not run down all the
rumors in connection with the reorganiza-
tion of this road. With regard to the House
amendment requiring that as a condition
precedent to reorganization the purchasers
should relinquisl in writing all claims to
lands granted 20 the Atlantic and Pacific
road, and unearned July g. 1886 which the
conferees abandoned, Mr.. Powers said that
the question as to the forfeiture of land
grants was now before the Supreme Court.
II the court declared they were not for
feited, he argued that the mortgages were
entitled to these lands. If they were for
feited no legislation was needed on the sub
ject.
Opposed the Report.
Mr.. Terry (Ark) opposed the report. The
House had provided that the new corpora
ton should assume all the debts legally
charGeahle against the old corporation. He
criticised the modification of this provision
agreed upon by the conferees.
Mr.. Lacey Gowa) followed with a demand
that provision for the forfeiture of the I'M
earned lands be retained in the bill.
Mr.. Harrison (Ala.). one of the confer
ces, advocated the adoption of the report.
He insisted that first lien should not be
made subordinate by legislation to any
other obligation of whatever kind.
Previous Question Voted Down.
Mr.. Powers asked for the previous ques-
tion. Mr. Barrett (Mass) urged the House
to vote down the demand. This was an
attempt, he said TO railroad this bill
through in the interest of stock jobbers.
The House voted down the demand and
Mr.. Barrett secured the floor. He declared
that he desired to discuss this report as
stock jobbing operation. He asserted that
no railroad in the country had such a
disgraceful history as this one. 1t was
black with fraud and dishonor. He moved
that the House instruct the conferees to
insist upon House amendments which had
been abandoned BY the conferees. The
Speaker said the motion was not then in
order. Before closing Mr.. Barrett severely
condemned the great power given by the
rules to conferees. which, he said, enabled
them to bring in propositions indorsed by
neither the House or Senate He said it
was parody on parliamentary practice
Mr.. Cook Ull.) in opposing the report
was particularly solicitous that the House
should insist on the amendment forfeitinS
the unearned lands of the road The
amount OF land which would be forfeited
If this provision was left in the bill would
aggregate Al l03,6W acres.