Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-12-10

needs of the Alaskan miners in the Yu-
kon valley as he might have III ms pos-
session.
| A few unimportant bills were passed
Grafton of private pension bills under the
| special order. The special order lot tns
consideration OF pension bills continued
one hour during which time 40 Dllls were
passed provided for the granting OF IN
| crease to pensions received.
Harris. Kan. moved that his racine
railroad resolution. offered last spring. DC
recommitted to the Pacific railroad com
mittee, as In view of the sale OF the
Union Pacific main line and the pros
pective sale of the Kansas City branch.
he had now no desire to press the reso-
luton.
Gear. Iowa. chairman of the Pacific
railroads committees. commenting upon
Harris motion. said that too much credit
could not be given the present admins
tration for the admirable manner IN which
It had handled and disposed OF the Pacific
Railroad matters.
Harris facetiousy congratulated his
friend from Nebraska (Thurston. upon
the change which had come over him
since the consideration of the Pacific
railroad question last spring.
Gear responded that as far as he was
concerned no change had been expert
enced and that he was Just as much OPP
posed to government ownership of rail-
roads as ever
Thurston congratulated the country
upon the result of the Administrations
efforts regarding the Pacific Railroads.
He said that If the plan proposed by Har-
rs had been adopted the United States
would not have received anything approx
mating the magnificent sum which had
been paid for the main line OF the Union
Pacific Railroad.
He expressed the opinion that the pros
porous business conditions brought to the
country by the advent of the present adj
ministration had so improved the main
me or the Union Pacific Railroad that 1t
would now probably earn dividends upon
the full amount of the large purchase
price paid for it.
Harris inquired whether Thurston
thought that the same conditions would
correspondingly improve the Kansas Pa
enc branch. ThurstOn said that IL was
hardly to be expected that "A branch line
would be affected in the same manner as
Il trans continental road. The Union Pa
ciic would now. in his opinion. take its
place among the great railroad lines OF
ne country and he was satisfied that
under its new management 1t would add
vastly to the interests of the people whom
he represented.
Thurston said that he noticed in the
Presidents message that the administra.
ton is committed to the policy of pur-
chasing the Kansas Pacific branch unless
better bid was offered. He said that he
did not believe in government ownership
of railroads and was of the opinion that
the experiment of such ownership. IL ii
was to be tried. might better be tried
with some other than the Kansas Pacific
Railroad.
He suggested to the Pacific Railroad
committee that the authority asked for
the President to buy in the road be
coupled with full power TO resell it.
Otherwise the government would he
placed in a position of having To operate
the property whatever might be the con-
ditions. and It might be a long time before
authority to sell ii could he obtained
from Congress.
Harris resolution was then recommit-
ted.
Upon motion of Lodge the immigration
bill was made the unfinished business on
the Senate calendar
Carter, chairman of the census commit
tee. secured unanimous consent for the
consideration. on Monday next. of his
bill providing for the taking of the fed
eral census in 1900. Lodge agreeing not to
press the immigration bill. Monday OF
Tuesday. in view of the anxiety of Car
ter to secure consideration of the census
measure
At 2.4D p. NJ. the Senate adjourned I'M
til Monday.