The record-union., 1898-03-05
The Senate DispOses Of the Alaskan
Homestead Bill.
Passes the Upper House After Debate
Lasting Several Days.
Rather Lively Discussion Over Sec
ton Thirteen, Which Called Up
the Old Fisheries Controversy
on the New England Coast-Do-
ings in the House.

the Old Fisheries Controversy
on the New England Coast-Do-
ings in the House.
WASHINGTON, March 4-After a
debate lasting several days the Senate
late This afternoon passed q bill ex-
tending the homestead laws and pro-
viding for right of-Way railroads III the
dictrict of Alaska. Comparatively lit
tie discussion of general interest was
created by the bill. Section 13, provid-
ing for certain bonding concessions to
Canada in lieu of privileges to be ex-
tended by the Dominion Government to
this country. however, induced a rather
lively debate. as it brought into the
controversy the old fisheries question on
the Kew England coast, which has been
pending between the United States and
Great Britain for one hundred years.
The statement was made on the floor
of the Senate that there was every rea-
son TO believe that by the passage of
the bill the fisheries question could be
settled without great effort, as assur-
ances to that effect had been received
from g. large and influential element in
Canada.
A resolution was passed authorizing
the printing of $4,000 copies of a
pamphlet by Commodore George W.
Melville on the commercial, military
and strategic advantages of the United
States, of the Nicaragua Canal and the
Hawaiian Islands.
An arrangement was made to vote
on the Alaska homestead and right OF
way bill at ) o'clock
The Alaska bill was then laid before
the Senate, an amendment by Raw
Inns OF Utah to Section = being under
consideration.
Mr.. Carter of Montana. in charge Of
the bill, moved to lay the amendment
on the table, and the motion pre-
vailed by vote of 81 to H.
Af,erward the Senate, by a vote of
46 to Z, struck out the paragraph in the
bill deserving to the Government the
right to purchase any railroad. tram
way or wagon road al its actual cash
value
The motion to strike out the fisheries
part Of Section Is of the Alaska bill was
lost by IL to "a. This section requires
Canada, before securing bonding privi-
leges at Wrangel, Alaska, to make cer-
tain concessions to the United States
including the right of our fishermen to
purchase bait and supplies in Canadian
ports.
The reading of the bill was then re-
sumed. Sewell of New Jersey offered
the following proviso to Section >, which
was adopted:
That where the space for the con-
struction of a railroad) is limited the
United States District Court shall re-
quire the road first constructed to allow
any other railway or tramway to pass
over its track or tracks through such
canyon. pass or defile, on such equitable
basis as the said court may prescribe:
and all shippers shall be entitled to
equal accommodation as to the move
ment of their freight, and without dis
elimination in favor of any person or
corporation.
The lest paragraph of Section 6. re-
serving the right of the Government to
purchase or take by proceedings of con-
demnation any railroad tramway or
wagon road at its actual cash value.
being in line of Government ownership
of railroads. was stricken out by an ave
and nay vote of 4S to {, the seven votes
cast IN favor of the paragraph being py
Messrs. Allen of Nebraska, Butler of
North Carolina. Harris of Kansas. Heit-
field of Idaho, Nelson of Minnesota. Tel
Ter Of Colorado and Turner of Wash
ington
The reading and amending of the bill,
while long and tedious. was accom-
plished without particularly important
debate until Section Is was reached.
This provides for the extension to Cam
ada of the bonding privileges on Alas
kan trade with Canada at the port of
Wrangel. in Alaska. on condition that
certain concessions are given this coun-
try by the Dominion Government.
among them being the right of our fish
ermen to enter Canadian ports for the
purchase of bait or other supplies.
Turner of Washington moved to strike
out that part of the section which re-
lated to the entering of Canadian ports
by American fishermen. He did not. he
said, make the motion because he was
hostile to the New England fisheries,
but because he deemed it unfair to bur
den this measure with a demand upon
the Dominion Government that it yield
a contention it has made for a hundred
years.
Hale of Maine inquired if Turner did
not think it would be Of advantage to
the United States to obtain the fisheries
from Canada.
Turner replied that it would be of adj
vantage if we could obtain it, but he
did not believe it could be obtained.
Hansborough of North Dakota said
that the Committee on Public Lands was
III possession of information that Can
ada would accept the conditions imposed
by the section. He was firmly of the
opinion that the Dominion Government
would yield on the fisheries question, in
view of the concessions made to it by
the bill.
Hoar of Massachusetts expressed the
hope that Turner would not insist upon
his motion. The fisheries question was
rot local one to New England. but q
national question. question. too, par
applicable to the people of the
where the fisheries interest
vas annually becoming greater. He felt
that the fisheries problem was one of inn
mense Importance to the people of the
and ought not to be stricken
from the measure
In supporting and supplementing what
Hoar had said, Frye of Maine said that
the pending bill was of national import
ance He thought there was never
better opportunity to secure concessions
from the Canadian Government than at