The record-union., 1898-10-05

saying that while he was willing to
have the whole matter stricken out Of
the bill, he was not willing that it
should be altered in the railroads in
terest, whereupon the Senate insisted
upon its amendment.
The report was made to the House
on July 9th, when Mr. Cannon, Chair
man of the House Committee on APP
propriations having made similar
announcement, Mr.. Mcguire asked for
three days for debate, which Mr.. Can
non declined to grant on account OF
the lateness of the session, but he ac-
| ceded to Mr.. Maguire's request that
the vote be taken at 4 O'Clock on the
afternoon of the 9Th BY consent, Mr..
| Mcguire was allowed to control the
time in the debate which ensued upon
the part of those opposed to the amend
ment, and Mr.. Cannon on the part OF
| those in favor Of it, Mr.. Cannon stated
the circumstances in the case-that the
| roads were $50 miles long, the Western
Pacific running from San Jose to Sac
ramento, and the Central Pacific from
sacramento to Ogden; that there is
flrst mortgage prior to the Govern
ment'S lien of between S27 00O, 600 and
S2SOO0,000; that the debt to the Gov
ernment, with interest, amounted to
$o9.O00,O00 or a total of SS7, 100000,
which was more than 100000 per
mile, and that the road ran through
comparatively desert country, but that
the plan proposed in the bill was be-
heved by those familiar with the mat
ter to present a means Of the Govern
| ment collecting it's money without the
necessity of advancing S2S, 100000 and
assuming Government ownership, to
which he was opposed
| Mr. Barham of California presented
an amendment limiting the time of the
bill to one year, when, if arrange
ments We're not completed, the Presi
dent should proceed with a foreclosure.
This was accepted. Mr.. Mcguire op-
posed the entire proposition on the
| ground that he was in favor Of the
| Government foreclosing it's lien and op-
Grating the road as a national high
way" Mr. Castle the member from
this district, opposed the amendment
on the same ground, being in favor Of
Government ownership of public utili-
| ties. Mr.. Hepburn Of Iowa condoled
with Mr.. Mcguire over the fact that
the passage of the amendment would
deprive Mr.. Mcguire of the issue upon
which he had often ridden into Con-
! gress. In the course of the debate it
seemed to be admitted by every one
excepting Mr.. Castle that there was
no. lobby in favor Of the pending meas
| ure. The House finally concurred in
the amendment.
From the whole debate it appears
that the opposition to the amendment
was political and founded, SO far as it
was founded upon any reason, upon the
desire to have the Government acquire
the road and not to collect what was
due, and that the adoption of the
amendment was placed upon the
ground that the method provided for
| the speedy collection of a doubtful
| debt. The amendment itself does not
| take away the power to foreclose the
lien. 1t simply authorizes the COM
mission to arrange terms of payment
and to get security upon the same.
1t appears, then, that this measure,
which Candidate Mcguire assails as a
| Republican job, had the support Of
! Democrats, Populists and Silver Re-
| publicans in the Senate. It only re-
mains to add that Mr.. Mcguire himself
could have defeated it had he chosen.
An extract from Mr.. Cages speech at
Los Angeles Thursday night shows
how the fusion leader could have pre-
vented passage, had he seen fit. Mr..
! Gage said:
Now, the bill in that shape passed
! the United States Senate, came down
! to Congress; there when the matter
arose Mr.. Barham from this State pro-
posed in Congress an amendment to
| the bill. That amendment Mr.. Mcguire
in speech the other day said was
| good one. Mr. Barham and the other
| Congressman concede that if Barham's
amendment had not been adopted that
| Congress would have voted down the
! bill. Now, if that is so. and it were
in the power of Mr.. Mcguire to have
said I object and prevented the
passage of the bill, what right please
| tell me, has he to stand upon this
rostrum or any rostrum in California
and denounce the Republican party
because that bill passed where he had
11eh, > 4 g.