The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-03-02
1T is DIABOLICAL.
SO Senator Stewart Character
ICES the Bankruptcy Bill.
He Says the Measure as Framed
Assumes That
A MAN is A CRIMINAL
Who is in Debt and Cannot Pay
Out.
Loud POstOff1ce Bill is Discussed
in the House.
A MAN IS A CRIMINAL

| Washington, March I'm the senate
| yesterday Mr.. Hoar renewed his mo-
| ton of the previous day that the SEN
| ate disagree to the house amendments
! to the bankruptcy bill and that a COM
mittee on conference be appointed.
MI Stewart CNev) said he was op-
| posed to an involuntary bankruptcy
! bill at such a time as this, and he wish
| ed before the measure was sent to con-
ference to present some information
/ upon the subject that would be valua-
| BILE to the conferees. 1.-The house bill
assumes Mr.. Stewart began, that
/ any man who cannot pay his debts is a
| criminal
1T is the most atrociOus bill that
could be framed in the present cOndi-
| ton of the country"
Mr.. Hoar said he thought the senate
conferees might be trusted properly to
represent the senate on this bill, and he
appealed to Mr.. Stewart to permit the
measure to go to conference without
further debate.
mo appeal to me need be made in be-
| half of this diabolicaI BILL" exclaimed
Mr.. Stewart. Z propose to discuss this
matter fully, in order that not only the
conferees, but the country, may know
what the bill means"
Mr. Stewart spoke until 2 o'clock
when the Alaskan homestead and right
of way bill was laid before the senate.
Mr.. Stewart announced that he would
continue his address today.
Mr.. Rawlins Utah) continued his
speech in opposition to the general feat
ures of the bill. He reiterated his
charge that the bill as framed gave dis
honest spectators a marked advantage
over the public generally. It enabled
them, he said to ribbon the district of
Alaska with paper rights of way, which
would enable them to control an enor-
nous amount of land for an almost in
definite period.
Mr.. Lindsay Ky) inquired whether
the bill provided that railroads should
charge specified rates for freights and
passengers. He had noted that the rate
of toll to be charged by tramWayS and
wagon roads should be approved by the
secretary of the interior, but he could
find no such limitation on railroads
Mr.. Allen CNeb) a member of the
committee on public lands, said that it
was his understanding that a provision
covering the matter of railroad rates
had been inserted in the bill, and if it
was not there, the bill was a misprint.
Mr.. Carter (Mont.) explained that the
committee had not thought it desirable
to put a provision in the bill regulating
the charges to be made by railroads, as
that was distinctly within the provis-
ions of the interstate commerce law. lie
said that no such provisions as that re-
ferred to by Mr.. Allen had ever been
contemplated.
Mr.. RawIins, in conclusion, said he
thought congress ought to legislate for
the people and not for the land sharks
and fake railroads. The pending bill,
he said, gave arbitrary power to gov
eminent officer to dispose of some of
the most valuable of franchises. he
thought the measure was 1ll-draWn ana
badly considered. Good government de-
manded that no such bill should go up
on the statute books. The rights in
Alaska were the common property OF
all and Mr.. Rawlins held that well con-
sidered legislation should be provided
for all the people who might desire to
20 to that district.
The senate then went into executive
session and soon after adjourned.