The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-18
SENATE AGAINST THE SALE.
KANSAS PACIFIC DEAL CONSIDERED
UNSATISFACTORY.

Turpie Resolution Declaring That
the Trade Ought Not to BE Confirm
ed Adopted by Vote OF 81 TO 20.
MIR. ThurstOn Makes speech De-
Tending the Administrations
Course in the Matter.
Washington, Feb. 17.-After a spirited
debate, occupying more than two hours
the Senate to-day, by a vote of "a to %,
agreed to the resolution of Mr.. Turpe
declaring the senate's opposition to the
confirmation of the sale of the Kansas Pa
cific Railroad.
The only reference thus far made to the
disaster TO the battleship Maine was IN
the form of the following resolution, in
troduced by Mr. Allen of Nebraska;
Resolved, That the committee on naval
affairs be directed to make an immediate
and thorough Investigation into the cause
of the disaster TO the batueship Maine in
the harbor of Havana on the 18th inst,
and report to the Senate"
Several senators objected to the resolu-
ton, and it went over until tomorrow.
They contended that as soon as the Sec
rotary of the Navy obtained definite in
formation concerning the explosion and
its details, he would communicate the facts
10 the Senate.
Mr. Turpie's resolution declaring that
the sale of the Kansas Pa
cifc road ought not to be
confirmed unless the government receiv-
ed not only the principal, but also the in
terest of its claim was laid before the
Senate, and Mr.. Thurston resumed his re-
marks upon it. He pointed out that the
entire debt of the Union Pacific Railroad
which included the Kansas Pacific branch,
TO the government was about 81, 100000
The sale of the main and branch lines
would return to the government $65,OO0OOO,
or 81 per cent. of the roads Indebtedness
to the United States in principal and in
terest. This, Mr.. Thurston held, was
piece of good fnanciering on the part of
the President, who. he said, was better IN
formed upon the value of the road and all
the details bearing upon that value than
any other official of the government, in
Congress or out. He pointed out that II
the sale of the Kansas Pacific was not
confirmed, the President would have no
other alternative than to redeem the first
mortgage bonds and thus, instead of hav-
ing in the treasury more than 100000 as
a result of the sale, the government would
have to invest about $7,0G0,O00 more in cash
to redeem the first mortgage bonds and
then would have on its hands property
that was of so little value as compared
with what some senators imagined that
not a single one of the great railroads CEN
tering in Kansas City thought enough of
1t to venture a bid on it at the sale yes
terday.
Mr. Thurston regarded the settlement
effected by the administration of the whole
ID 1a1ef aTltn
satisfactory, a far better settlement, bet
ter by nearly $2O,OOO0OO than that proposed
to have been made by the Cleveland adj
ministration This business is in the
hands of the President and the country
may be well satisfied with the discretion.
the business sagacity, and the statesman
ship of William Mckinley.
Replying TO Mr.. Thurston, Mr.. Harris of
Kansas read telegram he had received
last night from Topeka, Kan, as follows:
Government lien sold here. Special mes
senger sent to st. Louis to have Sanborn
approve sale in the morning."
Mr. Harris said he did not know what
practical effect the passage of the pending
resolution might have, but 1t was evident
the purchasers were manifesting remarka-
BILE haste to secure the confirmation of the
sale.
Remarks in favor of the resolution were
made by Mr.. Rawlins of Utah and in OPP
position by Mr.. Gear of Iowa.
The resolution was then adopted-34 to 20,
the detailed vote being as follows: e
.Yeas-Messrs. Allen, Baker, Bate, Berry,
Cannon, Chiffon, Clary, Davis, Gorman
Harris, Heitfeld, Jones of Arkansas Ken
ney, Kyle, Mallory, Mantle. Martin Mills,
Mitchell, Money, Morgan, Nelson, Pasco,
Perkins Pettigrew, Pettus. Rawlins, Roach,
Teller, Tillman, Turley, Turpie and Vest
--34.
1Nays-Messrs. Garter, Chandler Clark
Deboe, Elkins, Fairbanks, Foraker, Frye,
Gallinger, Gear Gray Hanna, Eoar
Hansborough, Lindsay, Lodge. Mcbride,
Mcmillan, Mason, morrill,, Plat of Con-
neeticut, Proctor Quay, Sewell, Stewart
Thurston, Warren, Wilson and Wolcott-
30
The resolution as agreed to was as fol-
lows:
Resolved, as the opinion of the Senate
that the sale of the Kansas Pacific divl-
sion of the Pacific Railroads made to-day,
ought not to be confirmed except upon the
terms that the original claims and the In
terest thereon due TO the United States
from said railroad company, Kansas Pa
cifc division, be paid in fun by the bid
ders''
The Senate at 4:10 o'clock, went into ex-
ecutive session. and five minutes after
ward adjourned.
LIsTLESs DAY IN THE HOUSE