The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-16
The Administration Will Please
Explain It's Monkeying.
WHAT'S THE K. P. DEAL s?
Foraker Makes Lame Effort to De-
fend the President, Who. 1t Seems,
Is Willing to Sacr.fic six
or Seven Millions.

the Pacific railroad question in the sem
ate to-day. The resolution called upon
the attorney general for the reasons
which induced him to abandon his plan
Of redeeming the first mortgage bonds of
the Kansas Pacific branch Of the Union
Pacific and put the road under re-
ceiver. Mr.. Harris denounced the pres
ent plan 10 sell the road at the bid on
the ground that the company was cheat
ing the government out of nearly s., 000,-
600. Mr. Foraker explained the view
| taken of the matter by the admnistra-
ton. showing that the president was
| convinced that the reorganization COM
1 mttee proposed to pay for the road all
| that IL was Svorth. The resolution was
| finally passed in an amended form.
| Pettus OF Alabama offered and secured
! the passage of a resolution requesting
the president If not Incompatible with
| public interest, to inform the senate
what action had been taken in refer
| ence To the murder of Segundo n. Lopez
| a citizen of the United States, on April
| IL. 1896 in the district of san Diego del
! Nalla, Cuba. by armed soldiers of Spain.
| The resolution introduced yesterday
| Dy Harris directing the attorney gem
| eral to furnish the senate information as
| To the agreement reached by the gov
ernment with the reorganization COM
| mittee of the Union Pacific concerning
the Kansas Pacific branch was laid be-
no objection to the resolution, but did
not approve of the preamble which i'm
cluded press dispatch. Harris replied
he might not insist on the preamble
after he had made a statement The
Union Pacific. he said, for a time had
attempted to influence congress and Off
cials of the administration To scale
down the debt of that company to the
government about so per cent Until
a year ago last January the company
had been unsuccessful. At that time
they made arrangements with Cleye-
lands administration by which the road
was to be disposed OF with loss to the
government of about S28 900 900. Harris
then outlined the reasons WHY rfY:Tr mr.
Iangement was not carried into effect
Public sentiment was aroused from
Maine TO California. the demand of the
people. he said, being that they should
not be swindled out of the enormous
sum mentioned.
When the present administration came |
into power the question was grappled /
with and the government finally oh |
tanned every cent due the Union Pacific |
on the main line. we were all very /
glad, said Mr.. Harris, that the gov |
ernment received its just due, and ev-
erybody sincerely congratulated the ad-
mtnistration upon the successful nego-
tiation of the transaction 1t was also
hoped that the government would get
the tull amount of the debt due from
the Kansas branch. If the reorganiza-
ton committee should decline to pay
the full amount due-~about Sl3 900 000-
II was the understanding that the gov
efnment would redeem the first mort
gage bonds and have the road operated
by receiver" The reorganization COM
mittee, Mr.. Harris said had evidently
succeeded in obtaining from the attor-
ney general such concessions as had
been outlined in the associated press dis
patches and the government Is to stand
idly by and see the enormous sum Of
81, 100000 of interest sacrificed. The
value Of the property. Mr.. Harris
thought. was most important consid-
Grafton. BY the reorganization commit
Zee and by the Union Pacific officials an
effort had been made 10 minimize the
value of the road
1t Is particularly significant" said
Mr. Harris. that the statements Of the
reorganization committee and the Off
Gals of the Union Pacific regarding the
value Of the main line have been proved
by subsequent events TO be untrue. As
was said once by the senator from Mis-
souri, 1Nest. when they speak they lie.
and when they are silent they steal'a
Mr.. Harris then discussed the value
Of the Kansas Pacific road and said
that. having been a civil engineer of the |
line. his information was that of an ex-
pert, He said that during the last IL
J ears the line had earned an amount
10 four per cent. on $50. 900. 600 He fur
ther said that on the 5th instant the |
attorney general had agreed to redeem
the first mortgage bonds and to have
the road operated by receiver. This
arrangement. Mr.. Harris said. was per-
fectiy satisfactory To those for whom |
he spoke, but the intention of the at
tofney general To abandon that plan I
and 10 let the road GO with loss To the
government of nearly 81. 900 900 was nor |
9nly a surprise 10 him and others, bur
All nE9Alt4iEF "a FS4kaf4 4sEfs.
that the Kansas Pacific
road was worth the last cent Of the
government e1a.m and that ii ought to
oe deindnae ! by the attorney general
Mr.. Morgan, referring to the effort II
pass bill a be senate giving powers
. the administration To become a bid {
Ter for the Kansas Pacific road, said |
1e tnougnt taaf the senate ought to /
axe that measure up aud pass il.
y neither II would pass the congestion / |
which sometimes takes place in the ! {
ataer branch Of congress he could not I
,ay, II viii be possible. however. | !
nus 70 demonstrate whether there was / q
| power IN the house Of representatives :
which would stand in the way Of the I
proposed measure intended To save fba
leppie OF the country nearly seven mil {
ions. Political parties will sometimes \
seEmst Eehhertes. they viii swallow the \
Of the robberles without !
strain, but the people will not allow n
themselves tn be Jusgted with whatever !
Itt1lGAi parties may do continued !
.Ir. Morgan
af= t5rar objected ma only ta the pre-
HfH5s - me resolution but also 10 the / [
2Ettzn- at the resolution. as discnurfe- j :
MS g t1e attorney general Referring /
. petition OF a London banking firm. ]
rad a. raFt If Mr, Harris. remarks. +
Eteh contained evidence that there :
as trouble between the reorganization +
78l1l5ksse ana tnase wh9m they repre- i