The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-02-16
MIR. HARRIS DENOUNCED PRES
ENr PLAN OF SALE OF ROAD.

of redeening the first mortgage bonds OF
the Kansas Pacific branch of tie Union
Pacific and having the road operated by
a receiver Mr.. Harris denounced the
present plan to sell the road at the bid
of the reorganization committee as de-
frauding the government of something
more than $6.OO0000. Mr.. Foraker OF
Ohio, explained the view taken OF the
matter by tho administration, showing
the President WAS convinced the reorga-
nization committee proposed to pay Tor
the road all that it was worth The reso-
luton was finally passed in an amended
form.
Washington, February 15.-Mr. Pettus
of Alabama offered and secured tho pas
sage of b resolution requesting the Presl-
dent, If not incompatible with the public
interest, to inform the Senate what action
has been taken in reference to the muir
der of Segundo H. Lopez, a citizen OF the
United States on the 18th of April. 1896,
in the district of San Diego del Valla
Maguerralla, Cuba, by armed soldiers of
Spain, commanded by Col. ostrich.
The resolution introduced yesterday by
Mr.. Harris of Kansas, directing the At
torney General to furnish the Senate in
formation as to Enlargement reached
bv the government with the reorganiza-
ton committee of the Union Pacific rail
road conn ,any, concerning the Kansas
Pacific branch, was laid before the Sen
ate.
Mr.. Chandler, said he had nc. objection
to the resolu ton, but did not approve OF
the preamble which included press de.
spatch.
Mr.. Harris replied that he might not
insist on the preamble after he had made
a statement. The Union Pacific, he said,
for a long time had attempted to lnt1u-
ence Congress and officials of the admin
istration to scale down the debt OF that
comDany to the government about gu per
cent Until a year ago last January. the
company had been unsuccessful. AT bhaE
time they made an arrangement with
Mr.. Cleveland S administration by which
the road was to be disposed OF Win
loss to the government OF about S2o UUO,-
coo. MIR. Harris then outlined the reason
why that Arrangement 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 obtained
every cent due from the Union Pacific
on the main line
ssWe were all very glad, said Mr., Har-
ris, 'sthat the government received its
inst due and nobody has more cordially
rfftlo tod a
than I upon the successful negotiation OF
that transaction.
It was also hoped Mr.. Harris said, that
the government would get the full value
due of the debt from the Kansas Pacific
branch In case the reorganization COM
raitUee should decline to pay the full
amount. due-about SIS GOO, 0OO-lt was
the understanding that the government
would redeem the first mortgage bonds
and have the road operated by receiver.
& competent receiver would show the
value of the property. which Mr.. Harris
believed YVES quite $50, GOO 900 The re-
organization committee, h. said, had evil
IDENTIFY succeeded in obtaining from the
attorney general such concessions as had
been outlined in the Associated Press
dispatches and the government was to
stand idly by and see the enormous sum
of So. 700 coo OF interest sacrificed. The
value of property, MIR. Harris thought,
WIS n most important consideration.
By the reorganization committee and
by the Union Pacific officials an effort
had been made to minimize the value OF
the road, CIT is particularly significant, +"
said Mr.. Harris, ''that the statements
of the REORGANIZATION committee and the
officials OF the Union Pacific regarding
the value of the main line have been
proved by subsequent events to be un-
true.
from Missouri (Vest), when they speak
they lie, and when they are silent they
MI. Harris discussed the value of the
Kansas Pacific rond and said that hav-
ing been g civil engineer of the line, his
evidence was that of an expert. He said
during the last II years the line had
earned an amount equal to per cent on
$50 DOC. O00 He further said that on the
9Th instant the attorney general had
agreed to redeem tie first mortgage
bonds and to have the road operated by
a receiver. This arrangement, MIR. Har-
ris said. was perfectly satisfactory to
those for whom he spoke, but the iDten
fion of the Attorney General to abandon
that plan and let tire road go with q
loss to the government of nearly 81, 00O,-
G01, was not only surprise TO him and
Others. but absolutely unsatisfactory
Mr.. Harris maintained that the Kansas
Pacific road was worth the last cent OF
the governments claim and it ought to
be demanded by the attorney general.
Mr.. Morgan. referring to the effort to
pass bill in the Senate giving powers to
the administration to become q bidder
for the Kansas Pacific railroad, said that
the Senate ought to take the measure up
and pass it. Whether it would pass the con-
gestion which sometimes takes place in
the other branch Of Congress, he could not
ray 1t would be possible, however, thus
to demonstrate whether there was a pow
CT in the House Of Representatives which
would stand in the way Of the proposed
measure intended to save the people of
the country nearly seven million dollars.
"Political parties will sometimes per
NIT robberies. They will swallow the
consequences of those robberies without
a strain, but the people win not allow
themselves to be juegled it'll, whatever
political parties may DO" concluded
MT. Morgan.
1ir. Gear obJoctod not only to the pre-
erable of the resolution, but also to the