The record-union., 1898-03-03
A Decidedly Spirited Debate in the
Senate Yesterday
Over the Alaskan Homestead and Rlght-Of-
Way Bill.
Carter of Montana Delivers Wig
orous Speech in Reply to the
One Made by Rawiins OF Utah
During the Two Preceding Days
-Doings in the House.


-Doings in the House.
WASHINGTON, March 2.-To-day's
debate in the Senate on the Alaskan
homestead and railway right of way
bill was decidedly spirited. Carter Of
Montana delivered a vigorous speech
in reply TO that made during the past
two days by Rawlins of Utah, in the
course of which he made a strong de-
Tense of the honor of Congressional
committees and of officials in the sew
eral Government departments. One
of the special features of the debate
was a speech by Elkins of West Viz
ginia, in which he explained that the
Canadian Pacific Railway was enabled
to make war on American interests,
and how and why the aggression OF
that great railroad ought to be stopped
by the United States. The speech
drew answers from Hoar of Massachu-
sets, Chiffon Of Texas and Nelson CT
Minnesota.
AS soon as the Senate convened to-
day. on motion of Hale of Maine, it
went into executive session.
At 1870 p. IN. the Senate resumed
port of the pension appropriation bill
presented by Perkins was agreed 10.
Mason of Illinois, of the Committee
on Postoffices and Post Roads, pre-
scented a concurrent resolution from the
committee for investigating the Lake
City. S. c., Postoffice murder, and, On
objection by Allen of Nebraska, the
resolution was laid over until to-Yn0r-
row.
A bill approriating 100000 for the
erection of the public building at New
castle. Pa, was passed.
Stewart of Nevada then resumed his
speech on the bankruptcy bill passed
by the House.
Stewart had not concluded at
o'clock, when the Alaska homestead
and railway right of way bill was laid
before the Senate. and he announced
that he would finish his speech to-
morrow
Carter Of Montana, who reported the
bill, said that for two days the Senate
had been called upon to listen to one
of the most remarkable attacks upon a
committee OF Senators in a speech
making serious charges against indi-
vidual Senators. He declared that il
was unfair that the Senator who de-
livered the speech Rawlins) should
have withheld it from publication in
the Record inasmuch as it was de-
livered in the course of running debate,
and he was satisfied that thes speech
could not be published as delivered,
parallel with the bill itself. without af-
fording q complete refutation of its
charges
1T will be found by Senator'S" said
Carter, after careful examination 4
the bill that of the wholesale charges
Of dishonest purpose contained in the
speech of the Senator from Utah moth
ing remains"
When Rawlins attempted to speak
Carter. with some feeling, declined 10
be interrupted. A moment later how
ever. he yielded. and Rawlins dis
claimed all intention of casting asper-
sions upon any Senator, and that Car
ter's statement was unwarranted by
the facts. as could be shown by the
stenographers notes.
Carter then continued his remarks
quoting extensively from Government
reports from Alaska. Carter thought
II remarkable, in view OF the struggle
of Americans TO get into the Alaskan
gold fields during the past year. that
Rawlins should maintain that there
was no necessity for the pending legis-
lation.
II had supposed" he said. that the
fact I have mentioned was so widely
known that even the Senator from
Utah had heard Of It,"
At this point Allen Of Nebraska re-
quested Carter TO give the Senate a
synopsis of Rawlins' remarks.
Rawlins rose to give the synopsis
himself, but Carter declined to yield
When the plutocrat and the Popu-
list come together" exclaimed Rawlns
bitterly, sit is time for the Senate tc
beware"
Carter, without reference to Rawlins
remarks, said that II seemed that the
land company of Canada and Rawlins
Were practically the only ones who now
necessary. He maintained that there
was never a more crying demand for
legislation than now existed for the
great domain of Alaska
Carter pointed out that the pending
bill absolutely prevented speculation in
rights Of way Of railways through
Alaska. This provision was placed BY
the committee in the bin in order that
no Spectator should be able 10 flourish
IN the Territory. He elaborated other
restrictions in the bill at the request OF
Rawlins, who said he had not been abs
to discover them. He carefully ana.
lyzed the right Of way section of the
bill. demonstrating, he said, that It's