The herald., 1898-03-05
Subject to Operation of the
Homestead Law
BUILDERS OF RAILROAD
WILL NOT BE TROUBLED OVER
RIGHT OF WAY
TWO APPROPRIATION BILLS
Disposed Of by the House and Are Nov
Ready for the Presidents
Signature
Associated Press Special wire

Associated Press Special Wire
WASHINGTON. March 4.-After Q de-
bate lasting several days the senate. late
this afternoon. passed the bill extending
the homestead laws and providing for right
Of way for railroads in the district Of
Alaska. Compare atively little discussion Of
general interest was created by the bill.
Section 13, providing for certain bonding
concessions to Canada in lieu Of privileges
to be extended by the Dominion govern.
ment to this country however, induced o
rather lively debate, as 1t brought into the
controversy the old fisheries question-on
the New England coast, which has been
pending between the United States and
Great Britain for hundred years. Tho
statement was made on the floor OF the
senate that there was every reason to be-
lieve that by the passage of the bill the
fisheries question could be settled without
great effort, as assurances to that effect
had been received from large and influea.
tial element in Canada.
Senator Morgan announced his purpose
to introduce a resolution at an early date
making second call upon the president
Tor the consular, correspondence bearing
upon the condition Of affairs in Cuba.
Il think" he said, "that the senate and
the country are entitled to know officially
what the condition there is, and the reports
Of the consuls should not be withheld for
an unusual length of time. do not, how
ever, wish to complicate this matter with
the Maine disaster and shall not introduce
the resolution while the court Of inquiry
Is sitting unless Its report Is unnecessarily
delayed. have set no time for the presen-
tation Of the matter, but will be guided as
to the time by the circumstances as they
arise"
He said In reply to question that the
resolution proposed by him would he
couched in, terms demanding the submis-
sion OF the correspondence
The senate. by vote Of 46 to Z, struck out
the paragraph in the Alaskan bill reserv-
Ing to the government the right to pur-
chase any railroad tramway or wagon road
at Its actual cash value.
A resolution was passed authorizing the
printing of 1900 copies of a pamphlet by
Commodore George w. Melville, on the
commercial. military ana strategic adven-
tages to the United States Of the Nic/ H.
guam canal and Hawaiian islands.
The reading of the Alaskan bill wa then
resumed. Sewell Of New Jersey offered tho
following proviso to section 8, which was
adopted:
Z THAT where the space (for the construc-
tion of railroad) is limited; the United
States district court shall require the road
or tramway to pass over its track or tracks
through such canyon, pass or defile on SUCH
equitable basis as the said court may pre-
SCRIBE and all shippers shall be entitled to
equal accommodations as to the movement
of their freight and without discrimination
In favor of any person or corporation"
The last paragraph Of section 6. reserv-
ing the right to the government to pur-
chase or take by proceedings Of condemns
tion any railroad, tramway or wagon road
at Its actual cash valuation, being in line
Of government ownership of railroads. was
stricken out by an aye and nay vote, As to
Z. the seven votes cast in favor Of the para
graph being by Allen of Nebraska, Butler
Of North Carolina, Harris Of Kansas, Heit-
field Of Idaho, Nelson of Minnesota, Teller
OF Colorado and Turner OF Washington.
The reading and amending of the bill.
while long and tedious. was accomplished
without particularly important debate un-
til section Is was reached. This provides
for the extension to Canada OF the bonding
privileges on Alaskan trade with Canada
at the port of Wrangel in Alaska. on con-
dition that certain concessions are given
this country by the Dominion government,
among them being the right Of our fisher
men to enter Canadian ports for the pur-
chase of bait or other supplies.
Mr.. Turner of Washington moved to
strike out that part of the section which
related to the entering of Canadian ports
by American fishermen. He did not, he
said, make the motion because he was hos
tile to the New England fisheries but be-
cause he deemed 1t unfair to burden this
measure with a demand upon the Dominion
government that it yield contention that
had existed for a hundred years. Hale of
Maine inquired If Turner did not think Il
would be to the advantage of the United
States to obtain the fisheries concessions
from Canada.
Turner replied that 1t would be of adyan-
tage If he could obtain 1t, but he did not be-
lieve it could be obtained.
Hansbrough Of North Dakota said that
the committee on public lands was in pos
session of information that Canada would
accept the conditions imposed by the Sec
tion. He was firmly of the opinion that the
Dominion government would yield on the
fisheries question in view Of the conces-
sions made to it by the bill.
Hoar Of Massachusetts, expressed the
hope that Turner would not insist upon his
motion. The fisheries question was not .
local one in New England, but a national
question. question, too. particularly ap-
plicable to the people of the northwest,
where the fisheries interest was annually
becoming greater. He felt that the fish,
cries problem was one of immense import
ance to the people Of the northwest and
ought not to be stricken from the measure.
In supporting and supplementing what
Mr.. Hoar had said, Frye OF Maine said
that the pending bill was of national i'm
portance He thought there was never q
better opportunity to secure CONCESSIONS
from the Canadian government than at the
present time. when the Canadians wanted
something from the United States. He did
not think the motion ought to prevail, be-
cause we have long been giving Canada
much and receiving little in return.
Mr.. Frye believed that II 1t were not for
the captiousness Of Canada, there would
not be the slightest trouble between this
country and Great Britain.
Wilson supported the contention OF
Turner. and thought it the height Of ab-
surdity to tack the fisheries question to
bill providing for the encouragement or
railway construction In Alaska.
Carter agreed with Hoar and Frye. that
the fisheries question, 30 far as 1t was con-
sidered in this bill. was of national im-
portance. The fisheries industry In Alaska
and the northwest now reached $s.oooAm
lr tf - ~ /!