The Saint Paul globe., 1898-02-16

WASHINGTON, Feb. ia resoIu-
ton Of inquiry offered YESTERDAY, nv Nj
Itarr1s (KasO precipitated a sDirited
discussion OF the Pacific railroad dues-
Ton IN the senate today. The res0Iu-
ch tloh called upon the attorney general
Ior the reasons which induced him to
stpahuon mis- plan of redeemIng the first
ilI'ost ilIoi .SdSe pQnds OF the Kansas Pacific
oranch OF the Union Pacific and hav-
ing the road operated by a receiver.
Mr.. Harris denounced the present
pan 10 sell the road at the bid Of the
reorganization committee, as defraTd-
ing the government of something NOR,
than $6,0O000O
MI. Harris maintained that the Kan
sas Pacific road was worth the last
cent OF the governments claim and
II ought to be demanded by the at
torney general.
Mr.. Morgan, referring to the effort
to pass bill in the senate giving
powers to the administration to becOmg
bidder for the Kansas Pacific rail-
road, said he thought that the senate
ought to take that measure up and
pass 1t. Whether it would pass the
congestion which sometimes takes
place IN the other branch of congress-
he could not say. 1t would be possI-
pie, however, thus to demonstrate
whether there was a power in the
house Of representatives which would
stand IN the way of the proposed
measure intended to save the DeODla
OF the country nearly seven millions Of
dollars.
Mr.. Gear objected not only to the
preamble Of the resolution. but also
TO the wording Of the resolution, as
dlscourteous to the attorney general.
Mr.. Gear, continuing, regarded as the
greatest plume in the cap Of the pres
ent administration the fact that it
received 100 cents on every dollar Of
the Union Pacific Indebtedness.
Then why is it willing to accept 48
cents on the dollar Of the Kansas Pa
cific Indebtedness? inquired Mr.. Nor
gan.
Il don't know that it is" replied Mr..
Gear, but If it IS, perhaps it is be-
cause the road is worth only As cents
on the dollar"
President Defended.
Mr.. Foraker (O.) discussed the situa-
ton as it had been viewed by the
president. The president had asked
! congress to give authority to enter the
sale Of the Kansas Pacific as a bid
der, but congress had taken no ac-
| ton. The final offer made by the re-
organization committee the president
had evidently regarded as reasonably
satisfactory. Senators might differ
from lHe president as to the value of
the property, but he had consulted
many we'll informed persons and felt
that in receiving the full amount of
! the Kansas Pacific debt, less the in
terest, he was doing very we'll
Mr. Gear moved that the resolution
be referred to the committee on Pa
ciffc railroads.
Pending the vote on this motion, Mr.
Turpie offered the following resolution
and asked that it lie over until to-
morrow:
Resolved, AS the opinion of the senate.
that the sale of the Kansas Pacific division
OF the Union Pacific railroad made today
ought not TO be confirmed. except upon tho
terms that the original claim and the in
terest thereon due to the United States from
the said railway company of the Kansas
Pacific division be paid in full by the bid
Gors
Mr.. Gears motion to refer the reso-
luton was submitted to the senate
and the motion was defeated, 10 to a.
Two verbal amendments by Mr.. Chan
dler were agreed to, and the resolu-
tiOn was adopted without division On
motion of Mr. Chandler the preamble
was then stricken from the resolution
At 2:30 p. m, on motion Of Mr.. Davis.
the senate went into executive ses-
sion.
After the executive session the re-
port Of the attorney general on the
Harris resolution was r~ad.
A bill was passed to create a local
board for the examination Of steam
vessels in Alaska.
The senate, at 5:35 p. m. adjourned.