The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-05-03
Proposition Of Guaranteeing
Bonds is Considered
RESOLUTION is REFERRED
Governor Pardee Asks That Various
California Claims Now Pending
In Congress Be Allowed
at Once.

Washington, May 2.-That the California
senators do not consider that there should
at present be an effort to secure gov
ernment aid in the general reconstruction
of the city of San Francisco was made
evident In the Senate today The ques-
tlon came up on Mr.. Newland's s resolution
directing the finance committee of the
Senate and the ways and means commit
tee of the House to consider the feas-
ibllty of the government guaranteeing
bonds to aid in the rehabilitation of the
stricken city. The Nevada senator dis
cussed the resolution at some length,
contending for the regularity of his sug-
gestion and enlarging upon the desirable
lily of making the city a more attractive
center of population than it had ever
been Both Mr.. Flint and Mr.. Perkins
deprecated the introduction of the reso-
luton as unwise at this time and both
indicated their opinion that the Cali
fornia delegation should have been con-
suited before the presentation of the
measure. The resolution was referred to
the committee on finance.
Mr. Daniel concluded his speech on the
railroad rate bill. The army appropriation
bill was read at length but its consid-
GRAFTON was not concluded. An amend
ment appropriating $1,50O,0O0 for a supply
depot at Fort Mason, San Francisco, was
accepted, as was also provision author
zng a submarine cable to Panama at
cost of 100000.
Pardee's Petition.
At the beginning of today's session of
the Senate Mr. Perkins presented tele-
graphic petition from Governor Pardee
of California for the payment of claims
of that state against the government.
for the settlement of bills now pend
inr THE text of the petition Is as fol-
lows
"wlll Congress in California's present
great need pass our per cent public
land claim, amounting to about $1,000,000;
also our war rebellion claims aggregating
four million dollars also our Indian war
claims, originally $660OO0 on account of
the destruction of 3oooOO,OOO of San Fran
cisco property which represents one-fifthl
of the assessed valuation of the entire
state; our state funds, including mainten-
ance of asylums, penitentiaries and repairs
of public buildings injured and destroyed
by earthquake will all be greatly ham,
pered unless Congress can see its way
clear to pass these claims the justice
of which has never been seriously ques-
ton We are under great obligations to
Congress already, but we venture to ask
for this further aid"
The petition was referred to the COM
mittee on claims.
The following bills were passed:
Bills Passed.
Authorizing the construction of dams
across the Coosa river at Lock in Ala
bama
Authorizing the construction of bridges
across the Clinch river in Virginia and
the Holston river in Tennessee by the
South and Western Railroad company
Mr.. Lodge then reported from the COM
mittee on foreign relations and the Sem
ate passed the House joint resolution ex-
tending the tharks of Congress to Cen
eral Horace Porter for his services In
locating the burial place in Paris of
John Paul Jones. There was no debate
on the resolution.
Mr.. Newlands presented a joint resolu-
tion directing the senate committee on
finance and the House committee on
ways and means to investigate the FEAST
bility of the governments guaranteeing
bonds to assist in the rebuilding of San
Francisco.
The resolution recites the recent dis
aster and says that under the powers
of the general welfare clause of the con-
stitution Congress should come to the aid
of San Francisco.
Mr. Newlands had read a newspaper
clipping which was an extract from the
New York Herald containing headlines:
800 900 900 for San Francisco also that
Senator Newlands of Nevada says the
huge sum has been practically agreed
on by fnanciers.' The extract was
marked special dispatch to the Herald
and bore a San Francisco date Mr.. New
lands said ne was quite surprised this
morning to find this announcement in
the New York Herald and in other news
papers "It had," he said. doubtless
been given wide currency by the Asso-
cfated Press" He thought a public
statement should be made by him in
explanation of the article.
Wrong Impression.
The Nevada senator said the wrong i'm
preston is conveyed in the headlines
over the story rather than in the article
itself. He said that was because the
information had not been officially OBJ
tained which accounted for any errors
which he knew were wholly uninten-
tional.
Mr. Newland said he had commune
Gated his movement to w. F. Heron.
counsel for the Southern Pacific railroad
aA San Francisco. merely for the purpose
Of securing his opinion to the FEAST
bility of the plan and nothing because
anything had been actually accomplished.
The plan had not reached such proper
tions as the dispatch had indicated and
no definite assurance had been received,
but he had found in New York as else
where much sympathy for the people in
the stricken city and also had discovered
disposition to aid.
Mr.. Hopkins asked a number of ques-
tions intended to bring out the fact that
Mr. Newland's proposition is not different
from the suggestion of few years ago
that Congress should make loans on mort
cages on growing crops. but Mr.. New
lands refused to be drawn into a discus
sion Of that question. He contented him.