The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1906-08-03
SENATOR HARRIS EMINENT
SERVICES

SENATOR HARRIS EMINENT
SERVICES.
An attempt has been made to dis
parage Senator Harris with the peO-
pie Of Kansas by the partisan fling
that he is a railroad man." mean
ing that ne stands as one defending
their claims as against the rights Of
the people Nothing could be fur
Their from the truth. Read carefully
what follows:
Union and Central Pacific Debts.
As a member Of the committee on
Pacific railroad, Senator Harris in
trOduced a resolution during the ex-
ira session, June p, 1897, request
ing the president to carry out the pro-
visions OF the law Of March 3. 1887,
in regard to foreclosure and redemp-
ton Of the liens prior to that Of the
government This resolution was rem
dered necessary by the fact that an
agreement had been entered into by
Mr. CleyeIand's administration, and the
reorganization committee OF the Pa
ci1c railroad, by which il was agreed
that the government would be salts
fed with a payment Of $45,OOO,OOO
in satisfaction of a debt in round num-
bers Of STO,OOO,OOO. The case had
gone through the United States circuit
court, and a decree ordering the sale
practically on this basis had been
made out by Judge SanbOrn-
The new administration apparently
was paying no attention to the mat
ter, and had permitted il to drift along
till the latter part OF June, 1897. It
seemed absolutely necessary that pub
lie attention should be called to the
matter and some action invoked by
congress, and while the opponents Of
the resolution were able to bring
about an adjournment Immediately
after the Dingley bill was out OF the
way. without permitting a vote on the
hon had #Fm.a
desired effect in attracting public at
tentiOn to the tremendous robbery
contemplated After adjournment the
fight was continued before the presi-
dent and attorney general, and they
were induced by argument and by the
palpable indignation expressed
throughout the country by leading pa
pers, to take some Of the steps indi-
Gated in the resolution and to demand
the pOstpOnement OF the sale until af-
ter the meeting Of congress in Deem
Der The company dared not, in the
case Of the main line, have a further
discussion Of the matter, and so Tar
as the main line was concerned, paid
up the full amount OF the debt on
that portion Of the line Tin round
numbers 5S,OOO,OOO-) The fight was
continued in the matter OF the Kan
sas division with the result that the
amount to be paid was increased from
S2,5OO.OOO, as provided in the de-
face OF the bonds
Senator Harris urged that the fur
Their amount Of S6,TOO,OOO, being the
interest advanced by the government
should also be paid The attorney
general then Mr.. CTrlggS OF New Jer-
sey, took an entirely different view OF
10 from what his predecessor, now
Justice McKenna- had finally reached
in response to the arguments Of Sen
atOr Harris but Attorney General
hot he
eminent would redeem the first mort
gage, and asked that the appoint
ment Of a receiver be made, that the
road might be operated in the inter
est OF the entire debt
This was satisfactory TO Senator
Harris and those who were working
with him. and for a week no further
action was pressed in the senate TO
the establishment OF everyone II was
then announced, just the day before
the sale, that this plan had been aOan-
dOnd and the government through It's
attorneys, had consented TO accept
S6SOO,OOO in full and cOnsenting 70
the loss Of $6,7OO,OOO-
A resolution was then at once in
troduced and forced through the SEN
ate, in spite Of vigorous opposition
EXPRESSING the opinion Of the senate,
that the court should not cOnnrn
such a sale This, however, was us
regarded. and the transaction consum-
mated by Judge SanbOrn; 50 that the
net result was that the government
lost S6,TOO,OOO instead Of $25,0OOsOOV'
as was at first contemplated oy me
railroad people, aSSented TO Dy the
Cleveland administration and also Dy
the Mckinley administration until al
ter the pressure became too great
While this was being done in regard
n the Union Pacific, the General "a
cffc people had succeeded IN having
q hill reported and placed upon the
calendar by Mr.. Gear, Of Iowa, three
DAYS after the extra session was calieo
and before the Pacific Railroad COM
r7fttee had been reorganized, by which
the settlement Of the debt, amounting
10 a net sum of SIS, 100000, was to be
settled by a commission composed OF
the attorney general and the secre-
taries Of the treasury and interior de-
partments, without any limitation or
restriction whatever.
Soon after the regular session IN De-
eember, this bill was reached in the
senate and was at once antagOnized
BY Senator Harris, who moved to re-
commit il to the committee, urging
that il was reported BY the COMMITTEES
when II consisted OF only i've members
and that the four new members OF the
committee had no opportunity to con-
slider the bin as in committee This
motion carried and the bill was sent
back 10 the committee Senator HaF-
RS IN committee took up the fight that
TO settlement should be thus authOri-
zed without requiring the absolute |
and full payment Of the total debt in
as short a time as possible, contend /
ing for a Limitation OF five years at 3
per cent interest He succeeded in
having the bill amended in committee
By requiring that the settlement should
be for the full amount Of the debt.
with 3 per cent interest. but did not
succeed in getting the limitation OF
time
The bill was brought up finally in
-he senate as an amendment To the
general deficiency bill, and the fight
was fEen made for the limitation OF
time. which the senate finally agreed
- place az ten years IN semf-a1nEal
payments So that IN this case the
I-t amount 81 t1e governments debt