The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-06-11

plete a journey for which he had pur-
chased a ticket. to refund to such pas
senger the difference between what he
had paid for the ticket and the regu-
lar price of ticket for the journey he
had actually Travelled. The roll call
which is criticized evidently refers to
the one ordering the previous question.
l voted for the previous question,
which was to close the debate and
place the bill on it's passage. After
the previous question was ordered there
was 40 minutes debate upon the bill
The bill was then passed by a vote of
not by roll call, although voted for
the BILL No criticism is made on this
hnal vote. believed the measure to
be good one in the interest of honest
business transactions and it undoubt-
edly was in the interest of progress
and advanced business morals. Why
should be criticized for my action on
this bill by reformer, do not know.
The Sioux City and Pacific Railroad
Indebtedness.
This is the charge in the article:
| "A part of the Chicago G North
| western railroad (Unien Pacific con-
| troD was trying to get out of settling
| q Just debt OF over four million dol
lars to the government and was trying
to get commission appointed which
would settle and not report the set
Element Of the claim to congress for
confirmation. 1t was an attempt to
avoid publicity and settle on the quiet
4 On page 1880 of the record of the
56th congress. volume SO. is found
Longs vote in favor Of the railroad S
kind of settlement and against the
/ people. Wall street needed Long and
it had him.
| This bill created a commission
which was authorized and empowered
| to make settlement of the Sioux City
| & Pacific Railroad companys fndebt-
| edness to the United States. The COM
mission was to consist of the secre-
tary of the treasury, the attorney gen.
eral and the secretary of the interior.
| The bill became law and it contain
ed this provision when I voted for
it in the house (Record, Vol. 33, page
| 3977):
Provided that they (the commits
stony deem the same for the best in
1 terests of the government; and when
| such settlement is approved by the
president it shall become operative,
and the attorney general shall make
| the necessary acQuittanceS to said
railroad company"
The Sioux City & Pacific railroad
| was built under the land and subsidy
grants to the Union Pacific, it being
out of the branches authorized by
those acts to be built from the Mis-
souri, river to the Tooth meridian. 1t
| extended from Sioux City, Iowa, to
| Hastings, Neb., about one hundred
miles. It was exactly similar to the
Kansas Pacific. which was a branch
| of the Union Pacific authorized by the
same acts, to be built from Kansas
City to a junction with the Missouri
| Pacific on the Tooth meridian. The
| indebtedness of the Union Pacific and
the indebtedness of the Kansas Pacific
were settled by a lawsuit in the
courts. The government received the
| full amount of the principal and in
terest due on the Union Pacific part
| of the line and on the Kansas Pacific
| it only received the principal WITHOUT
any interest The Indebtedness to the
| government on the Central PACING
and Western Pacific roads was settled
by a commission consisting of the sec
| rotary of the treasury, the secretary
| of the interior and the attorney gen.
| eral. a similar commission to the one
| created for the settlement of the Sioux
/ CITY & Pacific Indebtedness. The
commission that settled the Union
Pacific Indebtedness did not report to
| congress. but to the president. who
| approved the settlement. The total
Indebtedness of the Sioux City & Pa
! cffic railroad which this commission
/ was to settle was $4,24O, 70S.OO. When
the bin was pending in the house Mr..
Powers who reported 1t, said (Record,
| page 1870:
II would say, Mr.. Speaker, that the
bill provides for the appointment of
comrnission consisting OF the secre-
1 tarv of the treasury, the attorney gen.
| erai and the secretary of the interior.
| TO settle the indebtedness in favor OF
the government against the Sioux City
e Pacific railroad company. which
| amounts in round numbers to about
| s4o0O.O00. The committee on PACING
! railroads. presents this as unanimous
n hr1fY e1a