The Alaska daily empire., 1914-02-12
Railway Bill Goes
 Over For One Week

WASHINGTON, Feb. 12. - After Q day of brisk debate during the course of which unfriendly amendments were voted down the Alaska railroad bill went over last night until next Wednes- day, February IS. The friends of the measure time after time demonstrated that they had an overwhelming ma jority in the House, but Chairman Will. fam c. Houston, of the House commit tee on Territories, said that the Pres ident desired that there be the fullest discussion possible and he deemed that 1t was best for all concerned that more time be allowed, 80 he would make no further effort to force vote before adjournment The bill will come up again next Wednesday, and 1t is believed that there will be no ef- fort to prevent vote then. Chairman Houston said there Is no question about the final passage of the bill.
 House Adopts One Amendment.
 WASHINGTON, Feb. 12-The House of Representatives adopted only one amendment to the Alaska railroad bill yesterday. All others offered were voted down by the supporters of the measure. The amendment adopted was offered by Representative James R. Mann, the Republican floor leader. It leaves to the discretion of the Pres ident the problem of handling the pro- posed railway after the government builds it.
 In explaining his amendment Mann said that he would leave the question of leasing the road to private persons or it's operation by the government to the President. He pointed out that the President might be confronted with a situation in which the only available lessees would be the Guggenheim in- terests or others who are heavily in- terested in Alaska, and that "in that case he ought to be free to decline to lease 1t at all"
 Several Members Attack Measure.
 The measure was vigorously attack. ed by several members both Democrat. in-ond- -pnnuhlinan-W While most of Republicans, the Democrats opposed to it were put forward to make most of the opposition speeches. Repre- sentatives John L. Burnett, of Ala bama; Walter L. Hensley, of Missouri; Oscar Galloway, of Texas, and Thomas w. Hardwick, of Georgia, Democrats, and Representative Soreno E. Payne, former Republican leader and author of the Payne-Aldrich tariff bill, lead the assault on the bill.
 Representative Payne made the strongest speech against the measure. He characterized 1t as the most rad ical of a series of socialistic propo- ganda adopted by the Democratic par. ty."
 Underwood Champions Blll.
 Democratic Leader Oscar w. Under wood made the principal speech of the day in support of the measure. In in- .cisive and clear cut sentence that characterize his utterances he disposed of the arguments advanced by the op- ponents of the measure in rapid suc' cession. "The suggestion that this bill contains the germ of socialism, said Underwood, takes me back l2 years to the time when we were de, batting the first irrigation bill in this House. The same cry was raised then, but no one today will contend that the government irrigation policy has been failure"
 Underwood said that he would not favor government construction of rail roads in the States of the United , States, because 1t is not necessary for 1t to do so. We have the rail roads and the power to regulate them.
 Would Make Alaska an Asset.
 "Government action is necessary ii Alaska" said MT. Underwood, "in O under to make Alaska an asset in stead of a liability"
 Houston Has Control of Measure.
 Chairman of the House committee on Territories, Representative William c. Houston, of Tennessee, had charg of the bill during the debate and hi leadership was ably seconded by Dem ocratlc Leader Underwood. who wa on the floor and ready with sugge' tions when needed. Republican Leat D CT Mann was in complete harmon with Chairman Houston and Leade
 Underwood in the management of tn
 measure and in their support of 1t. n. Amendments Defeated. 70 All the hostile amendments tha f. were offered by those opposing tn F. passage of the bill were rejected b m emphatic majorities.
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