Mr. Thompson: I move as an amendment to strike out of the report that part of it which relates to the amendment of the Constitution and By-Laws. (Seconded.) The Chairman: It has been moved by Mr. Thompson and seconded that all that portion of the report which relates to the Constitution and By-Laws be stricken out. Mr. Green: That is simply a repetition of Mr. Wyman's motion. A rising vote was taken upon Mr. Thompson's motion. There were forty-one ayes and eighteen nays. The Chairman: The motion is carried. The motion is carried. Now the question is on the adoption of the report since that portion has been stricken out. Mr. Hurt: I want to offer a substitute for that report. Will you please state what portion of the report will be submitted? The Chairman: If I understand it Mr. Hurt: I offer as a substitute to the report that we take the sense of this Convention first upon the proposition to see how many gentlemen here will subscribe for their companies $100 apiece, all upon condition that we are going to raise the whole amount. After that we will take subscriptions of $50 apiece, and when that is finished we will take $25 apiece. There are parties here who are willing to supply funds to this Association, and I am willing to subscribe a portion on condition that we raise the amount required. The Chairman of the Committee has said that there are conditions made by those making the subscriptions. I do not mean to misquote because I have great esteem for Mr. Harrison's purpose to be accurate about this, but I move now to substitute for this report-I propose to raise this money here and to give these gentlemen a chance to do it. How much is it? Will somebody tell me? I hear it is $4,087. Mr. Hamilton: Call it $6,000. Mr. Hurt Say $5,000. Now I move to amend that we take the sense of this Convention to see how many gentlemen will subscribe $100. Some corporations being a combination of several may give more than that amount. I want to clean up this matter. Seconded. Mr. Thompson: And then permit the gentlemen who can only pay $50 to pay $50, and then call for those who can pay $25. Mr. Harrison: I rise to a point of order. The report cannot be amended in that way. We must complete its adoption. Mr. Hurt I did not propose to amend it. report. The Association cannot amend that The Chairman: Mr. Hurt made that as a substitute. Gentlemen, if you will bear with me only a minute. I don't care anything about parliamentary rules. This is a plain business proposition. We owe so much money and I want every gentleman on this floor to be heard. I do not care anything about substitutes or amendments. I have not been in the legislature and I do not want to go there. If the gentlemen are not satisfied I will take the floor myself. Mr. Goff: I move that the report of the Committee be laid on the table, The Chairman: No, sir; no, sir, the question is on Mr. Hurt's substitute now. Mr. Hurt: I withdraw the substitute in order to give the gentleman a chance to introduce his motion. Mr. Goff: I move you that the balance of the report of the Committee be laid on the table. That will enable Mr. Hurt's matter to be brought before us. Mr. Goff's motion was put to a rising vote. Mr. Harrison: I vote on this question, but I raise the point of order. There were 37 ayes and II nays. The Chairman: The ayes have it. Mr. Hurt: Now sir, I move you that the concensus of this meeting be taken on the proposition to see how many companies here are willing to subscribe $100 a piece. We then propose to see how many will subscribe $50 and after that, if we have not raised the money, we will see how many will subscribe less, with the understanding that we raise the whole of the money here. Mr. Dodge I represent a road that takes in $300,000 a year. I would like to subscribe $15 for every $100,000. If every member would do that we could raise this in five minutes. Mr. Hurt: I am willing to withdraw the proposition I made in favor of the one just offered with the distinct understanding that if his motion does not prevail-I want to see how liberal these gentlemen are that I may renew my motion. The gentleman can amend the motion, but I hope the gentleman will hear me a moment on my original motion. I am satisfied there are companies here that would not come into that proposition and yet will subscribe liberally, possibly more than any one else. I do not want to kill the measure. I will amend my motion to make it $100 first, $50 next, $25 next, $15 next, and $10 if necessary until we get the money, upon the condition that all the funds are raised here. Mr. Thompson: I second it. Mr. Scullin: I second it. Mr. Dodge: I would like to insist on my motion, and I would like to insist upon it for this reason. I want to see this debt paid, and I want to see it paid in fifteen minutes and it can be done. My proposition is that for every $100,000 of receipts each company pay $15. After the Secretary has figured that up and it is found that it will not pay the debt, then let these gentlemen who are able to pay more than $15 for every $100,000 get up and say what they will do. That will fix it in fifteen minutes and the whole debt will be wiped out. Seconded. Mr. Mulhern: I hope that motion will not prevail. Corporations do not wish to make public what the receipts of their roads are. I say that Mr. Hurt is right in his motion here before the house. Some will give $100, some $50 and some smaller sums. Mr. Green The gentleman who has just spoken does not want to make public the receipts of his road The Chairman: Do you want to make a motion? Mr. Green: I want to answer the gentleman now. did not want the receipts of his road known. But it is a matter of public notoriety. Roads have to furnish a sworn He statement of the number of passengers they carry and the amount received, every quarter. Several Members: Not in every state. The Chairman: Mr. Dodge's amendment, gentlemen, as I understand it, is now in order. Mr. Dodge's amendment is that the subscription be $15 upon every $100,000 of gross receipts. Are you ready for the question? The Chair put the question and the motion was lost. Mr. Seely Mr. Chairman, the old Executive Committee are responsible for this indebtedness. Do you want to saddle this debt on the new Committee? Let the old Committee take it and settle their debt. It has got to be paid. Each and every member of this Association is individually liable for this debt and can be sued. Mr. Jenkins I have listened to this discussion and I have not got in my mind how much money you are going to raise? Mr. Hurt The motion was to make it $5,000. $5,000 will cover the deficit and will put the Executive Committee certainly in much better condition than it was in last year. Mr. Jenkins: Will $5,000 cover it? The Chairman : I think not. $4,087.30. The present deficit is Mr. Jenkins: Some suggest that $5,000 will not cover it. Some suggest that $6,000 will not cover it. What will cover it? Mr. Hamilton: The $4,087 deficit is only up to the 14th day of the month. The Chairman: The question now is on Mr. Hurt's motion. All in favor of the same will signify by rising. Mr. Hurt: I think some of the gentlemen do not understand my motion. It is that the whole proposition be placed as I have recited-not that they are now voting to give $100. Mr. Hurt's motion was read by the stenographer. It was then put to a vote and carried unanimously. Union Depot Railroad Co., St. Louis, Mo... $200 100 Increase St. Louis subscriptions (by Mr. McCulloch). 100 Chicago City Railway Co., Chicago, Ill....... 200 South Covington & Cincinnati Street Railway Co., Cincinnati, O. 100 Camden, Gloucester & Woodbury Railway Co., Camden, N. J... 150 150 100 100 100 Twin City Rapid Transit Co., Minneapolis Division, Minneapolis, Minn..... 200 Twin City Rapid Transit Co., St. Paul Division, Minneapolis, 200 Wilkes-Barre & Wyoming Valley Traction Co.,Wilkes-Barre, Pa. Southern Electric Railway Co., St. Louis, Mo... 100 North Chicago Street Railroad Co., Chicago, Ill... 100 100 Montreal Street Railway Co., Montreal, Can.. 100 Atlantic Avenue Railroad Co., Brooklyn, N. Y. 100 100 Bridgeport Traction Co., Bridgeport, Conn.. 50 Newark & South Orange Railway Co., Jersey City, N. J... 50 50 50 Manchester Street Railway Co., Manchester, N. H.. Brooklyn City & Newtown Railroad Co., Brooklyn, N. Y.. 50 Consolidated Street Railway Co., Worcester, Mass. 50 Citizens' Street Railroad Co., Indianapolis, Ind............ Terre Haute Electric Railway Co., Terre Haute, Ind. |