National Republican., 1883-02-23

no warrant under the constitution for such
proceeding, and was sharply answered by
Mr.. Dunn, who characterized the doc
triue Of state rights rs an old fossil In
reply Mr.. Blackburn asserted that Mr.. Dunn
had convinced the house that he was perfect
adept in the art of swallowing every political
doctrine he had ever held for the purpose of
appropriating money from the treasury 10
enrich private citizens.
MIR. Hiscock supported the amendment, de-
claring that he was not in favor of taxing
public money for the improvement Of private
property.
Tho amendment was lost-S2 to SO.
The committo then recurred to the portion
Of the bill relating to the survey of public
lands, which had been passed over informally
On motion of Mr.. Ryan an amendment
was adopted authorizing surveys which
may required for the Identification of land
for the purpose of evidence in any suit or
proceeding on behalf of the United States.
MIR. Brentz offered an amendment provid-
ing that the commissioner of the general land
Office may allow sum of $13 per linear mile
for standard lines for the survey of lands in
Oregon aud Washington territory. Lost.
Mr.. Cassiday moved TO increase the rates 81
per mile ON the various classes of surveys.
Lost.
On motion of Mr.. George, an amendment
was adopted providing that when the COM
missioner of the general land office is unable
to get surveys in Oregon and Washington at
the regular rates he may allow sum not eN-
ceedng S12 per linear mile for standard $40
for township, and SO for section lines.
Mr.. Holman moved to reduce the appro-
priatiOn for surveying the public lands from
Si00,O 600 TO $300,000 Lost.
On motion Of Mr. Dwight, and after discus
sion, tho paragraph making appropriation for
the survey of private land claims in New
Mexico and Arizona was amended so as 10
prohibit any of the appropriation to be used
for the preliminary survey of unconfirmed
private land claims
Mr. Pound offered an amendment repeating
the presumption laws, together with all laws
authorizing the filing of declaratory state
mcnts for the entry of public lands by agent
| or attorney.
Mr.. Washburn advocated the amendment,
contending that the presumption laws should
be repealed. The manner in which the public
lands are taken up under those laws was
perfect scandal. No honest man could file
legitimate claim without being prosecuted by
Adventures and land sharks. Now was the
time to have this matter stopped The public
lands had been dedicated to actual settlers,
and they should be guarded for that purpose.
Congress should shut out this army of harpics
and adventurers, who went out west in
order to sap the life blood of that developing
country.
The amendment was adopted, and is, in its
full text, AS follows:
Prortied, That the. pre- eemptory laws, together
with all avs authorizing the fling of decHratory
statements for entries of the public lands By agent
orat )rne" be-, aud the same hereby, repe led:
i'rOuided JDthtn That this repeal shall not affect
he disposal of lands under treaty stpulatiOns
with Indian tribes nor he deemed to impair any
legal rights heretofore acquired under the laws
hereby repealed; but all existing entries, settle.
meutN, or filings may be perfecIe n upon proper
proof OF the lawful and bona ide character OF said
claims. and of due compliHnce with the pruvis-
such entries, settlements, or filings were made:
And provided Jittier, That any person who has
llde entry of public lands under the homestead
laws, shall have the privilege Of paying the mini
mum price for ths quantity oflaLd so entered at
from the date OF entry aud after act a
residence Improvement, aud cultivation has
been maintained for. period of not less
than two and One.half years after entry; and 1t
| shall be the duty Of the commissioner OF the gem
eral land Office 10 require evidence ofaCtual COM
pliance with the requirements of law IN respect to
setement, residence Improvement, and cultiva-
tion, In MI cases in which title now or may here
after be claimed under the homestead or other
settlement or Improvement laws of the United
States; 1nd prouided Jilrtber That any person. APP
plying for the benefits OF the timber culture laws
shall make his entry in person, at the proper local
actual resident of the county and state or territory
in which the llild Is situated aud that he has not
entered into any contract or agreement to re-
linquish the entry he may make, and that he has
no present or prospective purpose of making
any SuCn rellnuulsnlnCnt; hUu the OUcrns lOr
lie, as matter of trhtG or speculation, OF re-
linqushments fentries made under the provisions
of the timber cutting laws shall be d, emed
prima iacic evidence tIat such entries were made
| for speculative purposes, aud not In good faith,
as required by law, end such entries shall there
| upon be liable TO cancellation by the tonmis.
| sioner Of the general land office, and the llild
covered thereby shall be deemed subject TO cIftry
by the first legal applicant; and the first section
| of the act of May H. 1880 authorizing lands COW
cred by relinqushed claims TO be held as op II
| 10 settlement aud entry without further action by
| the commissioner of the general land Ufllce) aud
all other acts and parts of acts Inconsistent mere
with are hereby repealed And prOpided further,
| that when a timber culture entry shall have once
been mnde on tract OF publIcla subject to such
| entry and the same shall be cancelled or re-
lnquishel, the land covered thereby shall lhereRf
ter be subject TO entry only under the timber cul-
ture laws, and no patent shall be issued for such
land until the requirements of such laws shall
have been fully complied with.
The committee then rose.
RULES.
| Mr.. Robson, from the committee on rules,
reported back the Pound rule, looking to the
passage of bills reported from committees to
| which there are not five objeCtors.
| Laid over under the rules.
The house then, at 4:30, adjourned, and the
republicans Immediately went into caucus.
/ ----N-