The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-12-13
WASHINGTON,
News Gathered About the Capital
(ifY

WASHINGTON. Dec. Garland rs
ceived letters from officials Of the
L nited States and states courts o.
Arkansas denying the charges OF
Niles, the separatlonists, that the col
ored people are prevented of eXorciS-
ing their rights under the laws of the
land.
Secretary FoJger is confined to his
house on account of illness.
The Republican senatorial commit
tee appointed to arrange committees
of the Senate will give the chairman
ship eff foreign relations 20 Miller, Of
California, and the postoffices to Hill.
of California. Senator Bowen Is
spoken of for the Craftsmanship on
ways and means but no change Will
be made in the craftsmanship on the
finance committee.
A meeting of members of congress
of the Pacific coast states was held to-
day. Present, Senator Dolph and Sla
ter, Representative George, Rosecrans,
Sumner, Budd, Henley, Tully and Cas-
sidy. Senator Miller presided. The
object is to secure unanimity among
Pacific representative and senators
in respect to legislation in this Con
gress of the interests of the people OF
the Pacific coast, especially in respect
to curing defects in the Chinese re-
striction act. 1t was known that
several members were preparing bills
covering the matter, and it was felt
by those calling the meeting, better
that all representatives of that section
unite on plan OF action. The meet
ing discussed the evasion ofthe law
the furnished certificates by Chinese
authorities emitting them to emigrate
as privileged by law, and agreed on
remedy for the defect in the present
law to be passed by both houses. a
joint Pacific coast delegations commit
tee, consisting of Senator Dolph, Rep
rese1 tatives Henley and Cassidy Was
appoin ted to draw mp the bill and sub
mt it to delegation meeting next
week. They discussed other matters
of local interests among them the
necessities of coast, river and harbor
Improvements and public building.
The Senate committee on rules
completed its report upon the revision
of the Senate rules. Two new COM
mittees are created for internal i'm
provements and expenditure of pub
lie money. To the former is to be re-
ferred all subjects relating to rivers
and harborS, and bills known as river
and harbOr bills, leaving TO the COM
mittee on commerce, now having jul
risdiction OF these suhjsc cts, the con-
sideration of all questions relating to
commerce, shipping, merchant ma
rine, life saving servi and light
houses. The necessity 0i his division
is, in their opinion, very apparent.
American shipping Interests have ap-
pealed to Congress for years for relief
and American commerce is constant
" demanding aid by legislation in
vain. Investigations have been in
stitUted and measures of relief pro-
posed, but the committees on COM
merce from both houses of Congress
are occupied from the opening Of the
session to its close with equally i'm
portant measures.
The bills relating to public lands in
troduced by Senator ingalls,, material
ly simplify the general land Office.
The change of several important par
ticular methods of acquiring title to
public land, first, provides for the re-
peal of theIpre-emption law, but au-
thorizes homeSteads to be acquired by
persons who have made one home
stead, but for any reason have failed
to acquire title, and who, failing I'M
der the special timber culture law,
but permits titles to be perfected in
accordance with the provisions of
that law On all entered before it's pas
sage. The third and last series pro-
poses an amended homestead law by
prohibiting by Communication there
under until two years have elapsed
from date OF settlement, one year of
which must be on record in the land
office. 1t also repeats the provision Of
the law under which local land officers
are allowed to receive reimburse
ments and claims of Accomplishments
they effect. These measures, if they
become law, will be limited, the
amount any single individual can ac-
cede is 100 acres, which may be secured
after two years. actual residence
thereon, by paying $1.25 per acre, or
after five years residence, for nothing.
Under the existing law q citizen may
obtain three claims, one each under
the homestead, presumption and timber
culture laws. He secures timber
| culture claim without residence, and
may purchase presumption and home
stead claims after SIX months actual
residence.
Charges that there has been mis-
appropriation of the $4,000 provided
by the last congress to reimburse the
| Cherokee nation for certain lands
| have been published recently. The
substance of the charge is that in the
distribution of the money by ex-Con-
gresham Phillips. of Kansas, $22, SOC
| was retained by him -, Phillips
| stated t.: iis -. 49, t.-ytl that he
retained tie sum iur ;!iu pay of two
government officials for their inau-
sLce in securing the appropriation. Ii
8 also alleged that Phillips,
~hen pressed ty Col. Boudi-
act, agent of the Cherokee S
| in Washing ton, to tell the names OF
| the OIL ~ial5 to whom he paid money
named s. cretary Tclter and Senator
| DAVIS, of Massachusetts,. These
charges and statements are said tC
have been made by Boudinot, but are
denied. Phillips says he has not
spoken % y )udinot in eleven years
| aud lie commissioner of Indian af.
Fairs saws he DOES not know of any de.
| liciency IN IA land in question.
:3oi.Gii.ui ..aiu 10 statement of thekind
had been made by him, but that Phil
lips stat ed to the Cherokee nation that
1922, 500 had been paid to high officials
at Washington. Secretary Teller and
Senator DAVIS, who indignantly deny
the statements that they have ever
received any portion of the money
announce it as their intention to fine
the authors OF the charges and hold
| them personally responsible.
1
The Mexican Vet rams.