The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1883-01-07
TELEGRAPHIC Jews.
The Question OF Their Forfeit
ure.

Washington, 6-Last Juae bare ma
ioritv reported to the House that congress
has the right to declare the forfeiture VI
unpstentsd lands granted TO the Northern
Pacific Railroad If q forfeiture were nee
essary 10 secure the eedy completion of
the RIA if might give them to another
company, sell them and apply he pro-
ceeds, provided lheg we're sdjudged
needful to secure tee compilation OF the
road, was, they ssid, the purpose and
in ention of the act granting the lands
and all the conditions imposed were
fra med with that end i'm view. The
United States did not want TO recover its
lands. ItSwanted q great th0rOuebfare
ACROSS The continent and took every pre-
caution to secure its completion. Holding
thee views the majority of the commit
tee believed no legislation would hasten
The accomplishment of the object, and
therefore reported back none Of the bills
or resolutions that had been referred TO
then, bout month later Townsend.
McCord, Lulbertson, Hammond, Knott,
ard Manning submitted report in
which they ably discussed the questions
involved aad concluded that congress ad
the absolute right 20 declare the title TO ali
unpatented lands in the grant forfeited 10
the United States so the lands be re-
stored to the public domain and opened
TO sale and settlement, and the further
right TO take any steps that may be
deemed advisable TO secure the speedy
completion of the road. AS to the ex-
pediency of declaring the forfeiture the
msjority reported that information neces-
ssry for the determine ton of thai ques-
I Ffcy, he ~ h,or, h., if4aA - ho
mittee because the majority had decided
that Congress had no right TO absolute
! forfeiture. Knott was disp essed with
the position in which tae question was
placed by the action of the majority,
a7d to improve TIE proclsmat0ry situa-
ton end prevent the question being
lsmothered by Reed. and those who fol-
! lowed his leadership by favocing the
Northern Pacific Company, he prepared
q supplemental report, which discussed
the eXpediency of declaring the forfeiture
Of unpstented lands granted to that COM
psny and offered q joint resolution for
mally declaring the forfeiture. This res
olution of forfeiture was concuTred in by
Townsend. Payson, Hammond, Cul6er-
Ison and Manning, six members Of the
Icommittee, and en- effort was made to
have it placed upon the calendar in the
House, so that in the course of business
| the question might be reached And acted
upon. This was resisted by Reed and by
the rulings Of Speaker Keller. The ques-
ton was buried SO far as Reed
and his colleagues could do it. The fact
that leading republicans like Payson and
Reed held opposite opinions on the
Iquestion of the forfeiture of these grants
and the recent activity of Payson IN re-
vising the controversy, has led to the
impression in the public mind that the
difficulty in bringing the question at
issue before the House was merely dis
agreement among republican members
of the committee in which democrats are
entirely passive. The facts are, msjo-
rity Of the republican committee men are
committed to the opinion that the United
States has not right to declare the for
fixture of the lands notwithstanding the
breach of conditions upon which they
were granted. Seven Of the fifteen mem
bars of the committee, FIVE democrats and
1.-TWO republicans, dlssented from this view,
and one democrat is not fully committed
leither for or against forfeiture Payson,
fCulberson, Townsend and Knott are
anxious to have the whole question re-
viewed, so as TO secure, If possible, some
definite action by the com mittee, and the
House before the close of the session. TO
this end Knott asked the COMMITTEES to
take up his resolution at the committee
meeting. Reed objected to reopening the
question and will doubtless do what he
can to prevent KNOTS resolution from
being reported and placed Oh the calen
dsr, but the tone of the discussion in the
committee was encouraging to its sdvo-
Gates, and the matter will be pressed
upon the committee at the next oppor.
tunity. Townshend and Payson are
pleased with the prospect, and other
members of the committee think the
House would be inclined to adopt the
resolution of forfeiture, if it could be
gotten out of the committee.