The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-02-23

An Imporfaut Measure Introduced by
senator Edmunds-The Lobby Worhing
for it's Defeat How The Nomination fer
surveyor General of New Mexico IL En-
volved.-Motive Il the Opposisiea %
Clarence Puilen.
Washington Correspondence of the New York
Times)
The bill introduced by Senator Edmunds,
which recently passed the Senate, entitled "a
bill to provide for sscertsinng aud settling pri-
vate land claims in certain States and Terrific
ries," is q move intended to effect = prompt
and equitable settlement Of laud claims held
under Spanish and Mexican titles in the terri.
tory ceded under the treaty Of Guadalupe Hi
dalgo and the Gadsden purchase. IL applies to
New Mexico, Wyoming, Arizona and Utah,
aud the States of Nevada and California. The
essential features OF the bill are that all claim
ants SHALL within three years after the taking
effect Of the act present their claims and proofs
to the courts; all proper Indian titles shall be
respected no claim shall be allowed for any
land the right to which has been heretofore
lawfully decided by Congress; no claim shall
be allowed fJr more than II square leagues Of
land, (about 48,00 acres,) nor for q greater
quantity than was authorized by the respective
laws OF Spain and Mexico applicable TO the
claim. It diminishes also the present extraor-
dinary powers and responsibilities vested In the
Surveyors-General. II provides that all min
eral rights In land grants shall be reserved to
the Government. AS matter OF course such
bill meets the opposition of a powerfuI lohbv.
,n,.;.h =, Al, ... - IA, 3, a.; a. L.. NJ.
""''" W." w W nj" ~ !" '"e t.ou'o' AHs
man nsld OF the operation OF tne OIL Will %
New Mexico which Is experiencing the worst
avils of the land GRANT svs,sm. and which hs.
-. ~. .,,a.,.. !,
oeo" .no s"eS'e Vi W. n"e' n"sol'"us ABUSES.
Here has been carried on, far beyond else
where the manufacture aud forqeries OF titlec
the enlargement OF boundaries. and the de-
struciion of archives Such lands IS have bes n
lsft to be- surgeyed as Government domain
have only been thrown open for settlement af-
ter those wafer aud timber rights which make
them valuable have been scared in tn. ring
that emo relies the Santa Fa Land Ofica M
Congress mas bitherto been found that wonld
enact effective laws compelling a proving OF
title. and no Secretary OF the Interior has bren
willing to use his Do ser TO remedy even the
most fl aerspt abuses. but has aDpsrentIv nrn-
Ierrsd tS regard New Mar;co nuraIv as Ha,d
of d,snos.1 ~ that nnssvorv poi;t,csI ra,,on-
ave which having bean nrovt.ad Tor 4. ha.t
ont of sight-
Tnoaa vho -ra asnac; al " intarastad In thu
nernetuation in New Maxico of the present
stats Of things are 6ghtins the Edmunds bili
on tpn linss The sr.t Is simnlV to da1sat tbs
Hill ~. -, a,,a.r+n,,,s, 4, - .. ~ s -
t,sS conS;,;on Tbau kava a.a.p,b;na .. "a.
y. A." Tha, ysa,,,, "a,o ~ ',.
eS,S ot .": az SeaaS 's"i,; W
nsnt 81 ,ha ",rspg,h - Shsir "iSTs 900.
t-s.,, contionsS % nsssss,oa rha sros,xes" -
time Ind. n. br;no the death at wi,nsssss ~.
destrnction nf docnmentss and the wasr;ng css
N conntsy-elaim mans. Ths o,har i'm i. as ~
Jnrt to snhst,tnta for the Eimnnds h;Ii q co,r-
n,;ss,on sn,nora,ad 10 re sv;dsnce "a -.
-,,., a. ,,aI;5;.- - Ia "a ,l.;,.,, n -....r4
,1,s sa9 th Es'n,Js W ,an ~, 0'is !. u.s..