The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-24
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS.
THE SENATE.
A Flag Made of American Silk.-The Okla
homa Land Question.

uoLnA Lana question:
WASHINGTON, Jan. 23-The chair laid before
the Senate memorial of the Womens' Silk
Culture Association of the United States. The
memorial recites the great success of the efforts
of the Silk Culture Association in the homes Of
this country and Graves the good will, influence
and aid of Congress in tho development of an
industry so important to the women and chill
dren of the United States The memorial begs
the Senate to accept truly American national
flag, made of silk raised in American homes by
American women and children, reeled, spun,
dyed woven and mounted in Philadelphia
The flag, which is large and handsome one.
was borne to the presiding officers desk, and
was the subject of much admiration both from
the floor and the galleries.
MP. Beck offered resolution expressing the
high appreciation and thanks of the Senate for
the flag, and admiration for the efforts and sue
cess of the Womens Silk Culture Association
in their patriotic purpose to ameliorate the in
dustrial condition of their countrywomen and
enlarge and diversity female employment in the
United States
Mr.. Morgan, in a feeling and happy manner
welcomed the flag, with all that it meant, to the
hall OF the Senate. There was time, he said
when he was acting in hostility to the flag, but
that time would never again come. The senti-
ment which it embodied in the form now pre-
scented to the Senate was one that added
strength to the bond of union between the States
and intensified that love of country that every
American should be proud to feel and express.
Dir. Dawes congratulated the country on the
great advance made in silk culture in so short
time, it being only few years since the work
was undertaken.
Mr.. Beck's resolution was then agreed to-
The Chair laid before the Senate Mr.. Vests
resolution heretofore offered, to authorize the
Secretary of the Interior to ascertain upon what
terms the Creek and Seminole Indians would
surrender their remaining interest in the Okla
homa lands,
Mr.. Vest amended the resolution so as to in
clude the Cherokee nation in the inquiry.
Mr.. Sherman: This is SO important matter
that the resolution and all amendments that
might be offered to it should go to the committee
on Indian affairs for serious and deliberate con-
sideration.
Mr.. Plumb offered a substitute for Mr.. Vests
resolution. The substitute requests the Presi-
dent to enter, as speedily as possible, into nego
tiations with such Indian tribes as may be in
possession of more lands than enough to give
each head of family 160 acres with view to
using such surplus lands Tor actual settlers only,
and requests the President to act in the matter
as speedily as possible and report to Congress
such propositions as he may receive.
Mr.. Conger opposed all resolutinos on the sub
ject. They excited, he said, the cupidity of men
whose cupidity did not need stimulus 1t was
but a crude way of inviting people to join the
be enough of them to swallow up the little army
of the United States not to mention the Indians
1t was q bold-faced scheme for robbing the
Indians of the lands the American people had
set apart for them There was land enough for
the white people. He denounced the whole sys-
tenn as depriying the Indians of their lands
whether to accommodate the Oklahoma boomers
or the pleuro- pneumonia cattle of Texas.
Mr.. ingalls, repealed these imputations. We
We're a rapacious race, Mr.. Ingalls, said We
had crossed the whole continent in two centu-
ries, expelling or assimilating other races. We
had now practically reached the limit of the
public domain. He doubted whether,
outside of the Indian Territory there
and presumption, and these would be absorbed in
five years. The spirit which Mr.. Conger had at
trlbuted to the movement now under criticism,
was, in Mr.. Ingalls, opinion, outside a legitimate
policy was continental one. Mr.. Ingalls, did
not know but that within lifetime persons
would see the growth of thehemispherical policy.
Whatever name or shape it may assume, moth
ing could stand the irresistible march of the
Anglo-Sax race, andwhile Mr.. Ingalls, believed
these Oklahoma settlers were trespassers and in
vaders, and were on the land in violation of law
yet many of them had been imposed upon by
schem1ng leaders and believe themselves legally
entitled to enter the land Mr. ingalls, would
not have wrong done the Indians. He gave his
cordial support to the resolution.
Mr.. Plumb supported his resolution, said it
was In accordance with fitness, and, what was
more, with the necessity of things. It was in
tended not to wrong, but to do justice to the
Indians.
MIR. Vest replying to Mr.. Conger said cpl
thets were not argument nor could abuse be
made logic. His (Mr. Vest's) resolution was in
tended for the good of the Indians, and any
statement to the contrary could only arise from
gross ignorance in regard to the whole matter
A delegate of the Creek nation had this morn
ing, written Mr.. Vest thanking him for what
he had said in the Senate yesterday on the
subject, and representatives of the Greeks and
Seminoles had filed in the Interior Department
Vest N'''e '''' ''''''A 'Dss''''a " A'f
Mr.. Conger said she feared the Greeks even
when bringing gifts" and he feared the Wash
ington representatives of Indian tribes, even if
they did write to Mr. Vest. The policy outlined
by the resolution was, in Mr.. Conger's opinion,
the Rob Roy policy, because
The good old rule suficeth them Che sample plan
That they should take who have the power,
And they should keep who can.
Replying to Mr. Ingallss remarks, MIR. Conger
said the question was evidently to be regarded
as matter of manifest destiny" This was
treating it as Charles Lamb had treated the sub
ject of murder-as "a fine art"
Mr.. ingalls, raised laugh at Mr.. Conger's ex
pense. by interpreting with the remark that he
had been under the impression that it was
De Quincy who had 50 treated murder
Mr.. Conger, in acknowledging the correction,
complimenled Mr.. Ingalls's memory; that sena-
tors remarks showed that the question how to
get possession of the Indian lands was now to
be treated as a fine art
After further debate the resolutions of Messrs.
Vest and Plumb were referred 70 the committee
on Indian affairs.
The Senate went into executive session, and
when the doors reopened adjourned.