The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1886-07-18
CAPITAL CHATTER.
Committee Reports to Con-
gress on Saturday.
STILL DIRECTING TO vETOES.
,....5iucs in the senate and House
ar Raprssentativss-A Special
Count
r,nm the CAPITAL.

WasHIE6ToS, July IL. - Senator
D,ves from the committee on Indian
sF,irs. today, submitted a report to
the Senate. recommending the pas
..ge over the Presidents veto,
nj the bill, granting railroads
The right Of way through the Indian
-sseryation in Northern Montana. The
-aport SAYS it will be observed that the
hill IN ser consideration is an attempt
= spply to this Indian reservation the
general law granting railroads the right
0f wav through the public lands OF the
United STATES, and that whatever criti-
cism can properly be made on the gen
eraI character Of the bill lies with equal
force against the eXisti-.- law. This
Jaw. the report says, L existed now
for more than ten years md no com
plants Of Its operations have been
heard in any quarter, 1t was IN the
lin Of a broad and liberal pohcy'
invited capital and enterprise TO
push railroads into public domain
EheraeVer there was reasonable nope
10 expect that development would pro
duce business enough 70 justify the out
Isv The beneficial results of that
p0licy have been 80 marked in the rapid
Settlement Of the public domain and the
dsyelopement of the resources of the
country. that no man has hitherto sug
gested il be sbandored. Nor has it
been discovered, heretofore, that specu-
lating corporations would be enabled TO
seek out and secure the right OF way
over the natural and most feasible
routes, with no present intention
OF constructing railroads along such
lines, out with view of holding
their advantageous estimates for dis
posaI at some future time TO some other
corpora ion for a valuable cODsidera-
ton. If the objection raised by the
President, that The bill allows any rail
road company to survey and construct
routes Of travel without check, be true.
il is impossible TO see how any railroad
corporation, or any other corporation,
can choose the most feasible routes, or
can, BY taking possession in advance,
compel any other corporation to pur-
chase OF 1t any right to build railroad,
when the bill cOnfers that right without
the purchase, and provides amply
against any attempt at the monopoliZa-
ton Of rights. The committee
ihink these two objections inconsistent,
and on. reiuted by the other. as TO the
objection raised by the President that
the bill involves the rights OF Indians
and ignores their night to be consulted
as t1the disposition of their lands, the
report quotes from the treaty by which
these Indians occupy their lands which
expressly recognizes the right OF the
United States 20 construct roads within
the reservation. It is difficult, there
fore, to imagine what right OF the In
dams has been OF could be.lnvaded. In
order 10 remove any possible com
plant on the part of the Indians,
however, the law provides Tor
compensation to the Indians for any
possible right of way they may have
conceived they have. Tbs objection OF
the President that the bill invites a
general invasion of the Indian country
and brings into contact and intercourse
with the Indians class OF whites who
are independent of order, regulations,
and control of resident agents, does not
appear to the committee sound. They
say the cay oil isolation for the Indian
has passed, and on the contrary the
present policy OF dealing with the In
dams Is 10 bring them as fast,
and at as many points as possible,
in contact with CIVILIZATION, and
every facility of intercourse aud sub
lection to law which now covers the
white men and the Indians alike should
be permitted. The committee also
note the fact thst on the day this bill
was vetoed, the President signed bill
allowing thesconsl ructiOn OF a railroad
through the Indian Territory, regard
ing which the Indians were not con-
suited.
Davis. Of Massachusetts,, from the
committee on commerce, to-day re
ported favorably to the House the bill
20 protect the freedom of commercial
intercourse. The report says that by
the act Of June 18Th, last. the P esident
Is authorized TO issue his proclamation
excluding vessels from foreign countries
from the exercise OF commercial priv
leges in United States ports in certain
contingencies, but the bill. which is now
reported, while adopting the principle
Of that act. enlarges the scope OF its ap-
plication in order that the President
may have ample power, wherever our
vessels are denied commercial rights IN
any port Of a foreign country, TO pro-
tect our commercial interests by the
employment Of the most comprehenslve
and vigorous measures In their oehah.
Breckenridge, OF Kentucky, to-day re-
ported from the committee on ways no
means, with a favorable report, the
bill reducing from 90 to so cents
the tax on spirits distilled
from apples. peaches and other
fruits, and for other purposes. The
BIZ allows q draw back on all original
unbroken packages OF Zach spirits is
may be in the hands of the manutac-
turers at the date Of its passage. The
last section permits the farmers to sell
leaf tobac- o of Il Ell own production or
that taken bY@hem as rent or any per
son not hceN ed manufacturer.
Combinations: owen I. Rouse,
United States Attorney for Arizona, A.
II. Baker, Receiver Of Public Money at
Grand Island, Neb.. D. W. Taylor
Surveyor-General of Oregon and Geo.
L. Wright, Postmaster at Denison,
Colo.