Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-05-17
THE LAND oUhsrIoN.
How Certain Senators have Attempted
to Delay Action.

How Certain Senators Have a attempted
to Delay Action
toD. From he NeD York Herald
WASHINGTON, May 19.-How gingerly
the Senate deals with corporations in the
matter OF forfelting land grants was
shown by your correspondent on Monday
by the story of the Southern forfeiture
bill. That bill sumbered in the Senate
committee during whole Cougress-two
years--and was of course killed. 1t was
passed again by the present House early
last January, again lay in the Senate
com mittee nearly four months, and was
only reported the other day because the
press besan to ask ugly questions. When
at last reported it exempted the Gulf and
Ship island lands from forfeiture,
against right and reason, and
hlOr the benefit OF a merely spec
ulative corporation which has per
suaded the Legislature of Mississippi to
1--WE it these lands at cents an acre and
fgiye 1t the use of convict labor TO build
the road. .-er
Inc senate Committee on Pablo Lands
is apparently acting In a similar way
|. with r. spect TO the Atlantic and Pacific
forfeiture bill. This bill, wht ch justly
Ceclaims to the public domain 100000
Of acres OF lands, passed the House in the
first session of the last Congress two
wears ago and went to the Senate. IL lay
IN tAe Public Lands Committee during the
wbOleof that long session unreported To
the Senate. Finally. during the second
session--that is 10 say, a full year after
Il had passed the HOuse--it was reported
70 the Senate, but with cunning amend
ment that all questions connected with
this grant shouidbe sent 10 the Federal
courts for adjudication, and none of the
land should Oa opened to settlement until
| all questions were decided III court.
This amendmgnt was tackled on the bill
I 10 the face OF the fact that there is not an
equity asserted by either settler or a
l'nOndhoider as against any hand affected
by the forfeiture. The amendment would
open the door to ,intermnable litigation
and keep settlers off the land probably for
generation. If it means anything it
means a declaration by Congress that it
is Incapable of declaring forfeiture with
out the consent OF the courts.
The House refused to consent TO the
amendment. In the conference commit
Tee, in which, Of course, the Senate was
represented by Senators from the Public
Lands Committee, these refused to allow
be senate to recede.. The result was
that the bill was lost. -..
This year the HOuse passed the same
bill early in February by a nearly uuani-
nous vote. the public attention is
50 steadily fixed on land matters this year
tbatthe Senate committee recently re-
ported the bill TO the senate, aud Lhis time
without MIR. Morgan's amendment hostile
TO the peoples rights. MIR. Morgan, how
ever, brought in a minority report IN favor
OF his amendment, and 1t is understood
will offer the amendment If ever the COM
miItee call the bill up for action.
This it has not done, and yet it is so
plain and just a measure that 1t could be
passed in ten minutes; unless, indeed, it'
should take Mr.. Morgan two or three days
tQeXplain why he sticks so tenaciously
TO an amendment hostile TO the peoples
rights and in which no one but the coTpo-
ration is interested. AS be knows that
the House will not agree 20 his amend
ment, his object is unintelligible, except
it he to save the lands to the railroad cor
p0raton byQnce more causing The forfeit
ure bill to fail.
There are members Of the Public
Lands Committee who are believed 20 be
faithful 20 the peoples interests and
rights. There are other memb ers who
nave shown themselves on several eeca.
siQns friends Of corporations and against
the people. iva e.. 81