The semi-weekly miner., 1886-02-03
THE WORK OF CONGRESS.
Still Pegging Away at Dakota
and the Indians.
MIR. VEST OBJ ECIS
TO the Admission Of New States PRO
posed Uniform Land Law--The
Subject of Convict Labor.


Subject of Convict Labor.
WASHINGTON, January 29.-After the
opening OF the Senate, Mr.. Walthail pre-.
sented the credentials OF reelection of Mr..
George, United States Senator from Missis
sippi. The credentials were read and filed.
MIR. Ingalls,. from the Committee ON Judi.
ciary, reported favorably bill relieving
from political disabilities George 5. storrs,
OF Texas, and on Mr.. Ingalls, motion the
bill passed.
Mr. PIatt submitted a resolution for
reference to the Committee on Rules, and
and it was SO referred, providing that ex-
ecutive nomina tions shall hereafter be con-
sidered in open session.
A resolution offered by Mr.. Edmunds was
agreed to directing the Secretary of the
Navy to transmit to the Senate copies of
the drawings and report OF the recent sur
veys OF the Nicaragua Canal route, made
by Chief Engineer Menscal.
Mr. Call, by request OF the Governor OF
Florida, introduced II bill to authorize the
SECRETARY Of the Treasury to settle and
pay the claims Of Florida on account of
expenditures made to suppress Indian
hostilities. In introducing the bill, Mr.. Call
said IL similar bill had been before the
Forty eighth Congress, but at the request
OF the then Governor Of Florida, was al
lowed to remain Enacted upon because a
Washington claim agent named WALES
claimed com missions amounting to $751;
900 for services in connection with it. As
the amount OF cash allowed by Congress
was only $92 900, there would be little
money left after paying the Commissioners.
Mr.. Call regarded it as a reflection upon the
members of the Senate and House that the
money should be paid or contracted to be
paid for services never rendered in connee-
ton with legisla ton, while the soldiers who
had endured hard service to the State,
and the widows and orphans OF such SOL
diers went unpaid and unprovided for.
THE SIOUX INDIANS.
Proceeding to the calendar, the Senate
resumed the consideration of the bill to
divide the Sioux Indian reservation. Mr..
Logan said if his (Logan's) proposition OF
ten years ago in the Senate had been agreed
to, there would have been no Indian wars
after that time. His proposition then was
that it was made penal offense for any
body to sell guns, or powder. or bullets to
the Indian. That was what was the trouble
in our Indian affairs. In the debate Mr..
Teller said he had met a body of men who
had built and organized free schools
among the Indian tribes, one of which
cost $4,000 and they kept up
the schools by private contributions
furnished by philanthropic people. Mr..
Teller thought it. a burning shame that in
dividual ci izens should be required to con-
tribute to Indian education while the Gov
ernment had itself undertaken that task.
II the Secretary Of the Interior were EN-.
powered to take the Indian boys o'1d s.s,,
and put them into manual la5>.. { h
whether their parents We're willing .-..,,tst,
these children would have cOnst Suited
hostages and would have prevented further
Indian wars. Fifty Apache Indians placed
in such schools would save the nation mil
lions OF dollars.
DAKOTA AGAIN.
At O'Clock Mr.. Vest took the floor on
the Dakota bill. He nisraimed any hos.
tility, personal or political, to the people
of Dakota. and claimed himself friend to
Western men and proud of the western
country and it's magnificent development.
He could show that many brave Union
veterans who were now residing in Dakota
were earnestly opposed to the measure
reported from the Senate Committee on
Territories, and insisted that Congress was
the only power that could say when States
should come into the Union, and took the |
broad ground that no ordinance or treaty |
OF this kind ever could hamper or |
bind Congress in a matter OF SO funda- |
mental a character as this. Mr.. Vest
compared the position assumed by |
Dakota with that of Montana, to show
that the latter Territory had acted in
respectful and constitutional manner, al
though he said he would be compelled to
vote against the admission of Montana
until it had population at least equal to
the unit of representation in the Lower
House OF Congress. In conclusion Mr.. Vest
said he would hereafter submit prnpo-
sition to divide the Territory by line
running north and south Oh the 1O1st
parallel OF longitude SO as to provide for
keeping the unsettled western side in a..Ter-
ritorial condition. Mr.. Logan then took
the floor, but gave way for motion to
adjourn. The Senate accordingly ad.
journed until Monday.
THE PUBLIC LAND SUBJECT.
The Senate Committee on Public Lands,
which has been giving great deal of study
to the present condition OF the land laws
and the manner in which they are being
enforced. some days ago appointed sub
to draw up Il single measure
that would remedy all the faults in the ex-
listing legislation. SD Tar possible. The
has prepared bill which will be
reported favorably to the Senate. 1t re-
peals all laws providing for the pre-emp-
tion OF the public lands and the laws allow
ing entries for timber culture and other
purposes. 1t is provided, however, that
this repeal shall not a fleet anv valid rights
b, retofnre accrued under said laws, but all
bona fIe claims lawfully initiated before
July l, 1886. may be perfected upon due
compliance with the law, in the same man
ner, upon the same terms and conditions,
and subject to the same limitations, for
Ieitures and contests as il this act had not
been passed.
One section Of the proposed bill amends
the act for the settlement of desert lands,
and requires that persons filing on desert
and shall reside thereon for five years. and
during that period cutivates said tract, and
that he or she must be citizen Of the
United States. 1t also provides that the
party filing upon lands under this section
shall make his residence upon the sam
within twelve months after filing, and that
residence thereafter shall he continuous.
Any failure to reside upon the land for
more than six months shall work forfeit
lre No person shall be entitled to enter
more than 32O acres of land, and that is to
be in compact form. This act shall only
apply to California, Oregon, Colorado and
Nevada and the Territories OF Washington, [
daho, Montana. Utah, Wyoming, Arizona, {
View Mexico and Dakota.
House. !
Alter a few private measures had been 6
eported by the commit ees, the House at '
80 went into committee of the whole on q
he private calendar The first measure on I
he calendar was McMillan's bill, providing r
Or the payment OF Fourth OF July t
laims. v
Geddes explained that the bill comprised Y