New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1886-06-23
CONGRESS.

sSENATE.-The Northern Pacific forfeiture
bill was taken up, and Mr.. Call concluded
his remarks in support OF the proposition
to forfeit all lands not earned within the
time prescribed by congress. Mr.. Mitchell
(Or.) offered an amendment to exclude
from forfeiture the lands coterminous with
the completed portion OF the Cascade
branch He said:
If the company could not complete the
Cascade branch the farmers and prod lcers
of the Pacific Northwest would have to re-
main at the mercy OF the Oregon Railway
and Navigation company. Mr.. Mitchell
discussed the purely legal aspect OF the
question OF the right Of the government to
forfeit.
Mr.. Van Wyck OF Nebraska said:
We had built the lines to the Pacific,
and all the patriots who came to con
gress with propositions to build those lines
professed to be actuated by desire to have
competition, first with the ocean line
and then with the railroad lines. The first
thing the companies did, however was to
combine with one another to destroy the
railroad competition, and then combine to
buy up and corrupt the ocean
line. If congress had a right to
forfeit the land for breach OF the
congress had Il right to date the forfeiture
from the date Of the breach OF conditions,
only taking care OF the rights OF settlers.
Congress ought now to forfeit everything
which it had Il right to forfeit on the 4th Of
July, 1879. He referred to the thigh
sounding resolutions" OF both political
parties passed every four years about
railroad forfeitures and reseryins the pub
lie domain for actual settlers, and con-
trasted these resolutions with the
TACT that neither party ever accom-
plished anything There being a difference
of opinion in the senate as to what should
be forfeited, Mr.. Van Wycl would be prepar-
ed to take the largest measures OF forfeit
ures that the senate was prepared to pass.
Mr.. Mcmillan OF Minnesota said:
Hewould vote against the amendment OF
Mr.. Van Wyck for the reasons stated by Mr..
Sherman and others. He (McMillan) said
that the passage OF that amendment would
be doing great injustice to the people OF
Washington Territory. The matter went
over.
Senator Mitchell of Oregon introduced u
Joint resolution directing the secretary OF
the navy to appoint commission OF three
competent officers to examine the coast
north OF the 42d parallel OF north latitude
in Oregon and Washington Territory and
Alaska and select suitable site for navy
ward.
HoUsE.-A large number OF bills OF no
particular interest were introduced and the
other proceedings were unimDortant.
SENATE.-The senate passed the senate
bill providing for the forfeiture Of all the
lands lying adjacent to the Northern Pa
cific road, from Wallula Junction to Port
land, 224 miles, and all lands .eo-extensive
with that portion OF the Cascade branches
yet unfinished, about fifteen miles. Forty
senators voted in the affirmative and only
Yone-Mr. Blair-in the negative. Van
Wyck' S amendment adding the lands ada
cent to the unfinished portions Of the Cas-.
cade branch adopted.
The bill forfeits about three million acres.
1t also provides for a repeal OF the section
OF the granting act whereby the right of
way OF the road is to go untaxed in the
territories. 1t declares forfeited SO much
OF the lands granted to that company as
ore coserminus with that part of it's main
line which extends from Wallula Junction
to Portland, and that part of the Cascade
branch which shall not have been complet-
ed at the date Of the passage of this bIi.
and makes the right OF. way in the terri
tories subject to taxation. Where persons
are now in possession OF the lands forfeit
ed by the BILL under deeds acquired from
the railroad company they shall have the
right to purchase the lands from the United
States in quantities not exceeding 800 acres
for $3.50 an acre. Nothing in the aetis to
be construed to waive any right OF the
United States to forfeit any other lands
granted to them for failure, past or future
to comply with the conditions of the grant
Mr.. Harrison, from the committee on
territories, reported favorably the house
and senate bills prohibiting special legisla-
ton by the legislatures upon a very large
number OF subjects. In all cases where
q law can be made applicable, no
special laws shall be enacted in
any OF the territories The provisions of
together and cover the above ground SEN
ator Harrison appends an extended report
on the evils OF special legisla ton and fur
nishes letters from the governors ofseveral
territories showing local and county indebt-
edness OF an extensive character as one OF
the bad effects OF the liberal passage by ter
ritorial legislatures OF local laws.
HoUsE.-The legislative, executive and
judicial appropriation bill was proceeded
with. During the discussion the proba bility
OF % large deficiency the coming year was
referred to. A motion to strike out the
appropriation for employees of the land
department. engaged in hunting up fraudu-
lent land entries was rejected.
Mr.. Springer defended Commissioner
Sparks in issuing the order suspending final
action on certain land entries, and main
tanned:
The commissioners was fully warranted in
making the order. The information upon
which it was based was derived from the
agents of the interior department appoint
ed by the previous secretary OF the
interior. Republicans had made the re-
ports containing the information, and not
the hirelinss OF the Democratic party The
fraudulent appropriation OF the public do
main was SO widespread that there was
but one way to meet it, and that was to
suspend final action until it could be found
that the land laws had been complied with
In making his order the commissioner had
saved thousands OF acres from spoli;, ton
and fraudulent entry. For doing this he
should receive the thanks Of the people who
desired the public lands to be held for the
homes OF honest settlers.
SENATE.-The senate passed the pension
and military academy appropriation bills
which disposed OF all the bills OF this charac
ter received from the house.
The house bill repeating the REDEMPTION
timber culture and desert land act was take1
up. The senate committee on public lands
have amended the house bill by substitu.
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