The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-12-14
OKLAHOMA LANDS.
A Proposition to Open Them tc
Soldiers Under Fire.

A Proposition to open Them to
Soldiers Under Fire.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 13.-After the trans
action of some routine business, the House
to-day proceeded to consideration of the
Oklahoma bill il committee of the whole.
Mr.. Hooker Of Mississippi offered an
amendment providing that unoccupie d
lands west of the 96th' of west longitude be
opened to settlement by consent of the
Cherokee Indians, or other tribe or tribe 8,
having an interest Their in, which shall first
be Obtained by q commission to be APP
pointed by the president
After a long discussion, and after an hour
consumed in an effort TO secure quorum
the amendment was rejected by vote OF
So to 129.
RIGHTS OF SOLDIERS.
Mr. Payson, of Illinois, offered an amend
ment providing that the rights of honora ly
di-cha ged union soldiers to m ike homes 0 4
the public lands under the existing home
stead laws, shall not in any degree be i'm
paired by the bill, and that their rights
under these laws shall extend to lands
opened to settlement ulder its provisions.
This amendment prov oked another long
and at times heated debate. In its course
Mr.. Payson made prediction that if yea
and nay vote were taken on the amend
menu LDG RODIlSlildl LIOlli 1llllOls kAQl.
Springer) would no dare vote against it.
Mr.. Springer-I will vote against it here
on yea aud nay vote. l never heard
proposition more demagogical and incon-
sistent than your proposition is, and you
know it.
KNEW WHAT THEY WANTED.
He had a slight acquaintance with the
wishes of the old soldiers of the country,
and he had never heard q request from them
that such an amendment should be put
the bill. He believed that the men who
fought the battles of the country simply
asked justice at the hands of congress. They
were not here as beggars, and he hoped to
God they never would be. Applause on
the democratic side
Mr.. Weaver of Iowa yielded to no men,
Der in his devotion to tue men who ca RED
the flag In the late war, but this amend
ment was a proposition to stab the bill in
the name of the union soldier. He had
never heard of union soldiers asking for
such an amendment. and it was not offered
in their interest. he protested against dis
honoring union soldiers by placi them in
the attitude of mendicants aud beggars.
NOT PUBLIC LANDS.
Mr.. Warner of Missouri said that If the
lands were public lands he would be in
favor of the amendment, but they were
not The proposition was TO purchase
them.
MIR. Peters Of Kansas said that he had a
larger sol lier constituency than any other
member of the House, and he had never
heard a request from any soldier that such
an amendment should be- placed on the bill.
The amendment was advocated by Messrs.
Cutcheon of Michigan. Henderson of Hi
nos, Mansur of Missouri, and Houck of
Tennessee.
BUTTERwoRTH IN THE CHAIR.
Without action OF the amendment the
committee rose, and Mr.. Dockery, the re-
firing chairman, called Mr.. Butterworth Of
Ohio 10 preside as speaker. Tnis was the
signal for a round of applause from both
side, of the chamber, which was renewed
when Mr.. Dockery, in making his report,
addressed MIR. Buttera orlh as "Mr.
The House then at o'clock adjourned;
and q democratic caucus was announced
for tonight, Mr.. Breckenridge OF k9n-
lucky loosely re barking 70 Mr.. Butter
worth that as soon as he was in the chnir, the
democrats were Obliged to retire for con-
sultatiJn.
CONGRESSMAN Barnes made a capital ten
mi ute speech in defense OF Indian rights
in the discussion on the bill. As usual the
House listened attentvely to him, aud no
one seemed able 10 answer his argument
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