Omaha daily bee., 1888-05-10
FORFEITURE BILL IS PASSED.
A Motion to Reconsider Will Be
Voted on To-day.
THE TEXT OF THE MEASURE
The House Devotes the Day to Dis.
cussion of the Tariff Meas
ure by Members For
and Against.
Senate.

WASHINGTON, May 9.-The senate resumed
consideration of the railroad land grant for
feiture bill.
Mr. Wilson of Iowa moved TO amend the
second section, providing that 1t should not
apply to any lands in Iowa on which any per.
son in good faith made or had asserted the
right TO make, pre-emption or homestead
settlement The amendment was agreed TO.
The bill was then passed without division.
The first section declares forfeited to the
United States all lands heretofore granted to
any state or to any corporation to aid in the
construction of a railroad opposite to and CO.
terminus with portion of any such railroad
not now completed and in operation, for tho
construction or benefit of which, lands here
tofore have been granted; and all such lands
are declared to be part of the public
domain. The act is not to be
construed as forfeiting the right Of
way or depot ground of railroad
company heretofore granted, nor as limiting
the rights granted to purchasers or settlers
by "An act to provide for the adjustment OF
land grants made by congress to aid in the
construction of railroads, and for the
forfeiture of unearned lands, and for other
purposes approved March 3, 1887, or as re-
pealing, altering or amending that act, nor as
in any manner affecting any cause of action
existing IN favor of any purchaser nor is it
to exempt the lands of the Ontonagon ~ Mar
quette Railroad company, fifty miles west Of
Lansing.
The second section authorizes persons in pos
session of any such lands, prior to the lst of
January, 1883, to purchase them within two
years from the United States in quantities
not exceeding three hundred and twentyacres,
at the rate of s.. so per acre. This section is
not to apply to lands in Iowa on which any
person made pre-emption or homestead set-
tlement.
nh 90 sI.
Northern Pacific Railroad company, hereto
fore forfeited.
The fourth section reserves the right to
forfeit other railroad grant lands for any
failure. past or future, to comply with stipu-
lated conditions.
The fifth section exempts from the opera
ton of the act the grant to the state of Miss
issippi for the Gull ~ Ship Island railway
and the grant to the state of Alabama for q
railway from the Tennessee river and Guen-
ter's landing to Coosa river at Gadsden. W
The sixth section fixes the prices of even
numbered sections of land within the limits
of all forfeited land grants at Sl.20 an acre.
The seventh section repeals certain sec
tions of land grant acts for Minnesota and
Iowa so far as they require the secretary Of
tire interior to reserve any lands but odd sec
tions within primary or siX-mile grant limits.
The last section refers especially to the
lands of the Portage Lake Canal company,
The animal industry bill went over until
tomorrow.
The senate then resumed consideration Of
the international copyright bill. After de-
bate the bill was passed-yeas 35, nays 10.
The act is to go into effect July l, 1855
On motion of Mr.. Spooner the house bill
for the establishment of u lfe,saving station
at the harbor of Kewanee, Wis, was passed.
Mr. Call moved to reconsider the vote pass
ing the land grant forfeiture bill, so that he
might offer an amendment referring to lands
in Florida.
After argument and without action the
senate adjourned, leaving the land forfeiture
bill to come up again tomorrow on the
motion to reconsider ...r