, 1888-05-10
The Democrats Conclude to
Amend the Mills Bill.
The Land Grant Forfeiture Bill
Passes the Senate.
Proceedings Of the Methodist
Episcopal Conference.
CONGRESSIONAL.
SENATE

SENATE.
WAsnrNGroN, May 9.-Among the bills
reported from committees and placed on
the calendar were the following: Senate
bill for the appointment of q commission
to select a site for naval station on the
Pacific coast; senate bill to transfer the
survey of coasts to the navy department..
Sherman, from the committee on foreign
relations reported back adversely the reso
luton offered by Riddleberger for consider.
alton OF the fisheries treaty in open session.
and also q resolution offered by Hoar that
the report of debates and proceedings on the
fisheries treaty be subject to the order OF
the senate to secure publication.
The senate took mp the railroad land
grant forfeiture bill. Some minor amend.
ments were adopted and the bill passed
without u division. The first section de.
clares forfeited to the United States all
lands granted to any state, or to any corpo.
ration. to and In the construction Of "a rail-
road, opposite to and co-terminus with any
portion of such railroad not now COM
pleted and In operation for construction,
or for the benefit of which have beretof,re
been granted land, and all such lands are
declared to be past of the public domain.
The act is not to be construed as the forfeit
ure OF the right OF way or dep bt ground OF
any railroad company heretofore granted,
nor as limiting the rights granted to pur.
chasers or settlers, by an act TO provide for
the adjustment Of land grants, made by
congress to aid in IT, construction OF rail.
roads and the forfeiture Of lands and for
other purposes" approved March 8, 1887,
or as repeating, altering or amending that
act, or as in any manner affecting any
cause of action existing in favor of the
purchaser.
The second section authorizes all persons
in possession of any such lands (prior to
January, 1889, to purchase them (witEin
two years.. from the United States, in
ttas, al linz, al.
rate of ~, so per acre,
The third section refers to the lands of
the
NORTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY
heretofore forfeited, and gives all persons
in possession of them (priOr to the first of
July, 1855. like right, and confirms to the
CITY OF Portland, oregon, the right of way
and riparian rights for water pipe line.
The fourth section reserves the right to
forfeit other railroad grant lands for fail
ure, past or future, to comply with the con-
ditions OF the grant.
The ffth section exempts from the oper.
ation OF the act certain grants to the states
OF Missssip ppi and Alabama.
The sixth cection fixes HE price OF even
numbered sections of land within the lini.
its Of the forfeited land grant ct 81 20 an
acre.
The seventh section repeals certain sec
lions OF the land grant acts for Minnesota
and Iowa.
The last section refers especially to the
Passed.
After some debate the international copy
rght Dill was passed, yeas So nays 10. The
act isto 30 into effect July LIST, 1888.
HOUSE.
Ihe house, after the passage of seyeJal
bills OF minor Importance went into
committee Of the whole on the tariff bill
MORROW, of California concluded his
speech In opposition to- the bill, addressing
himself more especially to the free lumber
clause OF the measure. He stated that the
labor engaged in the manufacture of lum.
Der on the Pacific coast was exclusively
weiI,paid American labor The placing OF
Iunoer on the free list would ruin this
manufacture by bringing it into competi.
tion with the manufacture of british Co.
lnmbia, where labor was performed nv
Cinnamon. He also declared that the rails.
IN industry of California would be de.
s.royeu IL the DUTY on raisins was red uced
as proposed by the bill, one-half "a cent per
pound. Passing to the cons liberation of the
oorax interests, he referred to the rapid
growth OF the industry since a tariff had
been placed on borax in 1883. The domes.
TIC product had increased from 500. 600
pounds In 1883 to TO- 500 900 pounds in 1887
while the price,
OWING TO HoME co MpErITIoN.
had declined from 25 cents pound to al
cents per pound. The pending bill pro-
poseo 10 iorce 6orax on the free list, and
sne enect OF this proposition was that the
great nrm OF William Il. Coleman ad'been
compelled to suspend. 'e''
Hooker, Of mississippi, spoke in favor of
ine Diil, while Houk, OF Tennessee, fol.
ioWed with speech against IL.
:, Wise, OF Virginia, also favored IL and
hennedy, OF Ohio, denounced the demo-
cratic party as one of free trade.
,,.a s9;u'eiie OF Maine, then quoted authori-
neiu was not member of the Golden cl,b
IA the same connection he read letter
rom Murat Halstead, which explained .he
member. 'o""'"e
Bynum, of Indiana, cited authorities IN
snow that Garfield had been elected to the
Golden club and had accepted the mem.
Snership np The committee then rose and the