The Delta independent., 1888-08-07
THE FIFrIETE CONGRESS.
MONDAY, JULY 80.

DENATE.-lne SundTy civil bill was be.
fore the Senate to-day.
Mr.. Bowen offered an amendment aprrn.
prlating ss50,009 for the puTpo5e OF inVtsti
eating the extent to which the arid region
or the United States can be redeemed by lr-
rigation. lie briefly addressed the Senate
IN support OF the amendment.
Mr.. Bowen said he was not performing an
act OF merely perfunctory character in offer.
ing the amendment, because the very re-
verse was true. He was very much in earn
est about it, and hoped It would receive the
fair and cord,a' consideration which Its
giest Importance demanded. The point
had nearly been reached when the country
would have no land surplus. By arid lands
80 meant all land that was non-productiye
without IRRIGATION, and that classification
embraced kaI!ein California, the whole o.
Idaho, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, New Mex.
leo, ColoraGo Wyoming and Montana, while
the western portion ct Dakota. Nebraska,
Kansas and Ts1aS were Ia spule seasons
seriously atecfsh by drUuth. mature hai
10 be depended on for moisture, there could
not be raised on this vast domain single
Dushel OF wheat while where moisture
was supplied those yerdureless
deserts changed Us II by magic and became
The garden-spots OF the world. A large
part OF the arid lands OF the United States
would, for various reasons, remain so for
ever bat the proportion which could be re-
oeemsd and made useful was large. To
make the reclamation a matter of interest,
economy, because it was based on the con-
sideration OF the highest national import
ance and public policy. IL the general re-
cicmatiOn OF the arid lands could be accom-
r.lsfIei land of that there could be no rea-
sonEb!e doubt, the amount asked to iDau-
gurate the experiment was but triile.
Mr.. Allison thought this appropriation
would be the entering wedge TO much
larger sum YET, TO be appropriated before
such work can be accomplished.
Mr Teller favOrei the amendment.
Mr.. Plumb opposed IL, and said the meas
urs was conceived in utter disregard OF the
riparian rights of those who dweit on the
lower Platte, Arkansas and Mississippi
rivers. He saw in IL means of specula-
zion in the public domain.
The proposition was supported by Messrs.
Stewart, voorhees, and Gail.
Mr.. Beck also said the survey would be in
the interest OF the spectators.
&r. Teller denied this, saying II was IN
the interest of the great toiling masses who
lived on farms and in the interest of the
Nation. He moved to add the following
words to the amendment and the motion
was agreed to: And as fast as sites fnr
reservoirs shall be surveyed such sites shall
be In the state of reservation until the Pres
ident Of the United States shall otherwise
pfuer.h
After some further discussion over the
elect OF the matter on speculation, Mr.
Reagan offered rs substitute for Mr.. Te!-
leI's amendment 10 amend the following,
which was agreed to: And al lands
which may be designated for reservoirs and
canals Tor Irrigation shall De reserved as
property OF the United States and shall no;
be subject TO entry or settlement until heIe'
after provided Tor by law"
Finally the discussion closed and Mr.
Bowers amendment as amended was
agreed to-yeas p, nays Is.
HoUsE-Alr. McAcoo intrC duced into the
House Tor reference to the Committee on
Foreign affairs joint resolution calling
for the details of the Information from our
Consuls In foreign countries relative TO the
immigration TO the United States.
TUESDAY, JULY 81.
SESArE-In the Senate to-day Mr.. Frye
from the select committee on Pacific rail
roads, reported the Union Pacific funding
bill. providing for a settlement OF claims
growing cut Of the issue to secure the pay
Rent Of all indebtedness.
Consideration OF the Sundry Civil Appro-
pristion bill was then resumed.
Mr.. Call offered m amendment sppropri-
ating tl0.0dn, 10 be expended az the discre.
ti0n OF the Secretary of the Treasury for
States now held in adverse possession to
the government
Mir. Sherman opposed TIE amendment,
nd spoke of the hope of recovering prop.
erty which hau belonged to the confeder-
ate states rs an illusive one. The debts
Of those states are lien upon their prop
erty.
MIR. CockrelI spoke OF the fairy tales OF
.he wealth Of the defunct Confederates rs
being only equaled by the stories OF I'M
meDse wealth stored up in England belong
ing to American heirs. During his remarks
MI. Blair interrupted him with an objection
TO his too frequent use of the terms, Con
iederate states" and Confederate treas
ury.n
Sir. Cocsrell ssrcasticaiiy inquired II the
senator wished them called 'rebel states.
Mr.. Blair said: Anything you please.
but don't say 'confederates' or confederate
treasury or anything of that kind.
After some further sarcastic discussion
.he amendment went over until tomorrow
and the senate adjourned.
HoUsK-The house clerk laid before the
house letter from Speaker Carlisle an
uOuncing his enforced absence from the
city for q few days and Mr. Mills was elect
I'd speaker pro tenn, and took the chair.
Mr.. Dibble called UP the conference re-
port on the Omaha public building bill,
After long debate the report was rejected.
The house then went into committee Of
the whole on the army appropriation bill,
with the senate amendments. All the
a'nendments were non-concarred in except
those relating TO Notifications and ordin-
ances.
Mr.. Cutcheou of Michigan said II there
was anything TO be done in the nature of
provisions for armament and for fortitica-
ton II must be done by the army appropri-
alton bill.
Pending action the committee rose and the
house adjourned.
WEDNESDAY. AUGUST /.
SENArK.--Mr. Plumb from the Commit
tee On Agriculture, reported back the
House bill TO enlarge the powers and duties
or the Department of Agriculture, and TO
create an executive department to be
known as the Department of Agriculture.
In the bill as reported the provisions of the
House bill for the transfer OF the Weather
Bureau from the War Department to the
Department of Agriculture, are striken
our.
Mr.. Evarts, from the Committee on For
eign Relation, reported back the Senate
Ioint resolution authorizing and empower
ing the President of the United States TO
take such measures rs in his Judgment may
be necessary to obtain indemnity promptly
fer injuries losses and damages suffered by
York by reason of the wronged seizure and
detention of the company's three steamers
in ISL, and to employ such means to eNer-
else such powers as may be necessary.
The Senate then resumed consideration
OF the Sundty Owl Appropriation bill the
pending question being on tho amendment
offered yesterday by Mr.. Call aprropriatinc
$1,000 for the recovery OF property of the
late Confederate States now held in adverse
possession to the Government.
HousE After disposing OF routine bus
mess the House went into Committee OF
the Whole on the Senate amendments to
the Army Appropriation bill.
THURSDAY AuoUsr2.
STANDARDIZATION lpro tenn Hoar sp-