St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-12-14
CHEROKEE LANDS COVETED.
The House Continues Its Discus
sion of the Oklahoma Bill.

The House Continues Its Discus
sion OF the Oklahoma Bill.
Special to the Globe.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 13.-The house
to-day resumed discussion of the Okla
h0ma bill. In his opening prayer the
chaplain said: Instruct the young men
sof the universities and colleges that the
Lord hath no delight in the legs of
man, but in sound head. wise heart,
pure life and noble character" The
house cOncurred in the resolution eX
tending the time for the aqueduct in
veStigation. The speaker announced
sthe appointment of Messrs. Hatch, of
Maryland: Whiting, of Michigan, and
: Funstnn, of Kansas, of conferrees on the
department of agriculture bill. Mr..
Glover, of Missouri, was designated
chairman of the committee on private
land claims. Among the bills reported
and placed upon the calendar were the
following: From the committee ON jul
dietary. bill allowing oaths to be admin
iStered by notarieS public; from the
military committee, bill authorizing the
retirement of John G. Fremont as a
major general; from the judiciary COM
iifitOCC3 SNid6C VII W PiCtOitt ehO
ductiOn of contagious diseases from one
state to another. The house passed
a bill for the adjudication by the
court of claims of the Old Settler or
West Cherokee Indians claims. The
amount involved is 100000. At the
conclusion of the morning hour the
Oklahoma bill was taken up. Mr..
Hooker, Of Mississippi, offered an
amendment providing that the unoccu-
pied land west of the ninety-slXth de-
gree of west longitude shall be open to
settlement only by the consent of the
Cherokee Indians or any other tribe or
tribes having interest therein. which
shall first be obtained by commission
to be appointed by the president.
Mr.. Symes, of Colorado, said that the
Indians had absolutely
CEDED THE CHEROKEE STRIP
to the United States government in
1856. There was a balance remaining
due to the Indians, and for that reason
they had an equitable claim on the land
for which it was the purpose of the bill
to negotiate. Mr.. Barnes. of Georgia,
said that the cessiOn was to the friend
ly Indians whom the government might
locate upon the land. After further
discussion. and after an hour consumed
in an effort to secure quorum, the
amendment was rejected 3S to 1919.
Mr.. Payson, of Illinois, offered an
amendment providing that the rights
of honorably discharged Union soldiers
to make homes on the public lands
under the existing homestead laws,
shall not in any degree be impaired by
the bill; and that their rights under
those laws shall extend to the lands
open to settlement under its provisions.
Mr.. Payson, in speaking to his amend
ment. said that this was the first time
that in land legislation the rights of
soldiers under the homestead law had
been or sought to be impaired. If yea
and nay vote were taken on the amend
ment the gentleman from Illinois Mr..
Springer would not dare to vote against
it. Mr.. Springer will vote against
it here and On yea and nay vote. l
never heard a proposition more
DEMAGOGICAL AND INCONSISTENT
than your proposition is, and you know
it. MI. Payson said that his colleague
was glib in imputing motives to other
gentlemen. He served notice on his
need and would not receive any advice
from him as to what his course would
be on public questions. He would in
sist that before the general question
was passed upon, the Union soldier
should have free homes upon this last
great body of land to be opened to gen.
,eral settlement. Mr.. Weaver, of Iowa,
said that this amendment was prop
osition 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
dishOnoring the Union soldiers by plac-
ing them in the attitude of mendicantS
and beggars. MIR. Warner, of Missouri,
said he had slight acquaintance with
the old soldiers of the country; and he
hid never heard request from them
t1at such an amendment should be put
in the bill. In the
-aa INTERESTS OF UNION SOLDIERS ii~
he was opposed to the amendment.
They did not want the measure killed
by pretended friends. As man who
had done little lighting for his cOun-
try, and therefore had light to speak,
he placed himself in opposition to the
amendment. Mr.. Peters. of Kansas.
opposed the amendment. Mr.. Hender
son, of Illinois, thought that the sol
diers did not understand the provisions
of the bill, and would be disappointed
if the bill passed in its present shape, to
find that they would be prevented from
going on Oklahoma lands as they did
on other public lands. Mr.. Springer
thought that the amendment came from
those who were DESTROYS of keeping the
land for cattle syndicates. Without ac-
ton on the amendment, the committee
rose, and Mr.. Dockery, the retiring
chairman. called Mr.. ButterwOrth, of
Ohio. to preside as speaker. This was
the signal for a round of applause from
both sides OF the chamber, which was
renewed when Mr.. Dockery, in making
his report, addressed Mr.. ButterWorth
as mir. Speaker" The house at
o'clock adjourned.