The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1889-02-09
Hon Sc.

House.
WEDNESDAY. Jan 30.-The Oklahoma
bill was taken up in the House in COM
mittee OF the whole. The pending
amendment was one offered by Mr..
Payson (Ill) expressly providing that
the rights OF honorably dis
charged Union soldiers and sailors
OF the late civil war to make
homes on the public lands under the
existing homestead law shall not in anv
degree be impaired by the passage OF
this bill, but that such rights shall ex-
tend to any and all lands which shall
be open to settlement under the provis-
ions of this bill. After debate the
amendment was agreed to. Mr.. Holman
(lnd.) offered an amendment providing
that nothing in this act shall be construed
to authorize the eXtlnguishment of
Indian titles to any of the lands in the
Indian Territory, which, by virtue of
any existing law, would inure to the
benefit of any railroad corporation; or
the title to which would vest in any
such corporation on the eXtinguishment
Of the Indian title thereto, but all such
lands shall be held by the Indians in
tribes, or IN severalty, or by
the United States in trust for
the benefit of the Indians. The
also an amendment offered by Mr.. Nc
Rae ARK. forfeiting all the lands and
rights granted to the Atlantic d Pacific
Railroad Company for the construction
OF a branch road from the Canadian
River to Van Buren,, Ark. On motion
of Mr.. MCkae the clause was elimin-
ated, which subjects the land to taxation
after the first instailment of the pur-
chase money has been paid.
On motion OF Mr.. Payson Ill. an
amendment was adopted providing that
no entry shall be allowed of any home
stead except to actual settlers; and no
preferred right of entry shall be given
TO any person by reason of claim OF oc-
Cupancy prior to the application to en-
ter the land except In cases of actual
occupancy and continuous residence on
the land at the date of application.
Mr.. PaysOn then offered his substitute
for the toWnsite section and it was
agreed TO. 1t authorizes the secretary
OF the interior to reserve on any public
lands in the territory. town sites in
areas not exceeding $40 scres in COM
pact form; and prevents the allowance
ot any application to enter tract of
land, until approved by the secretary
OF the interior, first where any exte-
rlor line 0 the land is within half a mile
u bht iIuG tA any railroad. second,
where the land at the date of the APP
pEcation Is town or village settlement.
The committee lose and reported the
bill to the House. The first vote was
taken on Mr.. Payson's soldiers home
stead amendment, and it was agreed
to, yeas ia nays ll2 Pending further
votes the Hhouse adjourned.
THURSDAY, Jan. 3l.-TEe Oklahoma
bill came up for final vote, but mo-
tons TO reconsider the votes of yester-
day, points Of order, and general DOW
WOW prevented, and the House ad-
]ourned without reaching a decision.
FRIDAY, Feb. 1.-The Oklahoma bill
was taken up after some opposi-
ton on the part Of those who wanted
measures on the private calender con-
sldered. The pending question was on
the motion of Mr.. Springer Iil.l to
table the motion of Mr.. O'FerralI CVa.1
10 reconsider tie vote by which the
House yesterday rejected the mi
norlty substitute. The motion to
table was carried. yeas, 132; navs.
Ia. The bin was passed bv
vote Of l4S to l02. Mr.. Hatch MOI
submitted the conference report on the
hli! 10 create the department Of agri-
culture. and Il was agreed 10. The
only material difference between the