St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-01-31
SOMETHING FOR SOLDIERS.
Representative Payson Tacks His
Homestead" amendment to the

htpfcScu tdtisC dy sun dCkS Ills
Homestead" Amendment to the
Oklahoma Bill.
Special to the Globe
WASHINGTON, Jan. 30.-The house to-
day considered the Oklahoma bill. On
motion of Mr.. Townshend, of Illinois,
the senate amendment was concurred in
to the house bill to authorize the fur
nishing of obsolete serviceable cannon
to soldiers. The Oklahoma bill was
called up by Mr.. Springer, of Illinois.
The pending amendment was offered by
Mr.. Payson, of Illinois, and expressly
provides that the rights of honorably
discharged Union soldiers and sailors of
the late civil war to make homes in the
public lands, under the existing home
stead law. shall not in any degree be
impaired by the passage of this bill, but
that such rights shall extend to any
and all lands which shall be open to
any settlement under the provisions of
this bill. Mr.. Payson advocated the
amendment. Mr.. SymeS, of Colorado,
said that as member of the G. A. r.
he rose to oppose the amendment. The
government could not make an eXcep-
ton in favor of the q. A. r. because the
government did not acquire the title to
the land, and did not become the owner
of the proceeds of the sale of it. The
money passed from the settler to the
Indian in pursuance of negotiations in
which the United States simply acted
as trustee. He would not presume to
speak for the G. A. r., but he had the
right to speak as one of its members.
He had the right to say that the men,
berS of the
G. A. R. WE'RE NOT BEGGARs.
They did not come before the house
asking that 200 or 300 of them, who
might be able to go with the boomers
into Oklahoma, should have present
of 5000 to $500 each, while thousands
who were unable to go there and who
were in want would receive nothing at
all. Mr.. Grosvenor. of Ohio, said that
he did not address the committee as
representing the G. A. r. He denied
that any man had the right to come
ganiZation as favoring or opposing any
amendment of this character. He was
here as representative, trying to do
what was right and just to the country
and all the interests involved. For the
first time an opportunity was presented
to the representatives of the people to
make good some of their profuse and
oft-repeated pledges to the soldiers of
the country. Mr.. Perkins, of Kan
sas-Are you in favor of the
bill? Mr.. Grosvenor = With this
provision [ will vote for it.
Without it, Will stand where 1 have
stood opposed to the transfer of one
part of the public domain, now held or
hereafter acquired, in any other way
than through the homestead law Of the
country. [Applause.l Mr.. Peters. Kan
sas, characterized the amendment as in
genious, but as absolutely lacking in
genuousness. 1t proposed to take from
the treasury about S2O,oOO,OOO, appa-
rently in the interest of ex-soldiers of
the country. The record will disclose
that the men who opposed the Okla
bona bill and prevented legislation are
the very men who are ardently support
ing the amendment. In view of veto
messages, every man knew that with
the amendment on the bill the measure
would not stand the
SHADOW OF A CHANCE
of becoming a law. Mr.. Baker, of New
York, inquired whether the gentleman
knew that the bill would become law
without the amendment. Mr.. Peters
replied that it woOld be more likely to
become law without the provision
than with it. "WhyP" exclaimed
several members. Mr.. Boothman. of
Ohio, earnestly supported the amend