Omaha daily bee., 1890-09-17
A BUSY DAY IN THE SENATE.
The Conference Report on the Railroad
Land Forfeiture Bill Adopted.
VERY llTTLEopPOSlTlON TO THE MEASURE
The Anti-Lottcry Bill Passed With.
out n Word of Discussion
House Conferces on the
Tariff Appointed.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 16.-vice President
Morton presided in the senate today. The
following bills were passed The senate bill
authorizing the librarian of congress to pur.
chase at not exceeding $1,000 Townsend's IL
brary of national, state and industrial rec.
ords concerning the origin, progress and con.
sequences of the late civil war; the senate
bill to grant right of way through public
lands for irrigation purposes.
The conference report on the railroad land
forfeiture bill was resumed and Mr.. Morgan
continued his argument against it. He
spoke of the first section of the bill as
uucon nstitutional and said the bill was a mere
sham and a pretensc as forfeiture bill. 1t
was nothing but mere political perform.
ance.
Mr.. Bate also opposed the conference re-
port and asked where, under the bill, forfeit
ure came in.
Mr.. Plumb said it forfeited all lands which
under the decision of the supreme court could
be forfeited. 1t forfeited somewhere be-
tween 100000 and 10000, 900 acres. 1t con-
tirmed not single acre to any railroad COM
pany and did not disturb the status of any
acre granted to railroad companies except by
terminating the right of the companies 10
ing grants opposite the uncomplcted portion.
n vote was then taken and the conference
report agreed to-yeas, 30; nays, ia strict
party vote.
The house anti-lottcry bill was then, on
motion of Mr. Sawyer, taken from the calcn-
dar and passed wit hOut word of discussion.
On motion of Mr.. Plumb the senate pro-
ceeded TO consideration of the house bill to
repeal the timber culture laws, Mr., Plumb
moved an amendment i'll the nature Of sub
stitute.
Mr. Manderson moved an mendment pro
viding that no more than $40 lnstead of i6O)
acres shall be embraced in one town site
entry. Agreed to.
Mr. Plumb also moved to add to the sub
stitute a new section restricting reservoir
sites to so much land as is actually necessary
for the construction and maintenance of res
ervoirs. Agreed to.
Mr. Teller also offered an amendment,
which was agreed to, giving right of way
| through public lands to canal or ditch com
| panies formed for the purpose of irrigation.
Mr. Sanders offered an amendment prOvid-
| ing that in the gold and silver mining regions
| of the state of Nevada and those states and
| territories in which there are public lands
| containing timber and where there is no
| United States law authorizing sales of tim
| Der lands the residents of such states or ter
ritories, if prosecuted for cutting timber,
may plead that it was cut for agricultural on
| mining purposes After some modification
| this was agreed to.
| Mr. Henderson moved to add to the new
section settin e apart the Annette Islands, in
the Alexander Archipelago in south
| western Alaska, a reservation foI
the use of the Metlakahtla In
| dians recently emigrated from British
Columbia to Alaska and such other Alaskan
! natives as may join them. Agreed to-
The substitute was then agreed to and the
bill passed,
The senate bill to establish United States
land court was laid aside until tomorrow and
the senate adjourned.