Omaha daily bee., 1890-03-08
PROSECUTING FEATHERSTONE
The Arkansas Contestant Forced to
Change His Seat.
TOO HOT AMONG THE souRBoNs
The Appointment of the Superintend'
ent of Construction for Omaha's
New Federal Building
Deferred.
WAsHISaToN BUREAU THE OMAHA BEE,

wAsHINeToN. ID. C., March Z.

wAsHISeToN BUREAU The OMAHA BEE, !
513 FoURTRESTH STREET, ,
WAsHINGToN. ID. g., March Z. J
II begins to look as though there was more
than one bad disposition entertained by the
democrats IN the house and that they are
not only determined to rule or ruin, but to
persecute those who do not follow their
leads. The bourbons were greatly incensed
at the contestant in the Featherstone VS.
Cate contested election case from Arkansas,
which was determined this week in favor Of
the former Both tho contestant and the
contestee sre democrats, but the contestant
is an independent democrat, having refused
to cooperate with the Dlood-thirsty element
Of the bourbon party which lead in
the assassination of General Clayton
who was the contestant of Clifton
H. BrecKinridge's seat. After Mr. Feath-
erstone was sworn in the other day some Of
the lrate democrats began TO sneer at him
and to show disposition to pcrsecute him at
every opportunity. The surroundings be-
came so unpleasant for Mr. Featherstone
that he has refused TO sit on the democratic
side Of the house where there are located
the only vacant seats to be found in the hall
Of the house Of representatives, and he has
uuTluR tu0 pdbu udy UT 81 StOOu tOuuu Ou tuc
republican side or occupied lounges or seats
temporarily vacant BY the absence of repuD-
Ii cans. This is the only instance Of the kind
on record. 1t would not have been be-
heved by anyone week ago that
such conduct was possible among even the
most hostile democrats. 1t is likely, how
ever, that the singing speeches of some OF
the republicans wrought up the bourbons to
the pitch in which they find themselves now
nn1t tuht tnh ta lnt I'M 4 Ia Nj -
Featherstone. Two or three OF the republi-
cans have offered to trade seats with Mr..
Featherstone, among them are Mr. Kelley
of Kansas and 1T is likely he will be given q
seat on the republican side by II trade.
NOT FOR MONTHS.
There will not be an appointment made of
superintendent for the Omaha public
building under two three months. 1t is
stated at the treasury department that 1T
may not bo made under four or five months.
The appointment will be made upon the
recommendation of the Nebraska delegation
in congress- and members of the delegation
say they will not attempt TO decide upon any
appointment until the plans and specidca-
tions for the building have been perfected in
the Office of the supervising architect. 1t is
licustomary for appointments of this class to
be made from among good business men.
Experience in the superintendency of the
construction of public buildings will of
course be a strong recommendation, political
the appointment Will be made from the
population of Omaha.
INDEMNITY RIGHTS.
In the senate committee on public lands
today Senator Paddock urged for prompt
cor sideratiou the bill to provide for indeu-
nifty right in the case of school land sections
where, such lands having been taken by pre-
emptiOn or homestead, settlers have been
discovered to be on mineral lands or ln-
cluded within an Indian, military or other
Dad nFn
amendment to the bill, giving to the states
the option of relocation within reservation
limits in cases where the school sections for
which indemnity should be asked lie within
Indian or military reservations which may
be thrown open su bsaquent to the passage of
the act. NebrusEa is very largely interested
In this question and the committee Is eX-
pected to report the bill at its next meeting.
The senator also called up and secured u
favorable report upon the bill TO compel the
commissioner of the general land Office to
account to the states for 5 per cent of the
pubic land sales commonly called the 1--we
per centum act" Until the administration
of Secretary of the Interior Lamar these
sums were annually computed in the general
land office and credited to the states without
further action by congress- but under one
of Mr.. Lamar's and Commissioner Sparks
ruling the amount was arbitrarily withheld
Dnring the last congress Senator Paddock
secured an appropriation of S35,5O0 for
Nebraska, the amount being 5 per cent of
the sales OF public lands since the last
accounting, The present bill will obvlate
the necessity of any such special legislation
in the future and will compel the interior
department to pay its debts to the states
without forcing them to appear as claimants
before both houses of congress.
PADDOCK ANNOYED,
Senator Paddock is somewhat annoyed at
the publication in various newspapers of the
report that he has drafted and introduced
bill for the summary repeal of the fourth or
fifth sections of the interstate commerce
act. These two sections are tho long and
short haul and the anti-pooling section. The
bill which the senator introduced was INTRO
duced by request and at the time of intro
duction Senator Paddock stated this fact,
and that the presentation of the bill by HIM
self in no way committed him either to the
principle or the advocacy of the measure.
Senator Paddock thinks that the amend
ment which he offered some days ago au
tbOrzing the interstate commerce commls-
SION to compel reduction of rates on
commodities passing west and east will meet
the case. The amendment he introduced
does not, as has been enormously stated in
some OF the western papers, simply permit
railroad companies to make the reduction
under certain circumstances, but empowers
the commission to enforce reduction under
the same penalties provided for the violation
OF the act.
THE ROWING PoNCAs.
Indian Commissioner Morgan has made a
decision upon the proposition submitted to
him some time ago by theNebraska delegation
20 permit tho Ponca Indians to return to tho
Indian territory, or that portion of them
which recently re-entered Nebraska from
the Indian territory The commissioner says
that these Indians have shown migratory
disposition during the pas few years which
should not be tolerated and the permit to
leave the reservation for any purpose what
ever is denied.
Lively DEBATE.
There was lively debate in the senate
today over the Salt Lake public building bill.
Senator Plumb moved to cut down the APP
preparation from 100000 to S400, 600, and
was at once antagonized by Senator Pad
dock Senator Paddock said that speaking
from an intimate knowledge of the situation
that more reasonable appropriation had not
been asked for at this session, aud that the
amount ought to be 100000 rather than
S50O,000. Salt Lake, no said, is a leader
among western cities, and within five years
will have 100000 people. In reply TO Sem
ator Pllmb's answer that the site ought
not cost over SIS 600, the senator saId that
such a site as Is required cannot be secured
for less than 800, 600, and he feared 1t might
~ 10 Of o hn ra1 10 rat