The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-01-15
KANSAS AND FLORIDA.
The Senators From the Two States
Have a Lively Tilt in the
Senate
The Subject Of Swamp Lands the
Cause of Much Uncompn-
mentary Language.
Call Accused of Bciiuying Ills Trust While
Plumb is Denounced a. the Prince
OF Boodicrs.

NAnhlNNlNN, JHDs Ats-lu tue Htnatt Ah-
day among the bills reported from commit
tees and placed ON the calendar were the
following: To declare unlawful trusts and
combinations in restraint of trade and pro-
duction Sherman's bilD; authorizing the
purchase of site Tor building for the su-
preme court. George offered n resolution
instrueting the committee On finance TO in
quire into the proprieiy of reducing the
penal bonds required of manufacturers of
cigars in al cases or (nt least where the
manufacture is carried vn by the manual
labor of the manufacturer.
The resolutions heretofore offered by Call
in relation TO the claims of Florida under
the swamp land grant, and in relation 10
alleged unlawful selections of land in
Florida. were taken up and Mr.. Call nd
dressed the senate. The burden of his re-
marks was that lands which were not swamp
und overlooked, but which were fit for cul-
tivation. had been selected under the swamp
lund act 10 the injury of the peoples right.
He assorted that gO0,0N,0O acres had been
selected and approved in all the states as
swamp and overilowed lands, while every
body knew no such extent Of territory tas
large as Europe consisted of swamp and
oyertiowed lands. Df over l6,Utn,OCD acres
which had passed in FlOridn under the
swamp and oyerilowed land act he asserted
that 1l.OJ000 were high and dry.
Plumb said Florida contained about forty
million acres, and more than one-half of
this had been given by the United States 20
the state for various purposes. Every sim
gle acre OF land 50 granted had been placed
under the control Of the legislature of
Elrtitlu 81 mr. s.iRhtaat, fli,.t,
acres had been granted MS swamp and over
dow lands. Senator Call had Just told the
senate that most of il was not swamp. but
arAble land. So much greater WAS the
direliciion OF the senators of the state il II
had betrayed its trust. For himself he
wOald resign his scat if he were 10 bring
forward such complaint against his own
state. after being too cowprdly 10 proclaim
it on the stump. Plumb went on 10 say that
Cell had fsome sessions ago. appealed
to him rs chairman OF the com.
nittee on public lands 10 report
n bill 10 ntify and confirm
the title TO certain railroad lands in Flor
ida: so that all the alleged frauds, said
Plumb, were 10 bc condoned under certain
circumstances. but were never to he con-
doned in speech. The senator. he said had
been alwaNs in the habit of imprgning
senators covertly or openly and he Plumb
had sometimes been inclined TO reply 10
him. aud TO convict him of falsehood.
Call replied to Plumb. He said, II will
not be moved. Mr.. President, by this extra
ordinary example of the senator from
Kansas, 10 follow his bad manners
nor his contemplate methods; he
cannot have u poorer opinion Of me thnn
have of the senator from Kansas. ] have
not been in the habit of violating decorum
in debate and discussion. but II the senntor
thinks by hs idle bravndo. by his defense
of this vast spolatinn of the public domain
IN the interest of those who have pr0titod
by il. that he can intimidnto me from de.
Tending the rights Of the people OF my state,
| treat him with the scorn and contempt
that he deserves. My position is we'll known
IN relation TO the question IN the state of
Florida. The officials of that state are MS
honorable and able as the senator from
KnnsHs-by their side he would sink into
insiguilicance. The statements of the sell
ator IN relation TO their violation of trust
are entirely untrue. and. as chairman of the
committee on public lands which has iuris-
diction over the matter. he should be
ashamed not 90 he better informed in re-
gard 90 the special circumstances. II Is
disrcputable ia the senate that IL should
have such n chairman as thai senator. who
not only defends the interests of the
nOUlltFt Dft NIftWN HIS AEuhlhlttt tl tllf
subject specially committed 90 him. All
the senator has said about the legislature OF
Florida is utterly false and untrue. and has
been said for tho purpose of making an
attack on ne.
Having mudo q statement as to grants 20
Florida for railroad purposes and under the
swamp land law. Gail proceeded; "lf the
things he SAYS were true and il | were as
bad II man as be is, as weak q man ~ be is,
rs vain n man as he Is. even if ! were MI he
il himself and NIL be snys / am, still it
would remain true that a large number of
people hive been deprived of their rights in
these lands.
Dolpb. Ms n member uf the committee on
public lands. mnde An explanation in iusti-
ication of the action Of that committee in
the last congress in respect 20 the resolu-
ton of Call on the same subject, ard Call
dlsclaimcd having madc or attempted g.,
make the slightest imputation on that
committee or lis action on the resolui ion.
The senate. after mn executive session, nd
iourned.