The morning call., 1890-09-17
MoRMoNs AND PUBLIC LANDS.
CONGRESS.
THE SENATE.
Conference Report on the Railroad Land
Forfeiture Bill Agreed To-

Conference Report on the Railroad Land
Forfeiture Bill Agreed To.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 16.-Vice-P President
Morton presided in the Senate to-day.
The following bills were passed: Senate
bill, authorizing the Librarian of Congress
to purchase, at cost not exceeding $780, 900,
Townsend's Library Of National, State and
Individual Records, concerning the origin,
progress and consequences OF the late Civil
War: Senate bill, to grant the right Of way
through public lands for irrigation purposes
The conference report on the Railroad
Land Forfeiture Bill was resumed and Nor
gan continued his argument against it. q He
spoke Of the first section of the bill as uncon-
stitutional, and said the bill was mere
sham and pretense as forfeiture bill. 1t
was nothing but mere political perform
ance.
Bate also opposed the conference report
and asked where, under the bill, the for
felture came in.
Plumb said it forfeited all lands which,
under decision of the Supreme Court could
be forfeited 1t forfeited somewhere be-
tween 100000 and 10000. 600 acres. 1t con-
frmed not single acre to any railroad
company aud did not disturb the status of
any grant TO railroad companies, except by
terminating the right of companies to build
any more of their roads, and by forfeiting
the grants opposite TO uncompleted portions.
report was agreed tO-ayes 20, noes ia
strict party vote.
The House Anti-Lottery Bill was then, on
motion of Sawyer, taken from the calendar
and passed without word of discussi on.
On motion of Plumb, the Senate proceeded
to the consideration of the House bill to re-
peal the timber culture laws. Plumb moved
an amendment in the nature of substi-
tute.
Manderson moved an amendment provid-
ing that no more than $40 Qnstead of 16O)
acres shall be embraced in one townsite en-
try. Agreed TO.
Plumb also moved to add to the substitute
new section. restricting reservoir-sites to
so much land only as Is actually necessary
for the construction and maintenance OF
reservoirs. Agreed to.
Teller also offered an amendment, which
was agreed to, giving the right OF way
through public lands to canal or ditch COM
panies formed for the purposes of irrigation.
Sanders offered an amendment providing
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 the sale of
such timber lands, the residents of such
States or Territories. II prosecuted for cut
ting timber may plead that it was cut for
agricultural or mining purposes.
After some modification this was agreed
to.
Manderson moved to add new section
setting apart Annette Islands, in the Alex
ander Archipelago, in Southeastern Alaska,
as reservation for the use of the Met
lakahtla Indians, who 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 was passed.
The Senate bill to establish a United
States Land Court was laid aside until to-
morrow and the Senate adjourned.