The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-01-15
FLORIDA SWAMP LANDS.
MR., CALL ADDRESSES THE SENATE
ON HIS RESOLUTION.

6ilcoJt Sufferers Brings Up a Lively
Debate in the House.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 14-In the Senate
to-day the resolutions heretofore offered by
Mr.. Call in relation to claims of Florida
under the swamp land grant. and in rela-
ton to alleged unlawful selections of land
in Florida, were taken up, and, Mr.. Call ad-
dressed the Senate upon them.
The burden of his remarks was that land
which was not swampy and overfowed, but
which was fit for cultivation, had been
selected under the swamp land act to the
injury of the peoples rights. He asserted
that 200, 900, 900 of acres had been selected
and approved in all the states as swamp and
overfowed lands, while everybody knew
that no such extent of territory las large as
Europe) consisted Of swamp and overfowed
lands.
A FRAUD UPON THE PEOPLE.
This was fraud upon the people of the
United States. The public lands should be
held as a sacred heritage. OF 10000, 900
acres which had passed in Florida under the
swamp and overflowed lands act, he
asserted that 100000 were arabic lands.
Mr. Plumb replied to Mr.. Call. He said
that the United States had granted to the
state of Florida more than half the lands
within its limits. The state contained
about 40,000,0 900 acres, and more than
one-half of that had been
given to the state for various purposes.
Every single acre of land SO granted had
been placed under control of the legislature
of Florida. Some 16,000 900 or 100000
acres had been granted as swamp and over
flowed lands.
He Plumb did not care how much of the
dirty linen of Florida was washed here and
elsewhere. That was question to be set
tied between the senator and his constitu-
ents. The senator had not said word
today that was not in denunciation of the
conduct of the authorities of his own state.
But for himself, he would resign his seat in
in the Senate if he we're to bring forward
such a complaint against his own state after
being too cowardly TO proclaim it on the
stump within its borders.
AN ATTACK ON FLORIDA.
Let the senator, he said, go back to the
people who sent him here Let him go back
to the legislature which has despoiled the
public domain. The United States lost jur-
isdictiOn of question when it conveyed
these lands to Florida. The senator says
they were not swamp lands. More is the
pity for the morality of those
who received them. When once those
lands were conveyed to the
state of Florida the jurisdictionEof the
United States over them ceased absolutely
and entirely, and they became a sacred
trust of the state. at all events, the re-
sponsibiIity is with his own people, and not
with the people of the United States and
the state of Florida did do something for
the settler. l believe that the state is better
today than it is represented to be-
SHOULD MAKE HIS CHARGES AT HOME.
The charge is unworthy of the senator's
position to his state. 1t does not become
him, unless he has taken the stump in his own
state and denounced at every crossroads the
bad actions of the people who committed
the mistake to appeal on that subject
Especially does it not become him to i'm
pugn the motives of men on this floor
lmeauing members of the subcommittee on
public lands) who did not agree with him.
and who have not been able to find in his
compact, terse, and eloquent sentences that
plth and marrow he imagines are to be
found in them.
A GRAVE CHARGE.
Mr.. Plumb went on to say that Mr.. Call
had some sessions ago. appealed to him as
chairman of the committee on public lands
to report bill to ratify and confirm title to
certain railroad lands in Florida So that
alleged frauds said Mr.. Plumb were to be
were never to be condoned in speech The
senator (he said) had always been in the
habit of impugning senators openly, and he
Plumb had sometimes been inclined not
to reply to him, but to convict
him Of falsehood. But said he) there are
some accusations which are lost in the
ACcuSer.
BELIEVED IN FLoRIDA's VIRTUE.
Mr.. Plumb went on to say that he be-
Ieved in the virtue of the people of Florida
more firmly than their senator did. He was
aware that most conspicuous rape of the
public domain had been perpetrated in
Florida, and he hoped that when the SEN
ator was next tempted to speak on the snb-
Ject he would speak where speaking meant
rlsk-to his own people.
SENATOR CALLS REPLY.
Mr.. Call replied to Mr.. Plumb. He said
will not be moved, Mr. President, by this
extraordinary example of the senator from
Kansas to follow his bad manners, nor his
contemplate methods. He cannot have
poorer opinion Of me than have for the
senator from Kansas. l have not been in
the habit of violating decorum of debate
and discussion; but if the senator thinks by
MS idle bravado, by his defense of this vast
spolation of the public domain in the in
yerest of those who have profited by it, that
he can intimidate me from defending the
rights of the people of my state, I treat
nun with the scorn and contempt that he
deserves.
VIOLATED THE TRUTH.
The senator from Kansas has spoken
without truth. My record in the state of
Florida is known. There is not boodler
there whom ne defends who does not attack
me with similar language and denunciation
as he has used to-day. / confute and dissi-
pate with scorn the allegation of the senator
mat had secretly done anything contrary
10 y, my public utterances. What object has
sne senator in defending the titles of these
ooodlers against peace and repose of the
eatlre countryg What object has he for
aGtacklng me in common with the boodlers
VINO have profited by these fraudss No
Puohc interest but idle bravado.
WILL CANVASS FLORIDA OR KANSAS.
am not afraid to canvass Florida or
SA1ansas with the senator on that question.
ny position is well known in relation to it
~ ~ the state of Florida The officials OF
tlae state are as honorable as the senator
rom rom Kansas. By their side be would sink
o uito lnslgnifcance. The statements of the
oouauor In relation to their violation of trust,
o.e o entlrely untrue, and as chairman of the
J,aai JnLlllttee on public land (which has juris-
Luton over the matter) he should be
o1aalned o1.tied not to be informed about the cir
Vuinstances.
DIsREPUTABLE TO THE SENATE.