The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-07-19
SENATE PROCEEDINGS.
Major Powell Defeated-Arid Lands t
He Restored to Public Domain.

Msjor Powell Defeated-Arid Lands to
Re Restored to Public Domain.
WAsHINGToS CITY, July 18.-After i'm
portant business the Senate resumed con-
sideration of the sundry civil approuria-
tons bill, the pending question being the
amendment repeating the irrigation pro-
vision in the bill of October, 1888. excepting
that reservoir and canal sites heretofore
located or selected shall remain segregated
and reserved from entry and settlement.
Reagan continued his argument begun
yesterday, against the amendment and in
favor of the irrigation scheme initiated
by the act of 1883. He warmly defended
Major Powell. 1t was because he could
not be used by spectators in public lands
that war had been made upon him.
stewart-Does the senator from Texaa ascribe
that motive to me?
Reagan-I have not said word about the
senator from Nevada, nor have had him in my
mind. was referring to general subjects, and
the fact that representatives of syndicates and
corporations were urging to repeal this law, and
threatened to bring their power to bear on mem
hers OF congress.
Stewart--will the senator name some agent OF
some syndicate?
Regan-No doubt the senator from Nevada
knows as many of them as do. have no dis
position to engage in personalities, either with
agents or claimants or senator's
Stewart-No representative of any syndicate
or any person interested in land has mentioned
this subject to me this session. The only thing
that has influenced me has been my own OBJ
servation and the protests that have come from
the people against having public lands with
drawn from the market
Reagan-These land sharks may have thought
me weaker, less pure, less devoted to public in
terests than the senator from Nevada, and may
therefore have approached me when they did
not deem they dared approach him. When we
talk of public sentiment We ought to have the
sentiment of the cuitivators of the soil, and not
of the land spectators who combine their in
fiuence activity and wealth to make the leaders
of congress serve their own interests and their
own feelings against those OF the people
Allen said that within the country desig-
mated as the arid region there was popu-
lation of between 100000 and 5000, 900.
Great companies had a guarantee of laws
which had existed up to this time, but sud-
denly, and without q note of warning, two
ffths of the area of the United States had
been reserved from settlement. In order
to consummate that policy state lines and
territorial lines would have to be obliter-
ated, and vested rights absolutely ignored.
He earnestly protested against such legis-
lation.
Allison said he desired to put himself on
record against any appropriation being
made in the direction of continuing the ir-
rigation survey. He was firmly convinced
that an immediate stop should be put to
that survey. The result OF its continuance
would be TO involve the government in
enormous expenditures and entangiement.
After further discussion by Plumb,
Cockrell, Teller and Stewart, the amend
ment was agreed TO. The items of $40, 600
for the irrigation survey. $4,000 for en-
craving maps, and $500 for office rent in
Washington City, were stricken out and
the bill laid aside, Allison giving notice
that he would ask the Senate to remain in
session tomorrow until it had completed
consideration.
A conference was ordered on the land
forfeiture bill.
Adjourned
COMBINATIONS.
Assistant secretary of the navy. James
Russell Saley. of Massachusetts,; assistant
secretaries of the treasury. 4. B. Nettleton,
Of Minnesota. and Oliver L. Spaulding. Of