The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-07-30

removing the federal restrictions on the
Indians, and it wac for the consent of con-
gress TO the expeaiency and legality of
this act that Senator Alien appealed. He
painted eloquently the discomtorts and
hardships 10 Tacoma and the distress and
annoyance to the Indians which must re-
suit from any legislation other than what
he proposed.
Senator Platt, another uucompromising
protector of the lowly Indian, took the
ground that the passage of the Allen sub
stltute bill would mean nothing more or
less than the success of conspiracy to
rob the Puyallup Indians of land values to
which they were justly entitled. He did
not 90 To the extent of Colonel OwingS
and the Spokane Repier i'll denounc!ng the
substitute as ''local job" but he showed
apparently to the satisfaction of the Sem
ate, that the action of congress had been
anticipated by a number of spectators in
Tacoma In contracts and leases, which he
took the pains TO read to the Senate.
Senator Villas, in supporting Senator
Piatt, held that congress undoubtedly re-
served the right to consent in order that it
might keep the state legislature from do
ing what it (congress) deemed to be un-
Just. He held further that If congress has
the power to grant or to withhold consent,
congress has also power to specify on what
conditions it is willing TO grant it's con-
sent. This, he contended, is the funda-
mental principle of the Dawes ap-
praisement bill. No matter whether
the Indians became citizens under
the Dawes act. the opposition
IN the debate maintained that congress
In giving consent to the removal of re-
Strictions was constrained to the last to
protect the Indian as against the state
Such reasoners and Indian sympathizers
have no eye to local interests. No one
who takes the trouble to follow Mr..
Aliens conduct In the matter or to study
the debates but will feel satisfied that he
did his duty and exhausted every re-
source. 1t comes with good grace in q re.
view of the Puyailup controversy to quote
Senator Villas opening remarks. He said:
Mr.. President, the distinguished senator from
Washington (Mr. Allen) occupies the position
here necessarily OF representing the sentiment
and interest of the people of his state and he
has done SO with vigor, with persistence, with
that fidelity which belongs to his nature his
strength and his honor. He presented this case
to the committee on Indian affairs, and the sub
stitute which he proposes to the bill of the CON-
mttee is simply the bill which he originally in
troCuced and which was referred to the COM
mittee, aud which the committee unanimously
believed they could not, in the discharge of
their duty, report back to the Senate favorably.
The committee heard the arguments of the
distinguished senator, heard them pressed with
all his ability, and heard them with the greatest
of personal favor to him: and wish to observe
that in discharging the duty which is imposed
upon me as a member of that committee, l feel
certain reluctance to occupy the attitude of
antagonizing anything which so amiable gen.
tleman as the senator from Washington desires,
but this is question simply of public duty. .and
the committee felt that they would be derelct
in their duty if they did not deal with this ques-
ton from that high standpoint which involves
the honor OF the United States the guardian,
constituted by its own laws, of the rights and
interests of these people.
Thus it will appear that at two points
of attack the Tacoma and Portland allies
have fallen into ditch. The conspiracy
to discredit Senator Allen in the Eastern
part of the state because of his advocacy
of the ship canal and in the Western part
because of his failure to throw open the
Puyailup reservation, has reacted upon
those who planned it. Nor will the force
of that reaction be fully felt for some little
time to come