The weekly tribune., 1892-08-06
SATURDAY. AUGUST u. 1872,
THE MINERAL LAND BILL.

When the republican press of Montana
attempt to make political capital against
the Hon. w. W. Dixon out of the non
passage of the mineral land bill. they
are. to use a homely expression, barking
up the wrong tree a few words in re-
ation to the bill, its origin and the OBJ
structions thrown in the way of its pass
age by the Northern Pacific railroad
company may not be out of place.
At the session of the present legisla-
tive assembly of the state year ago last
winter law was enacted by which the
governor was requested and authorized
to appoint a citizen of the state as min
eral land commissioner. whose duty it
shall be to take such measures as to him
may seem best to contest the possession
of the mineral lands of Montana in be-
half of the miners with the Northern
Pacific railroad corporation which
claimed certain portions of them by vir-
tue of land grant given it by a republi-
can congress. For reasons best known
toitself. the legislature did not have much
confidence in Sanders and Power who
we're supposed to attend to the interests
of tie state in the higher branch of con
gress.
Governor roole appointed Major Ma
5innis as mineral land commissioner.
That gentlcmun went to Washington
and has done good and faithful work for
the state. II was through his prcsenta
ton of the case that Mr.. Noble, secre-
tary of the interior. refused to grant the
Northern Pacific patents to any lands
within the mineral belt until the matter
of their mineral character should be
definitely settled In order to settle
this Congressman Dixon, assisted by
Major Maginnis and Land Commissioner
house known as the mineral land bill.
That bill provides for the appointment
Of commission to examine and classify
the lands within the grant OF the North
ern Pacific Railroad company in the
states Of Montana and Idaho, and that
until such examination and classification
he made no patents to lands within the
states namet snail be issued to the com
pany.
The ,till received the unqualified on
dorsement of Land Commissioner Carter
and of Mineral Land Commissioner Ma
ginnis and was introduced in the house by
Congressman Dixon. being known as II. Il.
G,S3l. 1t was referred to the proper con-
mttee and by it referred to the secretary
Of the interior for his opinion. lie in
turn referred it to Land Commissioner
Carter for his consideration. When Mr..
Carter was in this city some time ago
during the railroad washouts- he stated
to TRIBUNE representative that tie bill
was fair one for all parties concerned;
that Mr.. Dixon had worked and was
still working hard and faithfully to get
the bill through the house, but that the
Northern Pacific while protesting salts
faction with the bill was constantly urg-
ing Instructions in the way of its pas
sage through the house. Mr., Carter
then expressed the opinion that it would
be extremely problematical whether Mr.,
Dixon would be able to get the measure
through the house at this session.
Since that time Mr.. Power returned to
Helena from Washington and adds his
testimony to that of Mr. Carter as to the
faithfulness OF Mr.. Dixon in the work Of
pressing the bill to favorable consdera-
ton by the house. II it is political CAPT
tai the Inter Mountain, the Helena
Journal and other republican sheets In
the state want to make against Congress
man Dixon the TRIBUNE will remind
them that this mineral land question has
been before the people OF Montana
several years and that long before Mr..
Dixon was named for and elected to con
gress, Mr.. Tom Carter had, as delegate
to, and afterward as member Of, congress
from Montana, ample time and oppor-
tunity to draft, introduce and press
bill, touching upon the question,