Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-05-26
THEIR SALARIES.
Congressman Must Have It, Whether
Absent or Not.
The Deduction from ths Pay by Rule Did Not
Last Long.

Tho long discussion and the many CONTESTS
about the location of various Indian bands
are completed at last, the committee on
Indian affairs having decided that the res
ervations Of the Osagcs and Kaws shall be
cut off from Oklahoma and given to the
Indian Territory. This, it must be noted,
transfers the land, leaving the Indians as
large an area az they had and correspond
ingiy lessons that Of Oklahoma. The
Osagcs number about /, 800 and the Kaws
not half SO many, and their petition to the
committee Ia an interesting document as
showing how potent the Indian suspicion
of white settlers still is and how far the
tribes are from being ready for a state gov
eminent. They set forth that If not trans
ferrcd before Oklahoma becomes state
they never can be, and that as soon as the
state Is organized 1t will begin to legislate
SO AZ to destroy their tribal organizations
and get their land, and that the United
States will not defend them against state.
This transfer completes the location Of
about all the Indians in the United States,
and so far as can be learned leaves them
nearly all well satisfied. In every case this
session where tribe or band asked for a
transfer and they have always asked for
such transfers AS would place them with
their kindred tribes--it has been granted,
and generally it may be said that the com
mittcc has favored the Indian view in cv-
cry ease, except as to granting larger APP
preparations, and it is suspected that those
arc generally asked for by white men in
tho tribe. Except the seeing of its appro-
prjation bill through the house the work
Of this committee is practically finished.
It Quickly Filled the Seats.
While tho bill making appropriation for
the Legislative, judicial and executive
branches was droning its languid way
through the house, with two-t thirds Of the
seats empty, the question of members pay
was suddenly sprung. and 1t was laugha-
bio to SEQ how quickly the house walked
up and tho seats were filed. 1t will be re-
mcmbcred that law passed in August,
1856, deducting pay for every day mem
Der was absent except for sickness and re-
quiring him to state the time, was recent
ly revived, and many very queer looking
statements were filed with tho sergeant
alarms. For instance, Brcckinridgo tes-
titled to only few days absence for all
tho weeks no was attending his trial. 1t
was obvious from the start that the Gus
tom could not last long and many claim
cd tho old law had been repealed by subse-
qilcnt acts and the revision of 1874, the
came in which tho silver dollar was drop
ped out While this legislative bill was
up an amendment was offered declaring
the law of 1856 no longer in force, and in
two minutes the house was on the points
OF its hoofs. 1t was no small compliment
to Judge Culberson that when he roso to
speak all the members crowded to that
side, and there was deep silence. He main
taincd that the law was still i'm force, but
wrong In principle. Chairman Richard
son ruled that the amendment was not
gorinane, as it changed existing law. An
appeal was taken, and on rising vote he
was sustained, but tcllcrs were demanded,
and there was great fun as the abscntecs
were beckoncd down from the galleries
and called in from the committee rooms,
the result being that the chairman was
ovorrued. Then came the vote on the
amendment, which rcsultcd-ycas, lS;
nays, 81. So the act of 1856 was repealed,
and the cheering was tremendous.
spicy Colloquy.
Another amendment was offered provid-
Ing for the deduction of pay in certain
cases, and on that Mr.. Meyer of Louisiana
made u very able speech, maintaining that
pay should bc deducted only when mem
bcr was absent without leave of the house.
Mr.. Cox Of Tennessee wanted n regular
Draconan law, and the colloquy between
the two was extremely spicy. much to the
delight of the members who We're now
satisfied that their pay was in no danger,
The chairman ruled this amendment out
of order, and Mr.. Meyer was talking
with u member bahind him at the time.
Tho clerk had read the next paragraph Of
the bill before he turned round, and thus
cut off his right to appeal from the dcci-
sion of tho chair. He frankly confessed
that he had been caught mapping and ask
cd unanimous consent to appeal, where
upon the house laughed, coughcd and OBJ
jccted till there was a fine uproar, And
in this legislative act of high comedy the
attempt to make members pay depend on
their attendance ended.
More About Coxcyism.
If anybody imagines that the retirement
of Coxey's army and his trial and convic
ton would end the racket, his disappoint
mcnt must be great, for the real bitterness
of the affair comes now when all is over
q There is an intense feeling that Coxcy
Browne and Jones have been very hardly
dealt with in receiving sentence of 90 days
in Jail, and the fact that they had to rid,
IN the common prison van WITH common
Migrants and petty criminals and hand
cuffcd besides was felt to he u needless out
rage on their feelings. This class of rea
soners maintain that u nominal fine would
have been ample for the legal sanction and
for the first offcnsc, and that severe pun
ishment might have been dealt out to the
next offenders. On the other hand, JudgS
Miller, who sentenced them, and thost
who sustain him say that the three men
came here with expressed intent to violate
the law and incitc others to do it, and that
their punishment was very light.
As to the coming armies the officials
now make q statement somewhat like tina,
of the old women In the very old story
about the borrowed kettle which was
broken. They say, first, that none of the
coming armies will get here and, second,
that il they do get here they will be arrest
cd On massc under the vagrant law as scon
rs they cross the District line, and, third,
that they will starve anyhow if allowed to
60 into camp. 1t is also given out that il
Coxey's little squad ut Highlands does moi
dissolve in few days they will be arrest
cd under tac Maryland law and sent tc
state prison or the workhouse for a few
months. In short, our officials say that il
was all well enough to let the first band