The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-03-04
AS TO THE MINERAL LANDS.
&c orge W. Irwin Ill. Gives an Account of
the L. gis IatiOn.


the Legislation.
BUTTE, March 3.-Mineral Land Com
missioner George w. Irwin has returned
from Washington, where he has been
working in the interest of mineral land
legislation for several months. To re-
porter in Helena Mr.. Irwin gave an inter-
esting history of the bill which has just
become a law, and which is of such vast
importance to the people of Mon
tana.
There has been a continuous fight for
the passage of this measure" said Com
missioner Irwin to the reporter. The
senate committee on public lands be-
fore the holidays recommended the pas
sage of the bill. From the time congress
convened until the favorable action of the
senate committee, and afterwards Tntil
the final passage of the bill, the fight Was
kept up briskly all the time. The friends
of the measure were only successful after
"a great many meetings of parties inter-
estel and after the objections raised were
satisfactorily explained and removed.
There was very heavy railroad lobby
which worked long and earnestly against
the bill. The Northern Pacific, the South
crn Pacific, the Atlantic d Pacific and
other land grant railroads interested in
preventing Its becoming law were each
strongly represented. All of the senators
who are known to specially represent
these companies interests declared that
the rules of the interior department of
July 3, 1891, we're amply sufficient for the
speedy adjustment of the rights of the
railroad companies aud the people. These
senators would insist on amendments
that could not possibly be allowed with
out losing the force of the legislation pro-
posed by us. OF course tie objections
and amendments offered by these sena-
tors were to delay and utterly destroy the
mineral land bill.
aft il nnDpppsgary n n tho 1Aannln
of Montana that under the rules of July
9, referred to before, the Northern Pacific
has obtained patents to 3 5000 acres of
land in this state, and had pending selec-
tons and applications for considerably
over million acres more. The nrst lot
to which the company obtained patent
probably does not contain much mineral
land and are in a measure unimportant.
"ln order to force the issue and prevent
the interior department from granting
these pending patents, we had introduced
in the senate and house the same day,
resolutions requesting the secretary of the
interior to suspend all action under the
rules of July 8, pending the action of con-
gress upon III. X. 3i76, our measure. Mr..
Power, having not returned from Mon
tana, Senator Teller of Colorado, a strong
friend of the bill, introduced the resolu-
ton in the senate, and Congressman
Hartman in the house. These resolutions
were promptly referred to the respective
committees OH pubic lanuS III DOtu SEM
ate and house, and were Immediately re-
ported back favorably. The effect of such
n request, coming from either body, is re-
garded by the departments as being prac-
tically n command. The secretary of the
interior took ii as such, and without watt
ing for the passage of the resolutions in
either house he issued an order suspend
ing further action under the rules of July
3 until the action of the senate on our
mineral land bill. OF course, as you know,
the house resolution was passed later with
some unimportant amendments, int nded
by the committee to show there was no
reflection on the department of the in
terror and its regulations.
at never became necessary to pass the
senate resolution. The effect of these
resolutions, however, was TO bring both
the house and senate to a realizing sense |
of the gravity of the situation aud made |
our fight from that time on a greater pos
sibllity of success. OF all tho changes |
that were submitted and suggested by |
enemies of the measure there we're none |
of very great importance that we were I
compelled to adopt. The bill to-day .
stands a better bill, TO n slight extent. /
than the one originally prepared. All of /
the first principles of the original Dixon |
Hartman bill stand unchanged.
Having just returned from the midst /
of an animated contest for what we con- |
ccived to be the right of the people OF |
Montana, II gives me pleasure TO say that |
the efforts of Congressman Hartman in |
the great fight were herculean, intellect |
ual and wonderfully effective. He fought |
every phase of the legislative situation as |
il was presented in tie house. The meas |
ure came up in that body very often and |
10y his mastery tact and ability he made /
friends for 1t. l think every member of l
the house. whenever the title or number |
of the bill was called, knew that II was 1
Hartman's bill. Everybody seemed TO |
have an interest IN IL irrespective of party.
When the last day came for its considera- |
ton on the report of the house conference |
committee, and the California members |
were disposed TO make us some trouble |
because at that late day we refused to |
permit California TO be included in the |
benefits of the bill, there were fully zoo /
members of the house gathered around /
Hartman and listened TO his brief eNpla- I
nation why this could not be done. Allof I
them declared il to be their purpose to .
stand by Charlie. as they called him.
Among them were men like Asher Caruth
of Louisville, Ky, and old General Sicklcs
OF New York, who we're emphatic in their
demands for the passage of the bill with
out change.
"Too much cannot be said about Mr.
Powers efforts for the bill. He worked
hard and effectively
In regard To the action Of the legislature
in aHoIIshInE the Office of mineral land
comm ssiouer. Mr.. Irwin said:
I'VE have accomplished that for which
the office was created replied the COM
missioner. There Is no further use for
tao office. At least just at present. How
ever. M my Judgment, the legislature .
would have douc wiser thing by allow /