The Wichita daily eagle., 1896-12-11
HOUSE DOINGs IN DETAIL


the road, was postponed until Tuesday
next
HOUSE DoINGs IN DETAIL
Territorial Delegates Take a Hand In the
Catron Bul Debate.
Washington. D. c., Dec. 10.-The house
today resumed the consideration Of bills,
under the call of committees Mr.. Boat
her from the Fifth Louisiana dis
trict, whose seat was declared vacant at
the last session and who was reelected
az 2 special election, was sworn in i'm
mediately after the reading of the jour-
nal.
Mr.. Scranton Rep. Pa.) from the COM
nittee on territories then called up the
bill to amend the act forbidding alien
ownership of lands in the territories.
The bill sought to enable aliens to ac-
quire title to real property under mort
gage foreclosure, but by the terms Of the
bill they must dispose Of such title with
.n ten years.
Mr. Hepburn Rep. Ia) caused some
thing Of furry by undertaking to ar
raign the supporters of the bill on the
ground that they were proposing 10 go
back on the platform plank against alien
ownership
His remarks were particularly directed
against the Populists who, he said. after
declaring against alien ownership were
now in favor of allowing aliens TO ac-
quire all they mad heretofore declared
should belong to only American citizens.
CATRON DEFENDS IT.
Mr.. Catron (Rep. n. NJ the sponsor
for the bill declared that the bill did not
permit alien ownership. 1t only permit
ted aliens in certain contingencies to hold
rea! property for ten years. Its purpose
he said, was 10 ena bile the people of the
territories to get some of the benefits Of
foreign capital. Capital was needed to
develop the resources of the territories.
Under the present law no alien could
own dollar of real property and no cap
ital could be invested.
Mr.. Murphy delegate from Arizona
insisted thar no great national question
was involved in the bill. Aliens could
not acquire permanent ownership under
Il II was simply question of whether
the territories should be enabled TO ir-
vite foreign capital TO develop their re-
sources. 1t would be but simple justice
TO give the people of the territories this
opportunity to obtain the capital need
ed.
FLYNN DISCUSSES POPULIsM.
Mr. Flynn, delegate from Oklahoma,
said that although the bill would not ef
feet the territory of Oklahoma, he sub
mitted that there was no reason why
the same laws as to ownership of lands
should not be given both territories and
states
The delegate drifted into a rather
amusing discussion of Populism. Mr.
Flynn characterized the Populist as an
Ishma elite, a man VINO could not thrive
save on failure and despair.
Mr.. Stone (Rep. Pa-) asked if Populism
did not mean a different thing in every
state and congressional district. He had
watched the controversy between two
leading Populists, Watson and Butler
he said, but had not been able 10 secure
any light on the exact definition of
genuine Populist.
ANYTHING TO WIN"
Mr.. Flynn replied that in his country
Populism meant anything to win. He
then sent TO the clerks desk and had
read, circular purporting to be the no.
tice Of Populist rally at Baxter Springs
Kan, at which Thomas z. Watson was
billed to arrive on a Pullman Palace
car, with a glee clug and band"
There was good deal of laughter over
the reading. when Mr.. Bell pop. Colo)
asked if those circulars had not been
published under the direction OF Paul
Vandevocrt, who was in the employ of
the Republican party.
Mt. Flynn replied that they were not.
bill was defeated 80 TO 13.
BOOZE AT THE CAPITOL
Mr.. Morse CRep. Mass.) then called UP
from the committee on public buildings
and grounds bin to prohibit the sale
of intoxicating drinks in the capitol and
capitol grounds.
Mr.. Morse said he did not care to make
any elaborate remarks on the bill. but
he declared that the sale of intoxicat-
ing liquors in the capitol was scandal
and disgrace. No one took the floor
In opposition 10 the measu and il was
passed-l04 to S.
Messrs Adams Rep. Pa.); McClelland
Oem. n. "; E. Adams Dem. Pa;
Richardson Dem. Tenn1, and Foote
Rep N V, voted against il.
Mr.. Powers (Rep. VT from the COM
mittee on Pacific railroads called up the
bill to define the rights of purchasers
under mortgage On the Atlantic and Pa
cific railroads.
Mr.. Powers said the purpose Of the
bih was TO permit the mortgages TO ex-
ercise under the reorganization their
rights as a corpora tion.
Mr.. McCrea (Den. Ark.1 attacked the
bill. He denounced the lard grants 20
the Atlantic and Pacific as the most cor
rupt OF any in the long list Of land grants
The road had not earned the lands, he
HSSCANSo, o44A NcSSENSQ 10 De
forfeited.
After some discussion il was decided
TO postpone the further consideration OF
the bill until Tuesday.
COPYRIGHT BILL
From the committee on patents Mr.
Draper (Rep. Mass) called up the SEN
ate Oil 10 prevent the piraiing of copy
rlghted dramas or musical compositions.
II imposes gne of 800 for the first and
800 Tor each subsequent performance
Ar. Mccall said this legislation had
been urged by practically an the pronlu-
ent American authors. managers ana -
tors engaged in the composition and pro-
duction Of plays and operas. some az
the legal provisions ef the bill were criit-
cized by Mr. Connolly 1Rep. Ui1 Rulcl,
(Rep. o. and ot hers.
Mr- Cummings Dem. y ". who in
troduced the bin in the house. made a
strong plea Tor lis passage
Mr.. Huiick offered an amendment pro.
viding that il al unauthorized perform