Omaha daily bee., 1896-04-11
DISCUSS INDIAN MATTERS
Cannon Wants Commissions to Make
Treaties Composed of Western Men.
SCHOOL QUESTION ALSO BROUGHT UP
Debnt on the Latter Much Less
Acrimonious Than In the louise
Trnnsmississippi Exposition
Bill Passed.

Bill Passed.
WASHINGTON, April 10.-The senate took
up the question Of sectarlan Indian schools
today, but did not complete 1t, The debate
was very temperate and no reference was
made to the organization which has been
active in opposition to sectarian schools.
Mr.. Carter proposed to strike out the pro-
vision directing that no money should be
spent on s~ectarian schools. This led to a
general argument. In which Senators Carter,
Lodge, Gray, Hoar, Hawley, Allison and
Gallinger participated. An important bill
passed at the close OF the day was that
providing for a Transmississippl and Inter
national exposition at Omaha in 1898.
President Pro Tenn Frye was in the chair
today in the absence of Vice President Stew
enson from the senate.
Mr.. Call, democrat OF Florida, stated that
inquiries had been made of him by Eugene
V. Debs and other labor leaders as to
whether the senate judiciary committee was
taking any action on the restriction of the
power of federal judges. MIR. Hoar, re-
publican of Massachusetts, chairman of the
judiciary committee, said all the members
believed some comprehensive legislation in
this line was needed and several plans were
under consideration, but not fully matured.
Mr.. Hill, democrat Of New York, had special
charge of the subject, and Mr.. Thurston,
republican Of Nebraska, had presented a
measure covering the whole subject. He,
Mr.. Hoar, expected a definite plan would be
presented to the senate later on.
Mr.. Mitchell, republican Of Oregon, chair
man of the committee on privileges and
elections, presented a resolution providing
for the payment of the salaries of Senators
Mantle of Montana and Clark of Wyoming
from March 4, 1893, the date when the SEN
atorial seats from these states became va
cant instead of from the later time when
the senators were elected, the resolution be-
ing necessary to validate payments already
made.
There was something of a breeze when Mr..
Call presented a Joint resolution concerning
the Imprisonment Of Mrs. Maybrick, and re-
questing that the president intervene with
the British authorities toward securing her
release. ...
THAT ought not to be introduced here, and
l move to lay the resolution on the table"
interposed Mr.. Sherman. THE senate of
the United States has no Jurisdiction over
the subject"
Mr.. Call dissented from this proposition
and said he would insist on a vote on it.
The resolution was responsive, he said, to a
wide public sentiment in this country, and
there was nothing in it discourteous toward
Great Britain. He thought the course pro-
posed by Mr.. Sherman an arbitrary one.
Mr.. Sherman insisted on his motion to
table. He said he happened to be in England
when Mrs. Maybrlck was convicted. and
there was much difference Of opinion on the
question whether she ought to be convicted.
But certainly it was not a subject to be
brought here.
On a viva voce vote Mr.. Sherman's motion
appeared to prevail, but Mr.. Call asked for a
roll call and then began a speech in opposi-
ton. Thereupon Mr.. Sherman said he would
ogcant IN a rafarnnnn nf tho rngn1utiop tn fbG
judiciary committee, and this was. agreed to.
The consideration of the Indian appropr!s-
ton bill was then resumed.
WESTERN MEN WANTED.
Mr.. Cannon offered an amendment provid-
ing that the members OF any commission
treating with Indians shall be bona fde resi-
dents of the state or territory in which the
Indians are located. This brought on a de-
bate as to the personnel of the Indian COM
missions.
Mr.. Chiffon urged that local commissions
would be preiud!clal to the Indians, while
Mr. Cannon insisted that outside commits
slons, particularly from the east, were costly
and inefficient. One commission now turned
loose on furlough had spent 5000 before
getting to work. These eastern commissions
made up through political influence were
frittering away the public funds without
accomplishing anything for the Indians or
the public.
Mr.. Cannon, in continuing his speech, Sc
verely criticised the Interior department in
its conduct of Indian affairs.
Mr.. Palmer said it had become quite the
habit-nOt restricted to the senate-to make
charges against executive officials, basing
the charges on generalitles and loose state
ments. The senator paid a tribute to the
commissioner of indian affairs and depre-
Gated the generalized charges of Mr.. Cannon
of willful irregularity Of the Interior depart
ment in dealing with the Indians.
81 protest." said Mr.. Palmer, "aga INST
these general charges. They amount to the
imputation of crime. l protest against the
lmputation that officials are eager to do
wrong and purposely do wrong. The sec
rotary of the interior may not be a wise
man, and l am inclined to believe that he
is not very wise, since the senator from Col
orado (WolcotD says the secretary is down
in Georgia making speeches in favor of the
gold standard and that the speeches are
actually converting people to the other way
of thinking"
Mr.. Cannon answered that in the Sahara
OF incompetency" at the Interior depart
ment there were two eXceptions-the COM
missioners of the land office and of Indian
affairs-and he addressed his criticisms
against the secretary of the interior.
The Cannon amendment was finally ruled
out on a point OF order.
TOOK UP H SCHOOL QUESTION.
This brought the senate to the sectarian
school provisions Of the bill. Mr.. Garter
moved to strike out the provisions declaring
that mo money herein appropriated shall
be paid for education or sectarian schools"
Mr.. Carter said that in 1880, under the peace
policy of General Grant, the government de-
veloped the plan Of c!viliZing and educating
the Indians. This work of education and
civilization proceeded until 1894, Mr.. Carter
went on, when a change Of policy was de-
termined upon, by which government schools
would take the place of the contract private
schools. The present bill made the radical
proposition that no money whatever shall be
paid to these schools. 1t also made the
change so precipitately that thousands of In
dian children would be cut off from their