Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-03-16
NATIONAL CAPITAL BUDGET
Joint Resolution Requiring Secretary
of Agriculture to Distribute Seeds
AmOngCongressmen is Law.
IMPORTANT SUPREME COURT DECISIONS
California Can Tax Franchises of Cen
trail and Southern Pacific Roads
Greer County Case Decided
Partisan Resolutions.

Greer County Case Decided
i Partisan Resolutions.
Washington, March 16.-The senate
joint resolution, directing the secretary
of agriculture to purchase aud distribute
seeds. etc., as done 10 preceding years
has become law without the president's
signature. Secretary Morton refused to
carry out the old law and vigorously op-
posed the passage of the present man
datory act.
PACIFIC ROAD PROPOSITION.
Several members of congress interested
in the Sioux City & Pacific railroad ap-
peared before the house committee on
Pacific railroads to-day to give their
views upon the proposition recently
made by Coombs, the Sioux City banker,
regarding that branch.
Representatives Meiklejohn, of Ne
braska; Perkins, of Iowa; Fletcher and
Towne, of Minnesota, presented petitions
from many towns asking for the construc-
ton of the road southwest from Sioux
City to North Platte, which was contem-
plated in the original Pacific railroad
aids.
The advantages of such line, as pre-.
sented by Mr.. Mieklej ohm, are that it
would diagonal three systems-the North
western, the Burlington & Missouri and
the Union Pacific main lines-giving an
outlet to farm products and the benefit of
lake rates.
1t was the request of these members
that the committee include provisions for
the building of this branch in any general
bill it may report and for that purpose
they. ask that $4,O0O,OOO be used from the
sinking fund, established by Senator
Thurman and invested in the bonds of
Sioux City.
SESSION OF THE SENATE TO-DAY.
In the senate to-day Mr.. Palmer, of
| Illinois, offered resolution, which went
over, declaring that the unlimited coin
age of silver by the United States would
subvert existing legal and commercial
values.
Mr.. Cannon, of Utah, made his first
speech to-day, sharply eriticising Secre-
tary Hoke Smith for the latter's esponse
to the senate resolution as to Indian
| lands.
Mr.. Cannon characterized the secre.
tarys action as discourteous, misleading
and evasive and protested in behalf of the
west at lack of information and intel
ligent action by the secretary on matters
affecting the western country.
At O'Clock Mr.. Lodge, of Massachu-
setts, was recognized for d aspeech in sup
port Of the resolution for additional i'm
migration laws. 1t is not likely that the
Cuban resolution will be taken up to-day.
DECIDED IN FAVOR OF THE PEOPLE.
Chief Justice Fuller, of the United
States supreme court, to-day handed
down decision in the cnses of the people
of California against the Central Pacific
and Southern Pacific Railway com panies,
involving the right of the state to tax the
franchises Of those roads.
The railroad companies resisted tax
alton on the ground that the franchises
were derived from the national govern
ment as we'll as from the state authorities
and were lnseparable.
The court decided against this view,
holding that the railroad companies owe
their existence as corporations to the
state ani are subjects to state laws in re-
spect to taxation.
The chief Justice said that the state
franz shises never had been merged in gen.
eral franchises and that they were as
legitimately subjeo to taxation as the
road.beds of the companies.
Justice Field read dissenting o opinion.
He said that the position taken in the
majority opinion was absurd and nnten.
able.
IMPORTANT SUPREME COURT DECISION.
The case of the United States vs.. the |
state of Texas, involving the ownership
of Greer county, was decided in the su-
preme court to-day in favor of the
United States. Justice Harlan handed
down the opinion. The case involves L.
100000 acres.
PURELY PARTISAN RESOLUTIONS.
The house has decided to consider the
resolutions, censuring Ambassador Bay |
ard for his speeches at Boston, England,
and Ediugburgh, Scotland, on Wednt sday
at 1890 a. N.
TEXAS COURT REVERSED.
The United States supreme court to.
day reversed the decision of Judge
Maxey, of the Texas federal court, in the
case of Consul Ornales, of Mexico, asking
for the extradition of certain men claim
ed to be engaged in the CARA insurrec-
tion of 1891 and 1892. The supreme
court decision has the effect of holding |
them subject to extradition. Chief JUS
tice Fuller read the opinion OF the court.
FISH COMMISSIONER NOMINATED.
The president to-day sent to the senate
the following nominations: John j. Brice,
of California, to be commissioner of fish
and fisheries, vice Marshall Mcdonald
deceased.
INFORMATION Az TO SEIZURES.
The resolution offered by Mr.. Call,
directing the secretary of the treasury
to give information as to seizures of
vessels for alleged violations Of the neu-
trality laws, was passed by the senate to-
day.
OKLAHOMA HOMESTEAD BILL.
without division the Oklahoma home
stead bill was passed by the house with
an amendment offered by Representative
Culbersou, suspending the public land
laws in Greer county, Texas, to-day de.
cided by the supreme court to be part Of
the public domain.
The president has issued proclama.
tion Withdrawing from disposition under
the homestead law the public lands for |,
merly known az Greer comfy, Texas,
and reserving the land from. settlements
until decision shall be reached az to the
merits of the Choctaw claim to this coun-
ty. Persons who settled therein prior
to December 30, 1880, are not to be dis.
turbed in the meantime.
II is fixed and immutable, law that to
have good, sound health one most have