The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-03-05
ARIZONA SCHOOL LAND BILL
PASSED OVER THE PRESI-
DENT IN THE HOUSE.
TH|RTY-TWO DEMOCRATS VOTED AYE.
All Republicans and Populists Voted
Aye-Bill to Abolish Fee System Will
Be Offered as Amendment to Ex-
ecutive Appropriation Bill.

Washington, Feb 29.-The first pres
idential veto of this session of congress
was overridden by the house today by
a vote of 1913 to 3S, 122 more than the
requisite constitutional two-thirds. All
the Republicans and 81 Democrats voted
for the bill, while the votes to sustain
the presidents veto were all cast by Dem
ocrats. The bill authorizes the governor
and local officers of Arizona to lease the
educational land for territorial school
purposes. The presidents objection to
the bill was that it did not give the sec
retary of the interior power to disprove
the leases and did not throw proper safe
guards around the timber on the lands.
The statement was made on the floor that
the bill was identical with a similar bill
passed by the late congress relating to
Oklahoma Territory at the request of
the secretary of the interior and that the
present bill had received the written ap-
proval of both Secretary Smith and the
commissioner of the general land office.
The statement was also made that the
lands proposed to be leased were now in
possession of cattle men and others, rent
free.
The remainder of the day was CON
sumed in consideration of the executive
appropriation bill. No amendments of
public interest were adopted.
BY special privilege the bill to abol-
lsh the fee system in the case of United
States district attorneys and marshals
will be offered as an amendment on Mon
day.
HOUSE PROCEEDINGS.
Washington, Feb. 29-The senate
amendments to the army appropriation
bill were non-concurred in by the house
today and the bill was sent to coufer-
ence.
Mr.. Lacy, chairman of public lands,
then called up the bill to lease certain
lands in Arizona for school purposes,
which was vetoed yesterday by the pres
ident, and moved that it be passed over
the veto.
Mr.. Lacey, in support of his motion,
said that the house was confronted with
The constitutional interference of the pres
dent on a bill that had passed both
houses unanimously.
rs it an interference" asked Mr.
Miles Oem) of Maryland.
"A constitutional interference, said"
replied Mr.. Lacey, "and one that may
be fatal. Two great bodies going in op-
posite directions have encountered each
other"
Proceeding, Mr.. Lacey explained that
the bill was identical with that author
izing Oklahoma to lease her educational
lands for school purposes, which had
been prepared and passed by the last con-
gress at the request of the secretary of
general land office. As a result of the
,. oklahoma bill, $SS000 had been realized
in that territory last year, while under
the former system but $4,000 had been
obtained. Was it possible, he asked,
What the governor of Arizona was not
as competent to lease these as the secre-
tary of the interior, 1900 miles away?
Both were Mr.. Cleveand's appointees.
The veto message had called attention
to the position of Influential friends
in Arizona. Naturally such opposition
would exist The cattle barons in Okla
homa had protested, yet the law in that
territory had worked admirably. Some
of these lands We're now occupied with
out authority and without rental.
The president, Mr.. Lacey said, had un-
doubtedly been deceived. He had been
influenced by men who had perhaps,
been influenced by others interested in
obtaining the use of these lands free of
charge.
Mr.. Underwood Dem) of Alabama, a
member of the public lands committee,
conceded with Mr.. Lacey that the bill
was good one and should become
law.
In answer to a question by Mr.. Say.
ers Dem.) of Texas Mr.. Lacey said that
the bill had not been submitted to the
secretary of the interior. The commit
tee, he said, had relied upon the report
Of the secretary of the interior in the case
of Oklahoma, where the conditions were
practically Identical In both cases the
cattle barOns were in possession and paid
no rent
There was no reason why we should