The San Francisco call., 1896-04-24
APPROPRIATIONS | a. o.
FOR THE INDIANS,
Passage Of the Bill Carry
ing Nine Millions by
the Senate.
REFUGE FOR CRIMINALS
Rather Harsh Things Said
About Lawlessness in the
Territory.
SAVAGE CONDITIONS EXIST.
REFUGE FOR CRIMINALS
SAVAGE CONDITIONS EXIST
Defeat of an Amendment Providing
Fifty Thousand Dollars for the
Dawes Commission.

WASHINGTON, D. c., April 23.-The
Indian appropriation bill carrying, with
amendments, about So, 100000 was passed
by the Senate to-day after a long discus
sion about the lawless condition of affairs
in Indian Territory.
The sundry civil appropriation bill was
taken up and went over till tomorrow.
There are five other general appropriation
bills to be acted on by the Senate-the
naval, the river and harbor, the District of
Columbia, the fortifcation and the de-
ficiency.
In the closing half-hour of to-day's ses-
sion several public, building bills were
passed-$500, 900 for Salt Lake City; $685.
600 for Ogden, Utah; $150,OOO for Ports
mouth, Va, and S1O0, 600 for Nashua N. H.
Call of Florida gave notice that he would
ask consideration, probably tomorrow, of
the joint resolution heretofore introduced
by him requesting the President to send
war vessels to Cuba.
The Senate bill to authorize the con-
struction of a bridge across the Missouri
River at Bonneville, Mo-, was reported and
passed.
Unanimous consent was asked by Call
Cd of Florida to have the joint resolu-
ton, heretofore offered by him, requiring
the President to send ships of war to Cuba
for the protection of American citizens,
taken up for consideration and action, but
On the appeal of Platt (R.) of Connecticut
not to press the request at this time and
not to interfere with the Indian appro-
priation bill Cali said he would withhold
his request for the present, but he gave
notice that as soon as the Indian appro-
priation bill shall be disposed of he will
move to have his joint resolution taken up
and acted on.
The Indian appropriation bill was taken
mp. The question was on an amendment
of yesterday, by Platt (R.) of Connecticut,
appropriating $50, 900 for the Cherokee (the
Dawes) Com mission, and instructing the
commission with reference to the breaking
up of the tribal relations of the Indians
and to the distribution OF their lands in
severalty. A point of order against the
amendment as being general legislation on
an appropriation bill was made and
argued by George CD of Mississippi.
After George had spoken for an hour on
his point of order his argument was criti-
cized by Vest Cd of Missouri, who said
that the Senate always finds what it does
not want to do to be "geheral legislation"
and vice versa as to what it does want to
do. Vest spoke of the Indians being
"allowed to constitute themselves as a
National nuisance" and he described
Indian Territory as "a pesthouse, legally
and morally, within the public domain"
as being "a horbor Of refuge for criminals" !"
and as having caused depreciation of
property in the adjoining States by third.
The debate was continued at much
length. Jones (D.) of Arkansas denounced
the rule of crime and outrage in In
dian Territory, Bate CD of Tennessee
placing all the responsibility for that state
of things on the 'bummers, land-grabbers
and thieves" who seek to rob the Indians,
and Platt declared that more brutal and
savage conditions existed in Indian
Territory than in Russia, Armenia or
Cuba.
Finally the whole question was disposed
of by the Vice-President sustaining the
point of order and ruling Platt's amend
ment out of order. The bill was then
passed and conference with the House
was ordered.
appropriations amounting to $S420, 445.
Appropriations this amount was reduced
to 81, Ala, ,S06-the great item in this reduc-
ton being one of 81. $4,000 for payment
on the Cherokee outlet purchase" This
item, however, was restored by the Senate.
The principal items of the increase were
appropriations of $5oo,O00 for surveying
lands in Indian Territory, 100000 for
the support OF industrial schools and $780,
600 for school buildings and school sites.
The appropriations for the Indian service
for the current fiscal year were $S, 762, ISL.
The bill for the next fiscal year. as it passed
the Senate to-day, appropriates over
$9,oO0,000. The sundry civil appropriation
bill was taken up and went over until
tomorrow.
Senate bill to provide for the disposal of
the abandoned Fort Shaw military reser-
vation In Montana under the homestead
and mining laws was passed.
After short executive session, the
Senate. at P. NJ, adjourned until to-mor-
row.