The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-03-26
SENATOR VESTS SARCASM.
III is TURNED AGAIN ON PRESI-
DENT CLEVELAND AND
SECRETARY SMITH.
UNC0MPAGRE indian RESERVATION
Debate Resolution Directing Secretary
Smith to Comply With the Law
Opening It-Ambassador Bay
ard Cared For in the House

/ Washington, March 1S.-Owing to the
indisposition of Mr.. Mills Dem.) of Tex
as, who had the floor ON the subject, the
Cuban debate was not continued today.
An animated controversy arose over the
resolution of Mr.. Cannon Rep.) of Utah.
directing Secretary Smith to execute the
law for the public opening of the I'm
compagre Indian reservation, Utah.
Mr.. Cannon said that two million acres
were involved, and he wished this man.
datory resolution to overcome the DELAYS
of the secretary of the interior.
Mr.. Gordon Dem) of Georgia, res
ponded that after the conference with
Secretary Smith he learned that vast
mineral wealth, particularly asphalt.
existed on the lands. The secretary was
DESTROYS of protecting the government
against rapacious persons and corpora-
tlons seeking to control these valuable
desposits; the secretary felt that the gov
eminent ought to receive some benefit
eitner by royalty or otherwise, so that
the public might receive the benefits of
giving them to some great corporation.
MI. Chandler asked why Mr.. Gordon,
or the secretary, did not ask to repeal the
law instead of ignoring the law.
Ihere was some disposition to cut off
the debate, but Mr.. Wolcott protested
that the Cuban and the Dupont cases
ought not to crowd out all other subjects
The new State of Utah ought to have
q rev minutes on a matter concerning her
interests.
The senate thereupon adopted Mr..
Cannon's motion to proceed with the con-
sideration of his resolution.
lie followed in a sharp criticism of the
secretary of the interior for failing to
execute the law.
The secreary's course was such. he
said, as to ultimately put the lands i'm the
hands of a monopoly instead of opening
them to the whole public.
Mr.. Walcott added that the lands be-
ilonged to the public and should not he
kept from the prospectors who were en-
couraged by the government, and who
would open UP these vast tracts and make
them valuable.
Mr.. Vest followed in criticism of the
secretary's course:
There was a time" said Mr.. Vest.
when a cabinet officer who violated a
law would be brought before the bar of
this senate"
This reservation, he said, contained the
greatest asphalt deposits in existence
sufficient to supply this country for cen,
turles. A law was passed directing the
opening OF the lands, but the secretary of
the interior nullified it. 1t was nullified
on the excuse that congress did not know
what it was about. The secretar yT
course was in behalf of rich investors
who were the only ones who could bid on
a public auction of the lands.
MI. Vest. said he had protested per-
ssonally to Secretary Smith, and had told
him that the entire Western interest
would oppose his plan and that no West
err man would propose it to congress.
Ihereupon, Secretary Smith answered
that he would get friend from Georgia
to introduce it.
81 am sorry to say" said Mr.. Vest. "but
there seems to be a disposition on the
part of the administration to treat the
Western people as if they were in q con-
dltlon of pupilage1 that they did not know
their own rights and their own interests
and they must be informed ex-cathedra
from the East in regard to what is best
Tor them and what should be done for
them. Even the president of the United
States, lately, on missionary occasion
spoke of the West as n land
of immortality and crime. He stood with
the CHASTITY light of the hell holes of the
rum sellers of New York blazing upon
him and cantingly said home missions
must be used to civilize and Christianize
the men who have left their homes i'm the
civilized East and gone out amongst the
mountains and valleys of the wild and
woody West. Uaughter.)
Our president stood with DR.. Talmage
on one side and the Rev. Sheldon Jack
son on the other and gave us new YER
sion of that blessed missionary hymn
which we have heard so often in our
childhood:
From Montana's sinful mountains;
Prom Utah's wicked plains
"They call us to deliver
"Our lands from errors chains
There was loud laughter as Mr.. Vest
repeated the lines in tones of intense sar-
caSm.
1--WE are told" continued the senator.
"by high ecclesiastical authority that his
excellency has lately laid down his hon
ors at the feet of Jesus. / am glad to
know it. / has been the general impress
sion of the Democratic party that mug
wumps and incense burners have got all
those hOnors and intend to keep them.
L have greater respect for the Christian
religion and missions at home and abroad
but, Mr.. President, it is SANDER upon
the men. who, with rifle in one hand and
the axe in the other, have gone to blaze
lhc piluWuy Ill llOSe w est
nrn wilds.
II am Western man. went to Mis-
souri, when it was frontier, in sight of
the Indian and Buffalo. | have lived
with those people nearly 80 years, and
say to our president now that if he will
interrupt hunting ducks in North Caro-
ina and silver Democrats in Kentucky
ong enough to come out West, we will
show Godfearing, self-respecting, law
bidding people: we will show churches
n which there is real and unaffected
Diety Our church spires may not reach
80 near heaven as those of the
Cast and our church organs may not have
he millihuous tones of those in the East,
)ut our people are worthy the respect of
my administration. But / do not rise
or the purpose of again criticising the adj
| rose to say most emphat-
cally that this habit of secretaries or 9TH
r members of the cabinet deliberately
rambling upon the laws of congress and
efusing to carry them out has gone to an
,xtent that demands immediate notice at
hn ho nd f,f -