The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-03-01

WASHINGTON. Feb. 29.-The first
presidential veto of this session of con-
gress was overridden by the house to-
day by vote of 1913 to 3S-22 more
than the requisite constitutional two
thirds. All the Republicans and 80
Democrats voted for the bill. while the
votes to sustain the president were all
cast by Democrats. The bill author
ICES the governor and local authorities
of Arizona. to lease the school lands of
the territory for educational purposes.
The presidents objection to the bill
was that it did not give the secretary
of the interior power to disapprove the
leases and did not throw proper safe
guards about the timber on the lands
This statement was made on the floor
that the bill was Identical with sim
liar bill passed by the last congress to
Oklahoma territory. at the request of
the secretary of the interior, and that
the bill had received the written APP
prevail 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 cattlemen
and others rent free. The remainder
of the day was consumed in the con-
sideration Of the legislative appropria-
ton bill. No amendments of public in
tereSt were adopted. BY special order
agreed to the bill to abolish the fee
system in the case of United States
district attorneys and marShals will
be offered as an amendment on Mon
day.
THE PROCEEDINGS.
The senate amendments to the army
appropriation bills were not concured
in by the house today, and the bill was
sent to conference.
Mr.. Lacey, chairman of the public
lands, committee, then called UP the
bill to lease certain lands in Arizona
for school purposes. vetoed yesterday
by the president, and moved that it be
r>assed over the veto. Mr.. Lacey said
the house was confronted with consti-
tntioral interference of the president
on a bill that had passed both houses
unanimously.
rs it interference" asked Mr. Niles
Dem.) of Missouri.
Constitutional interference, I said"
replied Mr.. Lacey, 'and one that may
be fatal. Two great bodies going in
opposite directions have encountered
each other
Mr.. Lacey explained the bill was
identical with that authorizing Okla
homa to lease her educational lands for
school purposes, prepared and passed
by the last congress at the request of
the secretary of the interior and COM
missioner-general of the land office.
AS a result Of the Oklahoma bill sSS,000
had been realized last year. while I'M
der the former system $4,000 only had
been obtained. Was it now implied
that the governor of Arizona was not
as competent to lease these lands as
the secretary of the interior, eighteen
hundred miles away? Both were Mr..
Cleveland's appointees. The veto mes
sage had called attention to the oppo-
sition of influential" citizens of Art
IONA Naturally such opposition would
exist The cattle barons of Oklahoma
protested, vet the law of that territory
worked admirably. Some Of these
lands were now occupied without au-
thority and without rental. The presi-
dent, Mr.. Lacey said, had undoubtedly
been deceived He had been Influenced
by men who had. perhaps, been inf1u-
enced by others interested in obtaining
the use of these lands free of charge.
STOOD WITH. LACEY
Mr.. Underwood Oem) of Alabama,
member of the public lands committee.
conceded with Mr.. Lacey that the bill
was a good one and should become a
law. In answer to question by Mr..
Sayers (Denn.) of Texas, Mr.. Lacey said
THE bill had not been submitted to the
secretary of the interior. The commit
tee relied upon the report of the secre-
tary of the interior in the case of Ok
lahoma. the conditions being practical
ly identical. In both cases the cattle
barons were in possession and paid no
No RI a %
fish of one and fowl of the other. MIR.
Savers asked that the matter go over
until the opinion of the secretary of
the interior could be obtained.
Il would be unwilling to ask the sec
rotary of the interior, even with his
colossal assurance, replied Mr.. La
cey, Ito make a recommendation that
we should override the presidential
Veto
Mr.. Murphy. the Arizona delegate,
made the positive statement that the
bill had the approval of the secretary
of the interior and comrnissioner-gen-
eral of the land Office and that their
opinions in writing had been laid be-
fore the president While he was con-
sidering the bill. Mr.. McRae (Dem.) of
Arkansas, chairman of the public lands
committee of the last house, said he
would vote to pass the bill over the
veto. Mr. Murphy said the protests
received by the president We're from
persons benefited by the use of the
land, rent and taxes free. The vote
was then taken on the passage of the
bill over the veto.
1T PASSES
The vote resulted 200 to IS. More than
two-thirds having voted in the affirm
alive, the bill was declared passed over
the presidents veto.
The announcement was greeted with
a scattering of applause by the Repub-
lican side
Those who voted to sustain the pres
ident were as follows: Allen (Miss),
Bell CTex.) Berry. Boatner,, Buck,
Catchings, Clardy, Cobb (Mo) Culber-
son. Dockery. Elliott Is. c.. Harrison,
Hart, Hendrix. Kyle, Lawson, Lester,
Mcclellan, AIcCreary. Mcmillan, Mere
dith. Meyer. Miles, Otey Owens. Pat
terson. Pendleton, Robertson, Russell