The herald., 1896-03-17
IN THE HOUSE
Oklahoma Homesteaders Favored-c alifornia
judicial District Divided


Judicial District Divided
WASHINGTON, March 17.-This was sus-
pension day in the house and several bills
were passed. The most important being
the Oklahoma homestead bill.
bill was passed granting to the Chi
cago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad
company right OF way through the Sac and
Fox Indian reservation.
Unanimous consent was granted at the
request of Mr.. Hit to take up the resolu.
tions censuring Ambassador Bayard for
his speech at Boston. England and Edin-
burgh on Wednesday at 80 pm. In an
swer to question from Mr.. McCreay, Mr..
Hit gave assurance that ample time would
be allowed for debate.
Rlls were passed granting to the First
National bank of SpraRue, WASH, the right
to change its location to Spokane. WASH,
and to increase the rank and pay of the
Judge advocate of the navy when appointed
from the navy.
The rules were then suspended, on mo-
ton of Mr.. Flynn of Oklahoma, and res-
olution was adopted for the immediate
consideration of the Oklahoma homestead
bill. The bill provides that all actual and
bona fide settlers in the public lands in
Oklahoma should acquire patent after five
years reeidence, upon payment of the
customary fees, without the payment of
the price per acre required by existing
law. The secretary of the interior reported
adversely against the bill and stated that
if settlers were relieved from the payment
of the purchase price, the loss to the United
States would be $l5 100000. The govern
ment paid, or agreed to pay, the Indians,
according to Commissioner Lamoreaux's
report, $1S.OO0,OOO. Both Flynn and
McRae of Arkansas advocated the pass age
of the bill.
Mr.. Culberson democrat of Texas) Of
fered the following amendment: That the
liz Low I,,r, <,E Ty,,.k
hereby suspended until further legislation
by congress in SO far as they may affect
the territory hitherto known as Greer
county, Texas.
This amendment was the outcome of the
decision of the supreme court today that
Greer county, Texas, belonged to the pub
lie domain. and therefore to Oklahoma
and not to Texas, and its designation was
to prevent squatters from rushing into
that county and entering lands under reg
uiar land laws, to the injury of bona fide
residents who had purchased their lands
on the supposition that they belonged to
the state of Texas, until congress should
have an opportunity to consider the unex.
pected complications resulting from this
decision.
Mr.. Flynn. realizing the urgency of the
case. accepted the amendment. The bill
was then passed without division.
>. W. Stone (Kepnbiican of Pennsyl-
coinage. weights and measures, moved to
suspend the rules aud pass bill prescrib-
ing punishment for mutilating coins and
for altering or passing mutilated or light.
ened coins. The bill was passed.
A bill, the passage of which was urged
by Baker of New Hampshire, to withdraw
from the United States supreme court
jurisdiction, criminal cases not capital, and
comforting jurisdiction on circuit courts of
appeal, met the opposition of Mr.. Culber-
son. The bill was passed.
Two other bills were passed-to divide
the Southern judicial district of California
and to provide for the disposal! of aban-
doned tOwnsites in Oklahoma.
At :15 the house adjourned.