Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-01-15
AFTER A LONG STRUGGLE
The Free Homestead on PubHc. Lands Question
Is Finally Settled.
THE NICARAGUA CANAL COMPANY
Again Fails to Obtain Recognition in the
Senate--Congressmen Loaded With
Bills-Local Legislation on Oleo-
margarine Passed the House

Washington, Jan. 14.-A new phase of
the Pacific railroad problem was pre-
sented in the senate today in the form of
a resolution offered by Mr.. Morgan, in
structing the judiciary committee to in
quire whether by the very fact that GER
tain of the bonds of the Union and Cen
trail Pacific Railroad companies had fall
en- due and were not paid, the property of
those companies had not become and was
not now the property of the United
States. The resolution went over with
out action.
The house bill for free homesteads on
the public lands in Oklahoma territory,
which has been the unfinished business"
in the senate since the first week Of the
present session, came to a vote today,
after three hours debate, and was
passed-yeas 80, nays II. 1t was first
amended in a very important particular
by striking out the words "in the ter
ritory of Oklahoma" thus making 1t ap-
ply to-all public lands acquired from the
various Indian tribes. 1t provides that
all settlers on those lands shall be en-
titled to patents on payment OF the full
and customary fees and that no further
charge of any kind shall be required.
1t also provides, by another senate
amendment, that all sums OF money SO
released, which, If not released, Wouid
belong to the Indian tribe, shall be paid
to such tribe by the United States. The
bill now goes back to the house for ac-
tion on the senate ameDdments.>
The army appropriation bill was re-
ported back from the committee on ap-
propriations. and was placed ON the cal
endar.
The printing of 5000 extra copies of the
Anglo American arbitration treaty and
of 1900 extra copies of the memorandum
recently presented by Mr. Hale rep. Me)
as to the right of recognizing foreign gov
ernments, was ordered.
Senate bill for an examination OF the
improvements at the Pass of Arkansas,
Texas, was taken from the calendar and
passed.
Mr. Morgan moved to proceed to the
consideration of senate bill to amend the
act to incorporate the Maritime Canal
company of Nicaragua. The vote was:
Yeas, 33; nays, 6-no quorum.
The negative votes were cast by Messrs.
Berry, Blackburn, Chiffon, Cockerell
Gray and Teller.
Mr.. Morgan moved a call of the senate,
but Mr. Hill remarked that it was too
late to attempt to get quroum and he
moved an adjournment. The motion was
agreed to- and the senate, at 4:30 p. M,
adjourned until Monday next.
IN THE HOUSE.
Washington Jan. 4.-When the house
met this morning HldHy iHcHipCto "SiS
waiting impatiently in their seats for
business to begin. Each had a printed
copy of some bill in his hand, eagerly
hoping to get it through under the unani-
nous consent rule. When the journal
had been read a score of members were
on their feet crying for recognition and
business went along merrily for awhile.
A number of private pension and other
minor bills were passed.
Mr.. Fitzgerald, democrat, of Massa-
chusetts secured the passage of resolu-'
tion calling on the secretary of the navy
for an estimate on the cost of putting the
frigate Constitution in condition to make
the journey from Portsmouth, N. H., to
Washington to be authorized as naval
museum.
The bill discussed yesterday to make
oleomargarine and all other imitation
dairy products subject to the laws of the
state or territory into which they are
transported was called up by MI. Grout,
republican, of Vermont, and discussed
by Messrs Cooper, democrat, of Florida,
and Tucker, democrat of Virginia, in
opposition, and Messrs. Northway, re-
publican. of Florida, and Morse, republi-
can, of Massachusetts,, in favor of 1t.
The opposition was on the general
ground that the bill provided an inter-
ference with the power of congress to
regulate interstate commerce. The right
of state to prevent the importation to
it's boundaries of a product which the
laws of that state prohibited was the
basis for the arguments in favor.
The opposition, however, did not prove
formidable on the yea and nay vote on
the third reading which the opponents
of the measure accepted as final. The
yeas were 1926 and the nays So. Some
amendments to perfect the measure were
agreed to without opposition.
The presidents message vetoing the
bill to create new judicial district in
Texas was referred to the committee on
the judiciary.
Mr.. Sherman, republican, of New York,
presented the Indian appropriation bill.
The house then, at 4:52 p. M, adjourned
until tomorrow.