The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-02-24
The Proceedings.

Washington, Feb. 23.-Notice was given
by Mr.. Morrill, CRep. VT, in the senate
today of his intention to address the SEN
ate on Thursday on the resolution in
reference TO the independence of Cuba
After the routine morning business, the
| consideration of the Indian appropriation
bill was resumed-the question being a
point of order made yesterday by Mr..
amendment for the opening of the
UncOmpahgre Indian reservation-as gen
eral legislation The discussion took q
range beyond the parliamentary point OF
order and extended to the question OF
valuable deposits of gilsonite and
asDhaltum on the lands of the reserva-
ton in Utah. which Mr.. Villas wanted to
have reserved by the government.
His argument was replied to by MI.
Cannon CRep. Utah, who argued in
favor of the opening of the reservation.
land. He opposed these mineral lands
passing into the hands of a. corporation
or monopoly
At the close of nearly two hours, the
point of order was submitted to the SEN
ate. which was decided by a vote of 81 To
16 that the amendment was in order. The
discussion went on as TO the merits of the
amendment Pending the decision Mr.
Mills, Texas, offered resolution. which
was agreed TO, requesting the president
to transmit statement OF the facts
covering the arrest. imprisonment and
death of DR.. Ricardo RUIZ in the Jail at
Guanabacoa, Cuba, with copies OF the
corresp Ondence on the subject.
The vice-president laid before the sem
ate report from the secretary OF state
as TO the persons claiming to be Ameri-
can citizens who were captured on board
the Competitor. Referred to the COM
mittee on foreign relations
The discussion over the Uncompahgre
reservation went on for another couple
of hours. Mr.. Brown (Rep. Utah, argued
vehemently in support of the amendment.
and in favor of opening the reservation
m be Dpnnlo
Mr. Clark Rep. Wyo)., took the same
position.
Mr.. Palmer Dem. Ills).. favored dis
posing of the valuable gilsonite deposits
MI. Jones Dem. Ark.) opposed the
amendment on account of its injustice
to the Ute Indians, whose reservation II
Mr.. Vest Oem. Mo- bitterly criticised
the administration, declaring that all the
complications in the matter had re-
suited from the refusal of the president
to execute the law
MIR. Villas protested against what he
called the arraignment of the president by
Mr. Vest
Il arraign the president. if the senator
so characterizes my remarks, said MI
Vest because l declare that he had no
right to disobey an act OF congress which
was mandatory upon him. II he believed
that we were wasting the substance OF the
people. he should have called it 10 our
attention in a constitutional way. ana
asked us to repair the wrong. Instead of
that. he usurDed legislative functions
and declared that he would not obey
the act of congress. These are the I'M
disputed facts
SO far from their being undisDuted
facts said Mr.. Villas. I am astonlshed
that the senator from Missouri should
make such a statement
Mr. Villas then offered an amendment
TO the amendment directing a survey 10
be made of the reservation. the m,nerSd
lots to be surdivided into lots of suitable
ciza and and a ROYALTY or O--cc
per ton to be fixed for asphaltum, Sllson-
lite and other minerals. and that instead
of patent. q lease shall issue for eaen
of such lots for % years. subject to the
payment of royalty
Mr. Brown (Rep- Utan) opposed the
amendment as overthrow1ng the serted
and established mining laws of the eoun-
try under which the man who trst maze
his mining location staked out his ciaim-
Under the proposed amendment. CLAIMS
were TO be Staked out by the government
and DISPOSED of by lease In other re-
spects the established mining laws or the
country were to be set aside and obhter-
was to stand in as a landlord II was
such = policy as that whlch nad cost
the life of one of the early English kings
The lands of the United States were the
public estate upon Whlcn every c-l-1eH
might settle and locate
Mr. Villas amendment was rejected
The committees amendment was moor
fed by one offered by Mr. vest ana
agreed to-yeas IS. nays H. 1t now reads:
That all of the Uncompahgre In
dian reservation in the state of Utah,
except about 10000 acres OF bottom
land. extending about ten or twelve
miles up the White river on both sides
from its mouth. is hereby declared
open TO public entry under the lana
laws of the United States. provided
that no one person shall be allowed 70
make more than four claims on lands
containing Silsonite.
UNITED STATES SENATORS
The bill was laid aside. and Mr.. Hoar
Rep. Mass) offered a resolution pro-
posing this form OF certificate OF election
of United States senators:
ITO the President of the United States
Senate:
'.This is to certify that on the - day
Of a 3. was duly e.ected BY the
legislature of the state Of a senator
from said state to represent said state in
the senate of the United States for TIE
term of six years. beginning on the 4th
of March. 1s9-.'
The resolution went over without action.
The senate on motion of Mr. Smith
Dem. N. j. and by yea and nay vote