The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-01-15
LAND AND BAD BUTTER.
Free Homestead Bill Passed by the
Upper House.
Open All Indian Lands to
Settlement.
0Ieomargerine Under Discussion In House Of
Representatives.

Washington, Jan. 15.-The free home
stead bill. which has been under dis
cussion since the holidays. was passed
by the senate yesterday.
1t is measure Of far reaching i'm
portance. particularly to the west, and
the interest in 1t was shown by the fact
that plank concerning 1t was feature
of the several national platforms. The
effect Of the bill Is to open to settlement
all public lands acquired from Indians
free of any payment to the government
beyond the minor office fees, and to re-
lease from payment those who have
heretofore settled on these lands. The
number Of acres involved, according to
an estimate made by the commissioners
OF the general land office. is 33,25O, Sal,
which would have yielded the govern
ment at the prices heretofore estab-
lished $35, 5,343,006. To Offset this state
ment 1t was brought out during the de-
bate that the lands were mainly arid.
and that those who had settled upon
them We're unable to make payment by
reason of the scanty products Of the soil.
The western senator's in the main fav-
ored the bill as an extension OF the gem
eral homestead policy of the govern
ment. The opposition was directed
mainly by Mr.. Platt (Conn.) and Mr..
Villas (Wis.) AS the bill passed in the
house 1t covered only the lands acquired
from Indians in Oklohama, but as passed
yesterday the bill includes oil Indian
lands. The final vote, taken by agree
ment at p. M, showed a decisive ma
jority in favor Of the measure
The house spentRlmost the entire day
debating the Grout bill, to subject oleo-
margarine and other imitation dairy
products to the laws of the states into
which they are transported. The ad-
vocates OF the measure took the view
that the states should be allowed to
regulate the sale of a product sailing
under false colors, and the opponents
the view that the bill would establish a
dangerous precedent and invade the
power OF congress to regulate interstate
commerce. Those who supported the
measure were Messrs. Northway (Rep..
o., Morse (Rep., Mass.), Lacey CRep.,
Ia), Hainer (Rep., Neb.), Willis (Rep.,
Del), Grosvenor (Rep., o., and Hender-
son CRep, Ia). Those who opposed 1t
were Messrs. Cooper (Dem, Fla.).
Tucker (Dem, Va.), Cannon (Rep., Ills.),
Boatner (Dem., La.), Clardy (Rep., Ky.),
and Williams (Dem., Miss). The bill
was finally passed. 126 to So. The full
text OF the bill is as followS:
THAT all articles known as oleomar-
garine. butterine. imitation butter, or
imitation cheese. or any subsistence in the
semblance Of butter or cheese not the
usual product Of the dairy. and not made
exclusively OF pure and unadulterated
milk or cream. transported into any
state or territory or remaining therein
for use. consumption, sale. or storage
therein. shall, upon arrival In such state
or territory. be subject to the operation
and effect Of the laws Of such state or
territory enacted in the exercise OF its
police powers to the same extent and
In the same manner as though such arti-
cles or substances had been produced
In such state or territory, and shall not
be exempt therefrom by reason of being
introduced therein in original packages
or otherwire; provided, that nothing In
this act shall be construed to permit any
state to forbid the sale OF oleomargarine
except in such manner as will advise
the customer of its real character"