Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-02-24
uNcOmpAuGnE RESERVATION.
a Lively Debate in the senate--Foros
ReSeryations

n
RESERVATIONS.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 23.-The Senate
made slow progress today on the APP
Precipitation bills, disposing OF only one
item OF the Indian bill, that directing
the opening OF the Uncompahgre In
dian reservation In Utah. 1t involved
conflict with the executive branch,
which steadily resisted opening these
lands on the ground that they con.
tanned valuable mineral deposits
Villas endeavored to have a royalty
reserved to the government, but was
| defeated in this and the clause was
| agreed TO after an all.day debate.
During the day "a resolution by Mile
| OF Texas was adopted asking tbe
| President for reformation as to tho
death OF DR.. Ruiz at GuanRbacoa,
Cuba.
In the course Of the debate Wilson
(Rep. Wash.) alluded TO the Presl.
dent's order VI yesterday Withdrawing
from the public domain some 81 ,000,.
| 900 acres OF land and constituting
various forest reservations. Cannon
| declared that there was not the slight
est knowledge VI the subject on the
part OF the order maxim the deBigna-
| ton, and that lgn1 in Utah had been
| designated aB forest land when, In
| fact, there was 10 timber on 1t larger
than u Jack rabbit bush.
] The amendment opening the I'm
compuhgre reservation was agreed to,
81 10 l6.
| Tue UncompRhgre question came
up again when consideration of the
Iuuisn bill was resumed. 1t was hold
that the former vote did not have the
| effect OF carrying the amendment.
Brown (Rep., U.ab,) spoke for the
amendment.
Clark (Rep., WyO.,) made vigor-
GUS speech In which he criticised the
Presidents order OF yesterday with
| dra wing 81 ,OO0. 900 acres from public
use. 1t WAS an order without author
lily of law, declared Clark. 1t was
part of that solid wall of opposition to
Western Interests. 1t urew away
from tho public millions of acres OF
land which should have been open to
happy homes. Ostensibly the with
drawal was for forestry purposes, when,
from personal observation, Clark said,
there was not enough timber on some
OF these lands to build n four-raiI
fence around 1t. The senator ortiz
cieed other orders and land rulinge,
particularly tho 'ipse uixit OF the
tscretary OF the interior" as to placer
mining companies.
MIR. White (Dem., Cali interjected
the suggestion that recent ruling as
to the meaning Of the word "mineraP'
not only took land away from indi'
viuuslS, but gave 1t to railroad COM
panies.
Clark asserted the West should be
consulted as 10 Western land interests
Palmer dem, H. advocated put
ting up valuable gIlsonite mines al
public sale.
Jones (Dem., Ark.) opposed the
amendment on the ground OF injustice
to the Iniians on the reservation.
Vest (Dem., MOI said this compli.
cation resulted from the refusal Of the
President to execute the law Tor open.
ing this reservation. Vest offered Ru
amendment excepting certain lands al
the mouth OF White river.
| Villas commented on Vests cat.
tack" on the President. The Missouri
senator responded that he had made nc
attack, he had recited certain facts
showing that the Executive had
usurpeu legislative functions and had
refused to obey the law.
Mr.. Was then offered an amend.
ment providing for a survey anu sub.
division OF these lands, a royalty or
price per ton to be fixed for asphallum,
gilsoniie and other minerals, and that
instead OF u patent, lease shall iesue
for each lot Tor twenty-five years, sub.
ject TO tue payment Of the royalties.
Alter further debate the various
propositions were brought to vote.
The Vest amendment was accepted by
the COMMITTEES. The Vilss amendment
was lost without division.
The committee amendment was then
agreed to--yeas, 4S; nays, II.
The provision as fiRalIy adopted
follows.
That all tho UucompshRIe Indian
reservation in the State OF Utah, ex.
cepE about IL, QUO acree OF bottom lands
extending ABOUT ten or twelve mile.
10 the White river, on both siues, iron
It's mouth, Ia hereby declared open to
public entry under the land laws u
the United States.
Provided, that no one person shall bi
allowed to make IN de than four claim
IN lands containing giisOuilc.
The bill was then lald nsiJe.
WILL, GIVE Up CRETE,