The herald., 1897-01-15
PROCEEDINGS N
SENATE and HOUSE
Free Homestead Debate
Is Ended
THE BILL PASSED BY THE SENATE
Includes All Lands Acquired
From the indians
LOSS TO THE GOVERNMENT
Will Be Gain to the TiIers of the Arid
Lands
An Indirect Test Shows It ength Of Nlcaragus
Canal Bill
The House .leyotes tie Day to Debat<
On Itgus Butter but Arrives at No
LOSS TO THE GOVERNMENT
Will Be Gain to the TilIers Of the Arid
Lands
An Indirect Test Shows It ength Of Nlcarayus
Canal Bill
The House Hevotes tie Day to Debate
On tgus Butter but Arrives at No
Conclusior-Action in Com
n,ittee
m!ttee
ssociated Press Special Wire

=
today tssse the MEASURE known as the
free homestead bill, which has been un-
der discussion since the holiday recess.
1t Is measure Of far reaching import
ance. particularly to the western states.
Intense interest in it was shown owing
to the fact that a. plank in favor Of it
was incorporated in several national
platforms. The effect of the bill Is to
oren to settlement all public lands ac-
quired from Indians, free of payment
to the government beyond the minor
Office fees, and to release from payment
those who have heretofore settled on
those lands. The number of acres in
voved, according to an estimate made
by the commissioner OF the general lard
Office, is 33,257 SAL acres, which would
have yielded the government, at the
prices heretofore established, $50, ,343, ,006.
To offset this statement it was brought
out during the debate that the lands
were mainly arid and that those who
settled upon them were unable to make
payment by reason of the scanty pro-.
ducts of the SOIL The western senators.
in the main, favored the bill as an ex-
tension of the general homestead policy
of the government. The opposition was
directed mainly by Platt Ct Connecti-
cut and Villas of Wisconsin. AS the
bill passed in the house 1t covered only
the lands acquired from Indians III Okla
homa, but as passed today the bill in
cludes all Indian lands. The final vote
taken by agreement at p. M, showed
a decisive majority in favor of the meas
ure.
Following the disposition of this bill,
which had held the advantageous posi-
tion of unfinished business of the sen.
ate, Morgan sought to have the Nicara-
qua canal bill made the unfinished busi-
ness. This precipitated vote, which
to some extent was a test of strength OF
the bill itself. On Morgan's motion to
take the bill up, the vote was 3S to 6, or
less thar a quorum, so the motion did
not prevail, although it disclosed tho
strength of the measure.
During the day Morgan secured the
adoption of a resolution for inquiry by
the Judiciary committee as to whether
the properties of the Union Pacific and
Central Pacific companies now belong
to the United States by reason of alleged
defaults in the payment of bonds.
A resolution by Cullom calling on the
civil service commission to explain de-
lay in making annual reports was adj
opted.
The senate adjourned over until Mon
day.
Senator Chandler of New Hampshire
secured the adoption of a resolution df-
recting the committee on interstate COM
merce to direct it's inquiries as to alleged
combinations heretofore ordered to be
reported Of the recent agreement OF
managers of vessels on the great lakes
70 maintain rates established by joint
traffic association.
The senate bill for bridges across CO.
lumbia river in Washington passed on
request of Wilson of Washington.
Morgan of Alabama introduced the
following resolution:
Whereas, 1t is alleged that certain
bonds issued by the United States in aid
of the Central Pacific railroad and also
the Union Pacific railroad have fallen
due and remain unpaid, and that by
reason of default the property held and
owned by said companies at that time
became the property of the United
States and that said property Of every
description so held and owned by said
companies at the time of such default
now rghtfully belongs to the United
States:
Resolved. That the committee on ju-
dietary is directed to examine into and
report whether such allegations are true
in fact and in law. and that they report
the nature and character of the right
and title of the United States in and to
said property and descriptions or class
of property that have so Injured to the
United States under law, and whether.
either of said railroad companies has
any lawful right or equity of redemp-
tion of said property.
The resolution was ordered to lie ON
the table. Morgan announced that he
desired to address the senate upon IT,
The bill for free homesteads on pub
lie lands acquired from the Indians was
taken up with a view of taking final
vote at 4 o'clock. Jones, Democrat OF
Arkansas, supported the bill, saying 1t
was for the benefit of the body Of the
people. whereas most of the legislatiou
of congress was for favored interest.
Teller of Colorado said that the bill
would help build up the west. while the
defeat of the measure would result in
the huniliating spectacle of the United
States turning these settlers from their
homes.
Mr. Teller spoke in impassloned tones
Of the tendency to, grant millions to
favored interest, and Withhold the small
pittance from settlers. Congress wasted
more than the sum involved annually
on the army, on rivers and harbnts. and
on naval expenditures, which brought
vast profits to the makers of armor Ana
yet this bill, in effect giving settler
S400 was resisted and the settler was to
he turned out as a tramp. The great
danger to the republic, declared Mr..
Teller, was in its not encouraging the