The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-04-24
POOR
PROSPECTORS
On the Uncompahgre Indian
Reservation
Include a Number Of State Off,
Gals of Utah
SAYS MIR. COOPER M.
House Appoints a Committee of
Twenty Five
To Attend Grant Memorial Ex-
ercises Next Tuesday.
SAYS MIR. COOPER M. G.

Washington, April 24-The house yes
terday completed the consideration of
the senate amendment 10 the Indian
bill and sent the bill to conference The
main contention centered about the
senate proposition to open the UncOn-
pahgre Indian reservation under the
mineral land laws
Finally an amendment was recon-
mended to the effect that no corpora
ton should be allowed to obtain pos
session of these gilsonite deposits, but
that the government should lease the
lands in limited areas and for limited
terms of years. The senate amendment
striking from the house bill the proVis-
ion for the ratification of the oil and
gas leases made by the council of the
Seneca Indians last December, after a
sharp debate, was disa greed to.
Mr.. Bland of Missouri attempted ear
~ in the session to secure action on the
resolution relative TO the Union Pacific
road mortgages, which he tried to offer
last week, but the speaker ruled that
the resolution was not privileged.
A resolution was adopted by which
committee of rs was appointed to at
tend the dedication of the Grant tomb
IN New York on Tuesday.
On motion of Mr.. Robinson of Indi-
ana, Mr. Bland of Missouri was added
10 the committee to attend the Holman
obsequies.
The house then went into a commit
zee OL lfle WnOle ana resumed the con-
sideration Of the senate amendments to
the Indian appropriation bill The
pending amendment was that relating
TO the opening of the Uncompahgre
reservation.
Mr.. CooperCRep. Wis. )contended that
members OF congress sat here as truS-
tees of the interests of the government
ana tney would be derelict to their du-
ty If they gave away these deposits
worth millions of dollars, for practical
~ nothing.
i
aan agent in. Utah, who said that the
governor of Utah,the secretary of state
the state treasurer, Senator Brown and
other public officials had through the
state mining inspector, as agent filed
claims on the reservation March 4 when
It was presumed the Indian appropria-
ton bill had been signed by President
Cleveland. These spectators We're Mr..
Cooper said, all ready to jump in the
moment the reservation was opened.
And yet said he, gentlemen talked
his opportunities.
Mr. Lacey CRep. Lad offered senate
substitute, proposition to instruct the
con1eEees to insist upon provision to
lease the gilsonite lands with limita-
uons such as would prevent it's being
controlled by combinations.
Mr. ShafrOth (SilVer COLI protested
against change of policy toward min
eral lands and said that the value of
the deposits was greatly exaggerated
MT Mcguire lDem. Cal( opposed the
amend nent. The policy pursued to-
ward the natural resources of the cOun-
try had resulted in their monopoly
MI Bartholdt (Fep. Mo- in support
Ang the motion to concur in senate
amendment, said that the St Louis
company which controlled gilsonite
mines in the vicinity of the Uncompah-
gre reservation, did not desire any of
those lands. All they desired was the
opening of the reserva ton, so that a
railroad might be built
Mr. Fleming (Dem-, Ga0 maintained
that the Indians held an unextfng11fsh-
ed right to the lands, under their
treaty, until they We're allotted accent
aDIe lands elsewhere. He offered an
amendment to reserve to the United
states in perpetuity 81 per ton ROYALTY
on all gilsOnite mined and to give six
months notice of the opening of the
reservation explaining that under the
terms OF the senate amendment by
which the lands were to be opened
on the signing Of the bill, SPECTATORS
who had agents in Washington would
formation.
Mr.. Dingley said the question at is
sue was to whether in this particular
case the laws applicable to mineral
lands should apply. This was the only
large gilsonite deposit in the country
If the royalty obtained by Great Brit
ain for the asphaltum land in Trfni-
dad We're obtained the government
would profit to the extent Of $50 600 900
IT these lands were thrown open to in
dlVlduaI entry it would inevitably re-
SUIT IN the transference of individual
1lBnIS IN the creation of a MONOPOLY
which could put up the price.
Al Mr.. Ding1ey's suggestion, Mr.
Fleming withdrew his amendments
MT Bailey offered an amendment
which was voted down 40 to TO- to grant
the lands in the reservation to the state
OF Utah for educational purposes. The
proposition of Mr. Lacey then pre-
vailed without division
When the senate amendment IN s+ril-a
out the provisions in the bill to ratify
the gas and oil leases of the Seneca
Indians was reached. Mr. Stone (ReD
Pa-) moved to concur. He denounced
in unmeasured terms the methods by
which it is alleged the lease was OBJ
tanned from the Indians
The motion to concur was defeated
40 to 20. This motion was equivalent
to agreeing to a motion to non-concur.
The amendment qualifying the right
OF the children of an Indian mother
and z. white man to inherit by reu2lir-
ing the consent of a majority of the
members of the tribe was also non-con-
CURED in. In all Is amendments were
agreed to- When the committee of the
whole found there was no quorum the
instructions of the committee were not
pressed.
The bill was then sent to conference
and Messrs. Sherman on y, Curtis
(Kan.) and Allen (A1iss.) We're appoint
ed cOnferees
in the day, the speaker appointed the
following committee to attend the
Grant tomb dedication exercises at New
YORK; Messrs- Lowe. Cummings,
Payne, McMillin, DingIey, Bailey, Hit
DalZeII. Allen, Burton, Hartman Mer-
Ger, Walker CVa-), 11cCIeary. Brewer
Overstreet, Fitzpatrick, Sulloway Dins-
more; Bartholdt, Tate and RfdgeIey of
Kansas.
At 4 o'clock the house adjourned until