The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-12
Brought Forward in an Amend
ment by Pettigrew.
SUPPORTED BY CARTER
1t Proposes to Restore the Old Law
In So Far as It Relates to Indian
Reservation Lands Coded to
the United States.

| ure was passed The most important
| amendment to the bill was that offered
| by Mr.. Pettigfew of South Dakota,
| which. if finally enacted, will restore
| the free homestead law so far as 1t re-
lates to Indian lands eeded to the Unit
| ed States, for which lands the settlers
have been obliged to pay the purchase
| price paid to the Indians. The bill car
ries appropriations aggregating nearly
| IS 600 900 The senate decided to adjourn
until Monday.
A bin providing for American register
/ of the steamer Leelanaw Of San Fran
/ cisco was passed. Allen introduced
/ resolution directing the committee on
/ foreign relations to inquire whether the
yacht Buccaneer. owned by William u
| Hearst. had been seized and was being
held by the Spanish government.
! Agreed 10.
/ The Indian appropriation bill was
| then taken up. Allen withdrew his APP
/ peal from the decision of the vice presi-
dent which was pending when the SEN
/ ate adjourned last evening.
Pettigrew offered an amendment pro-
/ yiding for the restoration of the free
| homestead law. He explained that the
/ amendment, ii adopted, would allow
| settlers to secure title 10 their lands
after a period of five years 10y the pay
| ment of the land office fees. II re-
| stored the homestead law of 1862 Grad
/ ually he said. laws have been enacted
/ repeating that law until now there Is
! practically no land left suitable for set
/ tlement under that law. Mr.. Pettigrew
| did not desire to discuss the amendment
| at length, but as 1t had been passed
/ by the senate and endorsed by every po-
/ litical party, it ought now, he said, to be
favorably considered by the senate.
Mr.. Carter of Montana supported the
i amendment He maintained that under
\ ha fro tapd tuNx Saf
/ come prosperous. Under 1t the great
/ state of Illinois had been redeemed and
made one of the most fertile and pros
porous places on the face of the earth.
1 As soon as the government auctioneer
/ was excluded from the land 1t bloomed
/ as the rose and the settlers attained
/ prosperity.
AS 1t was in Illinois, so also had it
been in Indiana. Iowa, Minnesota and
/ other great states. MIR. Carter referred
/ 10 the difficulty settlers in Oklahoma
had had in making the payments de-
4 manded by the government. The
| strange spectacle is presented. he said.
of people who are building school
/ houses. improved roads and developing
i what Will be one of the great common
wealths of the union, being pursued by
the government for payment of homes
] payments which they have been unable
to make on account of the failure of
crops. 1t is a lamentable spectacle.
| EDnIenutu MT carter Inat settlers III
| Oklahoma should be forced to mortgage
their teams and cattle and other stock
! to pay the claims of the general gov
ernment. After pursuing the free home
| stead policy for generation, 1t Is right
and just and proper that the senate
should faithfully discharge the obliga-
| tions of the government.
Mr.. Allison said he would have TO
make the point of order against the
amendment. Mr.. Pettigrew then with
| drew the amendment and offered
other eliminating the military reserya-
tions which have been opened to settle
ment. The amendment as amended,
| Mr.. Allison said. removed his point of
order. He thought. however. that the
| amendment would do injustice to the
i people, because the lands that have
i been opened to settlement have cost the
! government a large sum Of money.
i Some Of the land Is worth $40 an acre.
and YET Mr.. Allison held, the proposed
amendment made no distinction be-
tween the most valuable and the less
valuable Shoud the amendment be-
enacted into law in few instances
men Who have taken up valuable lands
would not have to pay for them.
Mr.. Pascoe held that IN the interest
of justice the elimination of the mill
/ tafy reservation ought not to be per-
| mittea. He explained that If the
! amendment was adopted, the settlers
/ on the abandoned military reservation
would lose the influence of their pres
! ent allies, the settlers on the Indian
| reservation lands.
Mr.. KYLE urged the adontion of the
amendment because Ii was now evident
that i'm no otner way could the free
homestead he restored. Althourh nv \
| large majority the senate had in May
/ last passed the free homestead law and
/ sent ID 10 the house Of representatives.
the speaker of the house stood like a
stone wall against any consideration of
the measure and there was not there
fore. the slightest chance to secure lis
i passage except as an amendment To the
i pending bill
Mr. pascg gave notiee thar ha would