The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1898-02-18

ment under that law. Mr.. Pettigrew
did not desire to discuss the amend
ment at length, but as 1t had been
passed by the senate and indorsed by
every political party 1t ought now, he
said, to be favorably considered by the
senate.
Mr.. Carter referred to the difficulty
settlers in Oklahoma had had in maxi
ing the payments demanded by the
government. The strange spectacle is
presented, he said, of people who
are building schoolhouses, improving
roads and developing what will be one
of the great commemorative of the
union being pursued by the general
government for taxes and payment for
homes-payments which they have
been unable to make on account of
failure of crops. 1t is a lamentable
spectacle, contended Mr.. Carter, that
the settlers in oklahoma should be
forced to mortgage their teams and
other stock to pay the claims of the
general government. Mr.. Allison said
he would have to make the point of
order against the amendment. Mr..
Pettigrew then withdrew the amend
ment and offered another, eliminating
the military reservations which have
been opened to settlement. The amend
ment, as amended, Mr.. Allison
said, removed his point of order.
lie thought, however, that the
amendment would do no injustice to
the people because the lands that have
been opened TO settlement had cost the
government large amount of money.
Some of the land is now worth $40 an
acre, and yet, Mr. Allison held, the
proposed amendment made no dis
tinction between the more valuable
and the less valuable land. Should
the amendment be enacted into law,
in few instances men who have taken
up valuable lands would not have TO
pay for them. The amendment was
adopted without division. 1t is as fol-
lows:
That all settlers under the homestead laws OF
the United States upon the public lands ac-
quired prior to the passage OF this act by
treaty or agreement from the various Indian
tribes, who have or who shall hereafter reside
upon the tract, entered In good faith for the
period required by existing law, shall be en-
titled to patent for the land so entered upon
the payment to the local land officers OF the
usual and customary fees and no other or fur
ther charge OF any kind whatsoever shall be
required from such settler to entitle him to q
patent for the land covered by his entry, pro-
vided that the right to commute any such en-
try and pay for said lands, In the option Of any
such settler, and in the time and at the prices
now fixed by existing laws shall remain in full
force and effect; provided, that all sums Of
money so released, which, II not released
would belong to any Indian tribe, shall be pait
to such Indian tribe by the United States
The amendments to the bill were
agreed to and as amended the bill was
passed.
Bills for the establishment, control
operation and maintenance of the
northern branch of the National Home
for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers Mt Ho
Springs, S. D.; granting to the state
of Kansas the abandoned Fort Hays
military reservation, for the purpose
of establishing western branches o.
the Kansas Agricultural college and o
the Kansas state normal school there
on, and for a public park; and to pro
vide for the revision and adjustment
of the sales of the Otoe and Missouri
reservation lands in Kansas and Ne
braska, and confirm the titles under
the sales, were passed. At five p. IN
the senate adjourned until Monday.
The house was not in session.