The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-10
treaties and to nonconcur in the free home

treaties and to nonconcur in the free home
stead amendment.
Shcrman's request was agreed to, except
ing that relating to the compensation for
the commission engaged in the sale of the
Puyallup Indian reservation, to which Mr.
Lewis, Democrat of Washington, offered
an amendment to repeal the law prohibiting
the alienation of these Indian lands within
period OF ten years. He subsequently
withdrew 1t. finding that 1t was subject t5
point of order and the original amend
mant, with the others, was nonconcurred in.
When the amendment relating to the OPEN
ing or the Uncompahgre reservation was
reached. With the amendment agreed on by
the confereeS, TO permit the leasing OF the
mineral lands, Mr.. King, Democrat Utah,
made point of order against the amend
ment offered by the conferees to the Senate
amendment. After a long debate, Mr.. Hep
burn, Republican, Iowa, who was in the
chair sustained Mr. Kings point of order
to the conferee substitute for the Senate
amendment Mr.. Shafroth, Colorado, there
upon moved to concur in the Senate amend
Lacey, Republican, Iowa, who thought the
confereeS should be allowed to fix up pro-
vision which would permit the gilsonite
lands on the reservation to be opened to
leases. These valuable deposits should not
be allowed to fall into the hands of specu-
lators. The House had overwhelmingly in
dorsed this position at the extra session.
At this point Mr.. Williams, Democrat,
Mississippi, got the floor and under the lati-
tude allowed for debate in committee, an
swered a speech made some time ago by
Mr.. Dingley contrasting the condition of the
On that occasion, Mr. Dingley, he said
had spoken of the possible necessity of a
constitutional amendment to regulate the
hours of labor so as to remove the disad-
vantage under which Northern operatives
with their shorter hours of labor suffered.
The talk of such amendment, Mr.. Will
liams said, was absurd and he was forced
to the conclusion that the purpose of Mr..
Dingley's speech was either to arouse the
pensation to the Northern manufacturers
or to create hatred in the North against
the cotton operatives of the South. Mr.
Williams read letters from many Southern
cotton mills explaining the advantages they
possessed over their Northern rivals.
Mr.. Moody, Republican Massachusetts,
replied to MIR. Williams, recounting the con-
dition of the New England mill operatives
and the code of laws enacted for their pro-
lection. He did not believe the New Eng
land cotton factories would go down before
their Southern competitors, but If they did
the people of New England, taking inspira-
ton from their granite rocks and the cold
cruelty of their east winds, would md
way to work out their salvation. He COM
mended the labor laws of Massachusetts, to
the people of the Southern states. The de-
bate then drifted back to the motion OF
Mr. Shafroth to concur in the Senate
amendment. 1t was finally defeated, "a to
r. The vote was equivalent to non-con-
currence.
When the free homestead amendment was
reached, Mr.. Eddy, Republican, Minnesota,
moved concurrence. AS many members de-
sired to debate this proposition, an arrange
ment was made by which four hours We're
Mr.. Sherman, who led the opposition to
the amendment said it involved directly
and indirectly an appropriation greater than
Congress had just made for national de-
fense 1t involved, he said, direct appro-
priation of $4,000, 900; an indirect appropria-
ton of Sc, 100000 and future expenditure of
probably $40 100000. The lands which this
amendment proposed to turn over to set
tiers under the homestead laws free of cost
were of two classes. First were the lands
ceded to the government by Indians to be-
disposed of by the government. There were
100000 acres of these lands, upon which
the government still owed $l2, 259 900. Second
were the lands purchased of the Indians
which were to be reimbursed upon the sale
of the land to the settlers. These lands ag-
gregated Is 1850 acres and cost $50, 0OO, O0O
The amendment would compel the govern
ment to pay the Indians for lands turned
over free of cost to settlers and thus COM
1p!t the government to policy which, in
the future would cost the government many
millions more. There were nine other In
dian reservations with an acreage OF H.
1868 which might be opened to homestead
Mr.. Sherman read a letter from Secre-
tary of the Interior Bliss setting forth
these facts. While expressing sympathy
with the poor and homeless of the coun-
clause, saying it would in effect be the
taxing of the entire people for the benefit
of the few.
TIr. Eddy, Republican, of Minnesota who
advocated the free-home clause, made
vigorous speech in support of it. He re-
ferTed to the beneficent results of the gem
a million happy homes had been built up
in this country. When the Indian reServa-
tons were coded to the government they
became part of the public domain, but
when thrown open to settlement the settler
was required to pay $.25 per acre. This
burden imposed on the settler, time had
shown more than he was able to bear and
year after year Congress had extended the
time of payment, as ii was proposed to DO
in the House provision, for which 1t was
proposed to substitute this free-home pro-
vision. When he referred to the Oklahoma
free-home bill passed largely through the
agency of Delegate Flynn, Mr.. Steele, Re-
publican, of Indiana, asked him if Mr..
Flynn had not been beaten after securing
this great boon to the Oklahoma settlers.
HE was answered Mr.. Eddy, but he
ran one thousand ahead of his ticket, and
redeem the pledge made in the Republican
platform, many of you will be left at home
at the next election"
Mr. Eddy said that much opposition had
been fomented against this proposition by
the agricultural colleges of the country,
who feared their trust funds would be
threatened. He declared that these fears
were groundless These colleges were not
dependent on the annual sales of public
lands.
The announcement that the President had
signed the national defense bill, made by
Executive Clerk Pruden, which interrupted
the debate, was greeted with a round of
applause. At the conclusion of Mr.. Eddys
remarks, the committee rose. The House
nonconcurred in the Senate amendments to
the District of Columbia appropriation bill
and at 1850 p m. adjourned.