The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1898-03-04
MIR. VEST ATTACKS ALASKA
DECLARES 1T CANNOT BE MADE IN
AGRICULTURAL SECTION.

Ridicules the Report of DR.. jackson and
Says There Is Not Farm In the Entire
Territory-The purchase of Alaska Reck.
less and Heedless--w What 1t Has Cost the
United States.
Washington, March S.-During almost
the entire session to-day the senate
had under discussion the homestead
and railway right Of way bill. One Of
the features of the discussion was a
speech delivered by Mr.. Vest Of Mis-
souri,, in which he ridiculed the idea Of
homesteading any part of Alaska or
constructing railroads in that district.
Mr.. Turner was the first to speak oil
the matter. He recognized, he said, the
necessity Of some such legislation as
that proposed because 100000 adult
Americans were preparing to go into
Alaska and if proper transportation fa-
cilities were not provided 1t would be
cruelty not to aid them. To meet
point advanced by Mr.. Turner, Mr..
Carter of Montana, in charge Of tho
bill, offered committee amendment,
retaining the first section of the house
bill except wherein it provided for the
approval Of the president and modified
the committee amendment with a pro-
viso that mo entry shall be allowed
extending more than forty rods along
the shore Of any navigable water and
along such shore space Of at least
forty rods shall be reserved from en-l
try between all such claims.
The committee amendment was
adopted. After the section was
amended Mr.. Vest moved to strike out
the entire section. He said that he de-
sired to test the sense Of the senate
on the proposition to extend the home
stead laws to the district of Alaska
The construction of railroads would be-
a most difficult and expensive under
taking, he thought, and after tha
ephemeral gold seeking rush had subs
sided there would be no possible reason
for the construction Of railways IN
Alaska. Mr.. Vest ridiculed the report
made by Rev. DIR. Shelton Jackson ups
on the agriculture 1sf Alaska Alaska,
A1C 0CCA0A COt w cko AAOS Oil 0e5A ASlA ttA% 60
section and it could never be made one.
In that great section two and q half
times larger than Texas and ten times
larger than Georgia there was not e.
single farm yet the representative Of
DR.. jackson pictured the wonderful POI
tatoes and the remarkable cabbagess
produced there.
Mr.. Vest said he knew something Of
these potatoes and cabbages. The pQ-s
tatoes were large and full Of water HUI
saw cabbages that spread over tina
ground like the blanket Of Sancllo Pan
VA ana caulifower that weighed twe1i
ty-five pounds, yet when they were cut
they contained nothing but water As.
to the grasses which DR.. Jackson re-
ferred to it was vegetable blaspheny.
to compare them with the bluegrass Of
Kentucky" He thought the purchase
of Alaska for $1,000, 900 had been made
reckless and needless. Since 1891 its
had cost the government $441,000 and
there had been paid to REV. Sheldon
jackson, d. D. and LID" missionary
to the Aleuts and manager OF reindeenI
$40, 900 for spending his winters IN
Washington and his summers in ALAS
ka The motion Of Mr.. Vest was by
an aye and nay vote defeated S1-15.
Section 2 of the bill was amended by
the insertion of declaration that "all
such rights" (tide lands and beds ofS
| navigable rivers) shall continue to be
| held by the United States in trust for
the people of any state or states which
may hereafter be created out Of said
district" And it was further amended
| by the adoption Of the following pro-
vision offered by the committee: That
all charges for the transportation of
freight and passengers en- railroads IN
| the district of Alaska shall be fixed
subject to the approval Of the secre5
| tary of the interior, and when so Sap-
proved shall be printed and posted, as
| requested by section Of the act to.
regulate commerce, as amended on
March 2, 1889, and new rates Of charges
may be prescribed by the secretary OF
the interior from time to time. as he
may deem necessary" Without COM
pleting the bill the senate at 5;45 p. N.
| adjourned.