Abilene weekly reflector., 1898-02-17
ABILENE WEEKLY REFLECTOR ABfNt KANSAS FEBRUARY H. wEL PAGES

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grew, in offering the free homes
amendment, explained that the amend
ment, if adopted, would allow settler
l. to acquire title to their lands after
period of five years by the payment o
! the land Office fees. II restored th'
homestead law of 1862. Gradually, hi
said laws have been enacted repeal
ing that law until now there is practl
cally no land left suitable for settle
ment under that law. Mr. Pettigrev
: did not desire TO discuss the amend
mcnt at length, but as it had beef
passed by the senate and indorsed by
every political party, it ought now, he
said, to be favorably considered by the
senate
Mr. Carter referred to the difficulty
settlers in Oklahoma had had in max
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 commonwealths 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 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..
pcltgrew then withdrew the amend
ment and offered another eliminating
the military reservations which have
been opened to settlement. The amend
mrnt, as amended, Mr.. Allison
said, removed his point Of order.
He 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 a large amount of money.
Some of the land Is now worth $40 an
acre, ard 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 a 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-
Qurcl 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 u 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 entite him to o
patent for the land covered by his entry, pro-
yided, 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 amy Indian tribe, shall be paid
70 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 at Hot
Springs, s. d.; granting to the state
of Kansas the abandoned Fort Hays
military reservation, for the purpose
of establishing western branches of
the Kansas Agricultural college and of
the Kansas state normal school there
on, and for 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. m.
the senate nd djourned until Monday.
The house was not in session.
BILLS AND PETITIONS INTRODUCED.
WASHINGTON, Feb. IL, Senator Jones,
Of Arkansas, yesterday introduced a
bill to establish United States court
at Tishomingo, Chickasaw nation, In
dian territory.
senator Cockrell presented the fol-
lowing petitions: From the citizens of
Missouri protesting against general
bankruptcy bill: from the W. G. 7. U.
of Lancaster, Mo-, to forbid the sale
of intoxicating liquors in all govern
ment buildings; to raise the age of pro-
lection for girls in the territories to Is
years
Senator Pettigrew, from the commit
tee on Indian affairs, favorably report
ed the bill for the purchase OF land
and the construction of an asylum for
insane Indians within the jurisdiction
of the United States. The bill is
amended so that SI3, 900 instead or
Sl5O, 900 is appropriated.
Senator Harris presented resolutions
OF the Lone Star Federal Labor union,
No. 60S5, of Kansas City, Kan, con-
demning the anti-scalping bill and
urging It's defeat, and n bill granting
a pension of Sl2 per month to Eliza.
beth Norton, of Kansas.
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CIVIL SERVICE.
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