The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-03-11
EDDY'S WORK UNDONE
JUDGE MORRIS, OF DULUTH, KILLS
FREE HOMES AMENDMENT
His Fiery Attack on the Leaders, in
Advocating the Matter, Resented
by the Republican Heavyweishts
Secretary Bliss Put Into an Alb
surd Position by MIR. Johnson.
Washington Bureau St. Paul Globe, /
Corcoran Building. I

Special to The ST. Paul Globe.
WASHINGTON, March 10.-Opposi-
tion to free homes proved too strong in
the house this afternoon, and, by de-
c1SlVe majority, ii was voted to nom
concur in the senate amendment to the
Indian appropriation bill.
The debate developed into a Republi-
can family quarrel, and it is a ques-
ton if the impetuous effort of Page
Morris, in his vigorous attack on the
Republican leaders who opposed the
bill, was not responsible for the defeat
suffered by the friends of free homes, in
sending the amendment to conference
Mr. Morris did net display the shrewd,
sharp Yankee methods that character
lied the management of Representative
Eddy yesterday. The Duluth member
is an ifnpulsive Virginian, and when he
charged the republicans with bad faith
and accused ihe party leaders with be-
Ing false to lhe pledges of the st. Louis
platform, Pn of the heavyweight Re-
publicans, including Dingley, Grosven-
or, DalZell and Payne, repelled the
charge and inauguratcd a fight that will
probably be the death of free homes for
this session.
Norris made a mistake in undertak-
Ing to show that Minnesota Republi-
cans made some sacrifice of their prin-
ciples by accepting the sound money
plank of the St Louis platform, and
he was called sharply down by Mr.
Payne, of New York, who Informed
the house that Minnesota was as much
of sound money state as New York
and on the question of whether the St
Louis platform indorsed the kind of a
free homes bill which Mr.. Morris was
advocating, it was conclusively proved,
he asserted, that it did not contem-
plate opening to homestead entry lands
like the rich agricultural portions of
the Minnesota Indian reservations
which the United States is holding in
a hducfary capacity for the Indians.
Morris Rebuked.
And Mr.. Morris was plainly remind
ed that 81 lumber in the Dingley tar
iff bill was far better for his district
than would be the granting of any
paternal legislation, such as was con-
templated by making trust and ceded
reservations a part of the public lands
of the country to be given away, after
having been once set aside for an en-
tirely different purpose.
Manv amusing things occurred dur
Ing the lively debate Of the afternoon
Representative NJ. N. Johnson, Of
North Dakota, brought down the house
by producing the veto message of
first free homestead bill that passed
the house, and comparing the same
with the adverse report of the present
secretary of the interior, Mr.. Bliss, on
the free homes bill. 1t was found that
Buchanan's message and Bliss report
were one and Identical, and the laugh
was general, but 1t is very probable
that some Democratic votes were lost
to free homesteads by reason of this
incident. AT all events, 1t has put
Mr.. Bliss in rather an absurd position.
After the vote was taken, the advo-
cate of free homes had a consulta-
ton, and resolved not to give up the
fight, but will keep the bill dead
locked as long as possible.
Senator Nelson came over from his
side of the capitol and promised to
stand by the senate amendment when
the report of the conferees was made
to the senate.
There is but little if any opposition
to the original proposition of free
homes for settlers, but the objections
are against making it applicable to the
trust reservations.