The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-03-04
VEGETABLE
BLASPHEMY
Is What Senator Vest Calls the
Attempt
To Establish Agricultural
Claims for Alaska.
PUNCTURES WITH WIT
The Cabbages, Potatoes and
CauliflOWer,
And Reveals Nothing But Water
Inside.

Washington, March 4-During almost
the entire session yesterday the senate
had under consideration the Alaskan
homestead and railway right of way bill.
One of the features of the discussion was
a speech delivered by Mr.. Vest CDdo.), in
which he ridiculed the idea. of homestead
ing any part of Alaska or constructing
railroads in that district. His motion to
eliminate the homestead feature of the
bill by striking out the first section was
defeated.
When the Alaskan homestead and rail-
way right of way bill was taken up Mr..
Turner (NVash.) addressed the senate. He
recognized, he said, the necessity of some
such legislation as that proposed, because
quite one hundred thousand adult Ameri-
cans were preparing to go into Alaska,
and if proper transportation facilities
were not provided it would be cruel and
He said he believed the measure pro-
posed by the committee was generally
fair and with some amendments would
be an excellent bill.
In his opinion the bill sufficiently hedg-
ca about the transportation companies, as
me IesIIlcIlons placed upon them by the
bill were even more severe than those
placed on them by the general law.
To meet point advanced by Mr.. Tur-
ner Mr.. Carter (MOnt), in charge of the
Dill offered a committee amendment re-
tanning the HrSt section OF the house Dill,
except wherein it provides for the APP
prOval of the president, and modified the
that no entry shall be allowed extending
more than 40 rods along the shore of any
nav1gable water, and along such shore
space of at least 40 rods shall be reserv-
ed from entry from all such claims
The committee amendment was adopted.
After the section was amended Mr..
Vest (MO) moved to strike out the entire
section. He said frankly that he desired
to test the sense of the senate on the
proposition to extend the honest ad laws
to the district of Alaska So far as the
construction of railroads was concerned,
it would be most difficult and expensive
valleys for their railroads they would be
met with all sorts of difficulties and dan
gers.
He thought that after the .ephemeral
gold seeking rush had subsidized there
struction of railways in Alaska
Mr. Vest ridiculed the report made by
Rev. Dr. Sheldon Jackson upon the agrf-
culture of Alaska Alaska declared
and it can never be made one. I speak
from personal knowledge and not from
government reports
He said that in that great section, two
Texas and ten times larger than the state
of Georgia there was not a single farm
yet the report of DR.. jackson extensively
pictured the wonderful potatoes and the
remarkable cabbages produced there.
Mr.. Vest said he knew something of
those potatoes and cabbages. The pota-
toes were large and-full of water Iloth-
ing else. He saw, he said. cabbages that
spread over the ground like the blanket
OF Saneh o. Panza and cauifower that
As to the grasses which DR.. jackson re-
ferred to so eloquently, it was vegetable
bIasphemy'' to compare them with the
blue grass of Kentucky. He thought the
purchase of Alaska had been made. reek--
lessly and heedlessly. Since 1891 it had
cost the government $441, 900 and the REV.
Sheldon Jackson, d. D. and LII. D.. mis-
siOnary to the Aleuts and manag ger
of reindeer. 600 for spending his win
tiers in Washington and his summers in
Alaska
The motion of Mr.. Vest to strike out
the first section was, by an aye and no
vote, defeated, Bills.
Section 2 Of the bill was amended by the
rights eide lands and beds of navigahle
rfVerS) 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 such district and it
was further amended by the adoption of
the following provision offered by the
committee: THAT all charges for the
transportation of freight and passengers
on railroads in the district of Alaska
shall be fixed subject to the approval of
the secretary Of the interior, and when so
approved shall be printed and posted
required by section Of the act to regu-
late commerce as amended 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 neces~
sary."
Without completing the bill, the senate
at 5:45 adjourned.