The herald., 1898-03-10
IN THE HOUSE
The Free Home Bill Causes Very Bite,
Debate

WASHINGTON, March 9.--The house de-
voted itself to routine business today. The
executive, legislative and judicial appro-
priation bill went through it's last stages
in the adoption of the final conference re-
port, and the remainder of the day was
consumed in the consideration of the sem
ate amendment to the Indian appropria-
ton bill. The substitute for the senate
provision regarding the opening of the
Uncompaghre reservation was knocked
out on a point of order and the amend
ment goes back to conference.
The desire of the conferees to non-concur
in the senate free homestead clause en-
countered bitter opposition and an arrange
ment was made whereby four hours are to
be devoted to debate the proposition to con-
cur submitted by Eddy of Minnesota. Sher-
man, chairman of the Indian committee,
declared that the free homestead provis-
ion would cost the government $55. 900 900.
He desired to ALLEVIATE it from the bill and
has the support of the secretary of the in
terror.
Sherman's request was agreed to, ex-
cepting that relating to the compensation
for the commission engaged in the sale
of the Puyallup Indian reservation, to
which Lewis, Democrat, of Washington
offered an amendment to repeal the law
prohibiting the alienation Of these Indian
lands within a period of ten years. He
subsequently withdrew it, finding that it
was subject to a point of order, and the
original amendment, with others, was nom
concurred in.
When the amendment relating to the
opening of the Uncompahgre reservation
was reached with the amendment agreed
upon by the conferees to permit the leas-
ing of the mineral lands, King, Democrat,
of Utah made a point of order against the
amendment offered by the conferees to the
senate amendment.
Afr long debate, Hepburn, Republican.
of Iowa, who was in the chair, sustained
Kings point of order to the conferees' SUBJ
stitute for the amendment.
Shaffroth of Colorado therefore moved
to concur in the senate amendment The
motion was contested by Lacey, Republi-
can, of Ohio who thought the conferees
should be allowed to fix up a provision
which would permit the gilsonite lands
on the reservation to be opened to leases.
These valuable deposits should not be al
lowed to fall into the hands of spectators.
The house overwhelmingly indorsed this
position at the extra session.
At this point Williams of Mississippi,
Democrat, got the floor and under the
latitude allowed for debate in committee
answered a speech made some time ago
by Mr.. Dingley, contrasting the condition
of the cotton industry in the north and
south. 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 dis
advantage under which the northern oper-
atives, with their shorter hours of labor,
suffered. The talk of such an amendment,
Mr.. Williams said, was absurd and he was
forced to the conclusion that the purpose
of Mr. Dingley'S speech was either to
arouse the southern operatives to strikes
as a compensation to the northern manu-
facturers to to create hatred in the north
against the cotton operatives of the south.
Mr.. Williams read letters from many
southern cotton mills explaining the ad-
vantages they possessed over their north
ern rivals.
Moody of Massachusetts,, Republican,
replied to Mr. 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 find a
way to work out their salvation. He COM
mended the labor laws of Massachusetts
to the people of the southern states. The
debate then drifted back to the motion of
Mr. Shaforth to concur in the senate
amendment. 1t was finally defeated, "a
to 72. The vote was equivalent to nom
concurrence.
When the free homestead amendment was
reached Eddy of Minnesota, Republican.
moved concurrence. AS many members
desired to debate this proposition, an ar
rangement was made by which four hours
were to be given for debate.
Mr.. Sherman, who led the opposition to
the amendment, said 1t involved directly
and indirectly an appropriation greater
than congress had just made for the ma
tional defense. 1t involved, he said, d.
rect appropriation Of $12,000,000 and an in
direct appropriation Of $25 1000 and a fu-
ture expenditure of probably $40 900. 900. The
lands which this amendment proposed to
turn over to settlers under the homestead
laws free of cost, were two classes. First,
lands ceded to the government by Indians
to be disposed OF BY the government. There
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