The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-03-11
AFTER A BRISK FIGHT
House Knocks Out Amendments
to the Indian Bill.
JOHNSON ATTACKS BLISS
he Said the Secretary Plagiarized a Mes
sage by President Buchanan Relat-
ing to the Homestead Bill-A
Short Senate Session.

bate in the house which lasted more
than five hours, the senate amendment
TO the Indian appropriation bill provid :
ing for the free entry of ceded Indian
lands. was to-day non-concurred in by
a vote of 80 to 1876. The friends of the
free home clause made gallant strug-
gle, but they met the opposition of
some or the prominent leaders Oh the
| republican side. Messrs Dingley. Gros-
| Venor, Dalzell and Payne. and they
| We're further weakened by the fact that
| many of the friends of the proposition
were alienated by the belief that. as
| drawn, the amendment would work in
jury 10 the agricultural colleges of the
| country. The senate amendment for
| the ratification of the Seminole treaty
| was also non-concurred in after the
suh-proposition offered by the confer,
enee 20 ratfy the Comanehe and
! Apache treaty had fallen under point
| or order. The action of the house to-
] day sends the bin back to conference
with non-concurrence on all the senate
amendments.
A resolution was adopted directing
/ the secretary of war to loan to the citi-
| zens' committee of Cincinnati tents for
| the use of the thirty second grand en-
! eampment of the G. A. r. The house
| tnen went into committee of the whole
| ard resumed consideration of the
accepted senate amendments to the
| Indian bill.
The pending question coming over
from yesterday was the motion of Eddy.
rep, Minn., to concur in the free home
clause placed in the bill by the senate.
Two hours and half of the four agreed
on yesterday for debating this proposi-
tinn remained
Mr.. Handy, dem. Del, advocated an
amendment TO the free home clause. SO
as TO amend the act of 1862 for the en-.
do"ment Of agricultural colleges so as
"a ntff hn Il. ss1.. it,.
the sales of public lands" If this
amendment was not made he declared
tnat the 64 colleges of the United States
Wnlch now received money from the
sale Of public lands would suffer.
MIR. Lacey. rep, Iowa gave notice
that he would move to concur with an
amendment to exclude from the opera
tons or the free home clIuse the trust
lands, aggregating about $4,000, 900 acres
situated principally in the Sioux and
Chippewa reservations.
Mr.. Morris, rep. Mimi. antaronfzed
the interposition of Mr.. Lacey, referring
TO the fact that questions embracing
all reservations in this amendment had
twice passed the senate
In the last congress" said he, the
Dill came back here and died on the
speakers table, because the chairman
or the public lands committee fMr.
Iacey) then drew this dislogical dis
tinction regarding trust lands and be-
cause, perhaps, the speaker of the
house opposed the BILL"
The debate was very spirited on both
sides. Mr. johnson, rep. NJ d.. created
something of sensation by charging
that Secretary Bliss, in his opposition
TO the free home clause. not only prn-
cured his argument, but actually plagi-
afiZed the language of the message of
James Buchanan, vetoing the home
stead bill before the war He followed
this statement with an attack urou the
secretary, asserting that his interests
sympathies and horizon were bounded
by the Allegheny mountains and, as q
matter Of fact he had never been west
OF Buffalo
Mr.. Bailey. the democratic leader
announced that he would vote for the |
senates amendment because he stood
committed 10 1t by the Chicago plat
form As an original proposition. he ad-
mltted. he was against giving free |
homes 10 the people. He rated nothing /
more important than that the people |
should have homes. but that they |
should have them by their industry |
and frugality. But every man who ac- |
eepted a nomination on a platform. he
believed, bound himself to redeem it's /
every promise. the smallest as well as
the greatest and SO he should vote TO-
Day To redeem pledge in the Chicago
platform.
Mr.. Gresvenor rep. Ohio. announced
MS opposition to the amendment. He
explained the history Of his proposed
legislation and the plank in the ST
Louis platform showed that his present
position was not inconsistent with that
declaration. He thought that a free
home bill should have strength enough
to come into the house or senate and
fali or stand on its merits.
Mr.. Dalzeli, rep, Pa, whose name ia
associated with the original homestead
law. warmly supported the amendment
M I1npIqT a pIa ~,
bate with brief speech in opposition
TO the amendment He called attention
70 the fact that all treaties ceding In
dian lands by the United States had
been ratified by congress. with the
that the purchase money
paid by settlers should be used to reim-
burse the United States Never had .
proposition been made tn purchase In
dian lands for the purpose Of donating
them 70 free homesieads. To his mind
Il was the art Of bad faith on iha part
Oh those who had induced congress to
buy these lands
Mr.. Handy's motion to concur with
an amendment changing the law reIa-
tive 10 payments TO agricultural coll
Ieges for the sale Of public lands" was
ruled out on a point Of order
Mr.. Lacey, rep, Iowa. then offered
hls motion 70 concur with an amend
menf excluding the trust reservations
II was voted doNn-t0 10 49, Two
e ler amendments designed 70 protect
the payments To agricultural colleges
were ruled nut on points Of order
The vote was then taken on the main
proposition and the house nan-con-
suffsd-9e to 136. Tne conference sub
'1tute for the senate amendment ta
,atlty the Seminole treaty. which also
.atitied the Comaneats and Apaches
Teatyt went over en- q rsiat af order
and the senate amendment was non
.oneurred In. The bin was then sent t5
differences. Al 5.47 p. m. the house
4djourned.