The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1898-03-23

CHEAT AND A FRAUD.
Oliver Q. Sabiu, in the Washington
News Letter OF March 10, comments
on The LEADER's utteranccs relative
10 the killing OF the free homes bill,
and hurls hot shot into the Republican
camp. In the following he truthfully
and tersely tells how the free homes
measure was slaughtered through Re
publican duplicity:
"The vote on the senate's rider,
which dedicated the public lands now
belonging to the United States to set.
tlement as free homes, met its death
in the house pending the discussion OF
the Indian appropriation bill. This
bill has q history, The Republican
national convention at ST. Louis de-
clared, by resolution in its platform,
that the party was in favor Of the bill
then pending in the senate OF the
United States. This same measure
was presented IN the house OF repre-
sentstives and killed in committee.
and, through the management and in
huence OF Hon. J. Y. Callahan, the
delegate from Oklahoma, the senate
adopted as rider on the Indian ap-
preparation bill, and it was sent TO the
house as part OF the Indian appro-
pristion bill. The Republican party,
being thoroughly committed to it, one
would have supposed that there would
have been no one opposing the meas
ure, as the Democrats were almost q
unit in favor Of it.
Speaker Reed, II is said, Ia making
a speech at Wichita, Kan, in speaking
Of the measure said that unless GER
tain man Flynn, Of Oklahoma--was
elected as q delegate, that the people
should never have free homes legislA.
tion. Whether this be true or not
and Jerry Simpson claims to have the
speech-the sequel proves that Mr..
Reed was very much opposed to the
measure when II came to be voted on
in the house OF representatives. IL.
went upon the floor OF the house and
lobbied earnestly against 1t, together
with Dingley, Lands, Grosvenor, Dal-
zell, Cannon, ct al. The measure was
defeated by majority OF thirty-sever
votes. A few Democrats we're led tC
vote against the bill because they
wanted to reserve the public domain
to give to agricultural colleges, but in
the main they all voted for the bill
and all OF the Popu,ists voted for il
except one, Howard, Of Alabama, who
is the distinguished author of III
Christ Came to Congress. Whether
this book Is true or not, it would hav,
been a good thing for the people Of the
United States II Howard had stayed a.
home
ut is said that Mr.. Dennis FlynI
has been here working with the Re
publicans for this bill for two or three
months, and was claiming great re
suits from his efforts, but 1t is evident
now to those in the secret that the Re,
publieans never intended that the bill
should become a law, that the plank
In their platform was q cheat and 1
fraud, and was intended only for tht
purpose Of deception, in order tina
they might carry the vote of the west
ern states. They tried 70 defeat tn,
bill by an amendment eliminating a.
the states and territories except okla
homa. This was voted down and tn,
measure came TO vote squarely upoI
hs merits, with substAntiAlly soil
Repu shcAn vote against it and a sub
stantially solid d mocratic and Popu
list Ite in favor OF the measure.
1T is considered by all that MIR. Gal
lahan m4d5 a very able campaign il
favor Of II Q measure and that in tn
future cong ess, which will be eleete,
this fell, tbs measure will become
law. Mr.. CRllahan's friends all bcG
nowl6dge that he has proven YER
able champion Of the measure an,
that at the next trial he will win th
victory. The Flynn influence
there was any must have been agAins
the bill, for where he worked tn
hardest, which was among the Repul
licans-he being Republiean-hi
pseudo friends all voted against tn
meaiur with very few exceptions
The prospects for free homes withi
the next eighteen months is almost a
absolute certainty, for the next con
gress will be Democratic beyond al
question, and Callahan will unques
tionsbly be reelected, which viii Civ
him almost unlimited power TO hav
the measure iuaugurAted into law
THE measure Is right and II is tn
duty OF the government TO do exactl