Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-27
THE SENATE.

Soon after the Senate convened TODAY a
resolution offered by Mr.. Harris (Kan)
calling upon the Secretary of the Interior
L furnish the Senate all papers or charges
relating TO c. NJ Barnes. governor of Okla
homa, filed with the department either be-
fore or after the appointment of Gov.
Barnes. was agreed to.
AT the conclusion of routine business con-
sideratiOn OF the Alaskan civil code bill was
Iesumed. the pending question being the
amendment of Mr.. Hansbrough as to the
mining claims held by LapIanders in the
Cape Nome district.
Dredging On the Beach.
This was laid aside temporarily. and Mr..
Carter. IN charge of the measure offered
The following amendment: That subject
only to such general limitations as may be
necessary to exempt navigation from arti-
hcial distractions all land and shoal water
below mean high tide on the shores. bays
and iniets of Boring sea- within the juris-
dIction OF the United States shall be sub
Jet to exploration for gold and other prec-
ious metals by citizens of the United States
or persons who have legally declared their
Intentions to become such under such rea-
sonable rules and regulations as the miners
IN organized mining districts may have
heretofore made OF may hereafter make
toN eFlHiiS the temporary possession thereof
Tor exploration and mining purposes until
otherwise provided by law and all permits
heretofore granted authorizing any person
or persons, corporation company to ex-
caNat" or mine under any of said waters
are hereby revoked and declared null and
void"
The Permits Granted
A. casting light upon the amendment Mr..
Garter adverted to an interview he had
had with the Secretary of War. in which he
had asked the Secretary why he had not
issued a general proclamation authorizing
all persons to dredge for gold in the waters
referred to. The Secretary replied that per
mlts had been granted only TO such persons
whose applications had been recommended
by the chief Of engineers. Mr. Carter said
while IL was known that excavations made
in the Alaskan waters would be made for
gold, II was precisely such a permit As
would be granted to a person to excavate
sand on the shores of New Jersey. The
permit granted by the Secretary of war
was simply protection Of the miner against
a law Of the United States without which
he would not be able legally to mine
In answer to an inquiry by Mr.. CockrelI
(Mo) Mr.. Carter said the licenses granted
by the Secretary of War were such as
could be granted to any citizen OF the
United States.
Attacked by Mr.. Jones'
In sharp attack upon the action Of the
Secretary of War Mr.. Jones (ArkD said II
was evident to him that the permits had
peen granted in order to put such a con-
struction upon the law as no court of ius-
tice would give It.
ut Is" said he, IAN indefensible outrage
u is simply means adopted by the Sec
Jetary to drive honest miners our of thsir
rights and 10 give exclusive privilege to q
few people he may deem responsible,
mink this was a deliberate scheme of a
few persons to monopolize that rich Cane
Nome sand"
Porto Rfcan BfII Taken I'm
Al 2:15 pm. the Porto Rican bill was
taken up by the Senate. and Mr.. Stewart OF
Nevada addressed the Senate in opposition
IL the tariff.