The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-01-18
FLYNN 5 BILL MERGED
In a Free Homes Bill of Gen.
eraI Application.
LACEY MAY PRESENT IT
c angeS From the Original
Free Homes Bill.

Especial Corresp ondence Of the Eagle)
= Arlington, Jan. IA general free
homes bill will be reported from the
house committee of public lands; will
pass the house, and there is little doubt
that it viii pass the senate and become a
law. This bill will probably be presented
TO the house by Judge Lacey of Iowa,
chairman of the committee of public
lands, who has hitherto been an opponent
of free homes, but with whom Mr.. Flynn
has been working quite successfully. II
was recognized quite early in the session
that a strictly special free-homes bill for
Oklahoma could not become a law, for
the reason that there were toe many ~
terested people elsewhere, whose inter-
ests. however. were indeaticaI VITA hose
ot Oklahoma people. 50 Mr.. Flynn ard
other representatives whose constituents
were equally interested, got together and
decided that general I'LL would &c the
best thing. This the kind Of q bill that
it is now conceded viii become a law
There was a conference on the part of
several members of the committee Of the
house, and Mr.. Flynn, speaking for the
interested members of the committee,
formally asked Judge Lacey for his sup
port, and asked him 10 present the com
mittee's final report and bill Judge
Lacey then paid Mr. Flynn a neat com
pliment by insisting that the Oklahoman
was the proper member to present this
bill, as he had, 50 Mr.. Lacey asserted,
been working on free homes for Years
long before anyone else had thought Of
it. He said it was Mr.. Flynns place to
present the bill. The Oklahoma delegate
acknowledged the tribute to his persis-
tency in this line Of Legislation, but in
sisted that Judge Lacey, as chairman of
the committee, ard an old member was
the proper man to present the bill, and
in the end the chairman took the mat
ter under advisement and the free homes
members are confident Of winning not
only his presentation of the bill to the
house, but his active and hearty support
of the measure on the floor Of the house
And if he does this. it viii be due to Mr.
Flynn, who has had but one policy from
the beginning-to win over former oppo-
nents OF free homes legislation and Sc
cure their support Of either his own
measure or a general free homes bill.
The bill as reported will practically be
the bill as introduced by Mr.. Flynn early
in the session, excepting it will he gen
erai ana have three other SEPARATE fea-
lures, which are: Leaving out the aban-
doned military reservations; including
the agricultural college, and all lands
where the government has made valu-
III,
Colorado. where the government has con-
sTucted irrigation bitches.
The Petigrew bin in the senate has
been favorabv reported from the commit
tee of public lands Of that body. but as
between it and the general bill to be re-
ported in the house and passed there.
the latter viii win easily. At least, this
IS the general opinion among those who
have been watching the matter, and who
afc directly interested in free homes. So
it certainly looks brighter for free homes
today than ewes before, and ali inter
ested are feeling jubilant.
some time ago in these dispa:,1es I
spoke of a bin introduced by Mr. Flynn
granting right Of second homestead to
veterans Of the Spanish-American and
Philippine wars. Mr. Flynn thinks this
bin viii result in a general bin which
will enable everyone who has commuted. !
TO take second homestead At first. the
question was asked Mr. Flynn, "Why not
have the bill apply also to veterans of
the civil war?" and Mr. Flynn replied
that he was perfectly willing it should
Then came the proposition to make it
general in its provisions, and the bill will
be so reported, and will stand a good
show of passage, so it is thought
H T. FAXON.
r. NJNnto or0OAO rst-CnNy o,t