The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-03-28
This a Text for Argu.
ment.
Alaskan Bill Considered In
Morning Hours.

Washington, March %. Little progress
was made by the Senate today with the
Porto Rico bill. IL was under discussion
for nearly three hours but the greater PAL
Of the time was consumed 10 the consid-
eration Of free coinage amendment
offered by Mr.. Morgan. The amendment
10 still pending. The Alaskan OWL code
bill was consldered duriaE the morain g
h0urs. An amendment offered by Mr..
Carter setting aside permits hitherto
granted by the secretary of war for the
mining Of gold under the sea on the
AlAskan coast, preUipitaeed lively de-
bate.
Soon altar the Senate convened q resp
luton offered hy MIR. Harris CT Kansas.
calling upon the secretary of the interior
TO furnish the senate all papers OF
charges relating to O. NJ. Barnes, gov.
ernor of Oklahoma, filed with the depart.
msut either before or after the appoint
ment of Gov. Barnes, was agreed to.
At the conclusion OF routine business,
consideration of the Alaskan civil code
bill was resumed, the pending question
being the amendment of Mr.. Hapsbrough
as to the mining clnims held by Laplan.
dsrs In the Cape Nome district
This was laid aside temporarily and
MIR. Carter, in charge Of the measure.
offered the following amendment:
"That subject only to such general linn
itatlons as may be necessary to exemp,
navigation from artificial Obstruction. al
LAND and shoal waters below mean high
tide ON the shores, bays and inlsts OF
tehring sea, within the jurisdiction Of
the United States, shall be subject to ex'
plorAtion for gold and other precious
metals by citizens OF the United States,
or PERSONS who have legally declared
their Intentions 10 become such, uadeI
such reasonable rules and reg ulations al
the miners In organized mining districts
may have heretofore made or may
hereafter make governing the tenn porary
pos ession thereof for exploration and
mining purposes. until otherwise pro.
vided by law, and all permits heretofore
granted authorizing any person or per
sors, corporation CT corpora lions to exca'
yate or mine under any of said wat'rs,
are hereby revoked and declared null and
vcid."
Mr.. Carter raid the permit granted by
the secretary was simply a protection Ct
the miner against Law Of the United
States, without which he would not te
able legally to mine.
Mr.. Allen complained that the permits
granted franchises that were exclusive.
MIR. Wolcott said that when miners dit
covered gold bslow mean tide In Bshring
sea, they wsrs confronted by q United
States statute which prevented them
from working the claims. The secretary
of war had Issued permits to ell respon-
slble persons applying for them.
In sharp attack upon the action Of
che secretary OF war, MIR. Jones Of Ar
kansas, said 1t was evident that the per
mits had been granted In order to pul
Guoh construction upon the law as ne
court of justios would give 1t.
ait Is" said he, "an indefsnsihle out.
rage. II is simply u means adopted by
the secretary to give privileges 60 few
people he may deem responsible"
MIR. Woloott proposed to amend the
amendment SO that the secretary of the
interior should provide rules and regu-
lations for mining under the sea.
Mr.. Carter objected to Mr.. Woclott't
amendment.
At2 O'Clock with the above amend
msnts still pending, the Porto Rioar
tariff and government measure was taker
up. The conference report on the pen
sion appropriation bill was agreed to.
MIR. Foraker In charge OF the Porto
Rican bill announced that he had con.
eluded not to ask Q separation for the
decided to proceed with the unfinished
business as 1t was now bsfore the Sem
ate. MIR. Stswart toOk the floor and
maintained that We had nothing to fear
either from this people of the islands OIL
from the Possessions Of the islands. Ihs
treaty of Paris. he said, expressly placed
the question OF the citizenship of the In
habitants OF the island In Congress-
hands.
Mr.. Stewart advocated the Spooner bill
which authorizes s, the President to OVER
the Philippines until Congress provide
othsrwise, urging that Porto Rioo b.
included in the measure. Tine paragraph
In the bill as to franchises was amended
TO reads
Provided, however, THAI all grants Of
franchises rights and privileges or con-
sessions of a public, nature shall be madt
by the executive council with the appro
val OF the governor and all franchises
granted In Porto Rico shall be reported
90 Congress which hereby reserves the
power to anAul or modify the same"
Mr.. Morgan offered an Amendment Il
section Of the bill, providing for the
free coinage OF silver in the UniteS
States. Mr.. Morgan said he found no