Evening star., 1900-04-19
HOT WORDS IN THE SENATE.
Messers. Nelson, TilIman and Teller on
CIaim Jumpers at Cape Nome.

Mr. Stewart addressed the Senate for
three hours yesterday afternoon after The
Stars report was closed He reviewed the
mining laws of the United States to the
extent that they bear upon the question of
aliens rights in the Alaskan gold fields.
He defended the rights of the Laplanders,
Swedes and NoIwegians who had located
mining claims in the Cape Nome district.
Mr.. Nelson followed Mr.. Stewart. also
maintaining the rights of the so-called
aliens who had located the mining claims
in question.
Mr.. Hansbrough Interrupted Mr.. Nelson
to read paragraph from document
drawn by the Law and Order League" of
the Cape Nome district, which declared
that the people who Mr.. Nelson said had
located the claims were not really the To-
Gators of the claims.
In reply MIR. Nelson said that the time had
come to call things by their correct names.
He denounced the Law and Order League
as an organization formed to jump claims
located by honest prospectors.
Mr.. Nelson, continuing. said the locators
of the claims in the Cape Nome district
were all either declared citizens of the
United States or people who honestly had
intended to become citizens of the United
States.
He declared that there was no reason in
equity, justice or common sense why any
discrimination should be made against the
Swedes, Norwegians and Laps. The Law
and Order League he said. had attempted
to drive these people from the Cape Nome
district and had been prevented from doing
so only by the United States military
forces. AS a result the League" had asked
the removal of the commander of the
United States troops in that district. The
proposition reduced to its ultimate analysis
was simply one to fortify claim jumpers as
they never before had been fortified
Mr.. Tillman Is. c. agreed with Mr.. Nell
son in what he had said of the rights of
No rntrtc
Firms. and, speaking of the Hansbrough
amendment, said that senators ought to
take it by the nape of the neck and kick
it out of the Senate
Mr. Carter (Mont.) made an earnest and
forceful appeal to the Senate that the
American miner. either native born or prop
erly naturalized. should have first claims
upon the mining land of the United States
He said that he had no desire to change
the mining laws. but intimated that Mr..
Teller (Col) and others were trying to
change them.
In a heated reply Mr.. Teller declared that
Mr.. Carter, under a pretended zeal for
the American MINER" had attempted to
shift upon him the responsibility of a de-
sire to change the mining laws of the
United States.
Il resent that statement" interjected Mr..
Carter. and was about to explain further,
when Mr.. Teller declined to yield.
The Colorado senator said nobody had
proposed any change of the mining laws
except Mr.. Hansbrough and Mr.. Carter
who by their proposed legislation, were
protecting the scallawags and scoundrels
and blackmailers who were making a busi-
ness of jumping claims.
These people," declared Mr.. Teller with
emphasis. ARE blackmailers or thieves, and
since mining was begun in this country
they have been the curse of every mining
camp. They are among the worst scoun-
dreis that ever went unhung."
Without further debate the Alaskan bill
was laid aside. The Senate at 5:15 went into
executive session, and at SOS adjourned.