The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-01-15

Under the rules the House today took
up legislation affecting the District OF
Columbia. Mr. Babcock called up House
bill 5297. which provides: That the act en-
titled An act to better define and regulate
the rights OF aiIsns - hold and own real
estate in the Territories approved March
2, 1897, be, and the same is hereby.
amended so as to extend to aliens the same
rights and privileges concerning the
acquisition. holding. owning, and dispose
tion Of real estate in the District Of
Columbia as by that act are conferred upon
them in respect OF real estate in the
Territories Of the United States"
Mr. jenkins who made the report on the
bill. briefly explained its object and the
necessity for its passage Representative
Smith Of Michigan said be did not think il
was necessary Legislation. Mr.. Lacey asked
that he laws relating 70 the ownership Ct
lands be read.
Who viii control the time in Opposi-
tiOn2" asked Mr. Smith
If no member or The District Commits
tee offers the measure said the Speaker.
the chair will recognize the gentleman
from Michigan in opposition TO the bill"
Mr.. Jenkins then went on 10 explain The
laws on the subject
Mr. Hepburn said il had been the GUS
tom Of the PopuIisJs TO declaim against
the ownership Of land by aliens. and that
they had denounced such ownership from
the stump and in their party platforms.
But now. he said. his POpulist friends
were silent on the subject. He thought
be should wake them up and thus let
them know Of the bill before the House.
This brought Mr.. Bailey 10 his feet. who
asked Mr. Hepburn TO repeat what he had
just said.
Mr. Hepburn said hs didn't know The
gentleman from Texas was the friend Of
the Populists- Mr.. Bailey said he believed
in the old doctrine which prohibited aliens
from owning land in this country. aud he
would try to defeat the bill.
Dir. Ridgely. Populist. from Kansas.
thanked Mr. Hepburn for calling attention
TO the bill He was still opposed TO aliens
owning land and would vote against the
bill
Mr.. Smith OF Michigan made a vigorous
argument against the bill He was op-
posed TO aliens owning any OF the sacred
soil Of the National Capital The bin
should be defeated
Mr. Babcock came forward and suggested
that the trouble could be obyiated by the
adoption Of an amendment which he pro
posed His amendment made the bill apply
only TO those aliens who now own land in
the District OF Columbia Nr Bailey sug-
sested tfat Mr. BabcoCk bring in a bin 10
compel The aliens 20 sell their lands In the
District. After a cclloquy. and at the sug-
gestion Of Nr. Bailey. the bill was tenn
pOraTily laid aside.
A motion was made that the House 20
into the Committee OF the Whole 20 con
slider House Uiu 5Gf2. Gppropriatiug $1,000
Tor improvements iu the tax depa tueut cf
the District o. Columbia. The report OF
the District Commissioners explaining The
necessity for the passage Of the bill. accom-
Psnies it,
Before the Speaker put the motion Mr.
GT0ut said he thought the bill had been
improperly referred. He thought it should
be referred 10 the Appropriations Commit
tee. He suggested that Mr.. Babcoek offer
the bill as an amendment 10 the Ur-eut
Dehciency bill which comes up tomorrow.
This suggestion was not adopted and the
House resolved itself into the Committee
Of the Whole with Mr.. Hepburn in the
chair
After some discussion on motion OF Mr.
BabcOck. the bill was reported. and al z.15
O'Clock it was passed
Mr.. BabcOck then called up the alien
Land bill again, and reported an amend
mCnr.