Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-12-11
NO CHANGES IN LAND LAWS
House Committee smOtbers Bill to Repeal
Several Provisions,
LIKELY TO BROADEN IRRIGATION BILL
Bartlett Richards Has Interview with
Secretary Hitchcock - Lindsay
and MilIard. DO Not
Meet.
tFrom a stan correspondentO


gram.)-The house committee on public
lands today put a quietus on the bill in |
troduced by Powers of Massachusetts, pro-
| posing the repeal of the desert land act, !
| timber and stone act and commutation J
| clause of soldiers homestead act. The bill |
was discussed Informally, but thoroughly,
! and was opposed by all members from the
/ arid and semi-arid states. Messrs. Shat
| roth and Mondell contended that the repeal /
of the present land acts would greatly re-
| tRrd development in Colorado and Wyom-
! ing. 1t was admitted generally by all the
! members of the committee that the present
laws a:e adequate and II rigidly admins
tered by land Office officials frauds would
| be reduced to a minimum. II any change
| should be made it should be that timber
lands west OF the Rocky mountains should
be increased in price in proportion to their
/ greater value over timber lands east of the
| range. Chairman Lacey, who had intro
duced hill to repeal the desert land act
and commutation act OF the homestead
| law, said he had done so under a misap-
! prehension OF facts and gave notice that he
would not press it. While no formal vote
was taken, the committee practically
agreed that there would be no bill reported
by it this session to disturb present laws.
Government to Pay the BiII
In discussion Of the matter Chairman
Lacey made a significant statement that
at some future time that clause Of the irri-
cation bill passed at the last session pro-
viding that settlers pay for water rights
will be repealed and that the government
! will stand the entire expense of reclama-
tion projects without requiring settlers to
pay any share OF the same.
The committee authorized Mr. Mondell
to report favorably a bill passed by the
senate, introduced last. session by Senator
Warren, providing for the resurvey of six
ty-four townships of land in Big Horn
county, Wyoming, with an amendment
adding sixteen additional townships.
Chairman Lindsay OF the republican
committee was unable to see Senator Mil
lard today in regard to his candidacy for
United States district attorney, the sem
ator having other matters to look after
which made Il impossible for him to hold
the conference announced yesterday Sem
ator Mulard was in conference with Guy
: c. Barton and counsel for the street rail-
way company, John L. Webster, in rela-
!, tion TO the reorganization OF the Omaha
? street railway system, which has been pur-
chased by an eastern syndicate. II is un-
Z derstood that Frank Murphy will remsIn
at the hehd Of the YeorganIzed rcompsny
and that there will be little or no change
in the management. Mr.. Webster said to-
day that Just as soon as the organization
I was perfected the new company would
spend in the neighborhood of 5000, 900 for
e new equipment and betterments. There
still remains, however, great deal Of work
TO be done before the company is in a posi-
tion to do business, the final arrangements
having to be made in New York City, FOR
t which place Mr. Barton and Mr.. Webster
e will in all probability go tomorrow.
Richards Denies Completely.
Bartlett Richards Of Nebraska, one OF the
J., biggest live stock owners in the country,
). together with c. ]. Greene, attorney for
n the cattlemen, had quite an extended con-
i ference today with Secretary Hitchcock
: in regard to certain homestead entries
which have been attracting very great at
n tention by reason of the publiC allegation
= Of fraud made against therG The question
Of fences on the public domain was also
J. discussed and Mr.. Greene intimated to
the secretary that he would submit draft
of measure to him before leaving Wash
l. ington which he believed would be just
, and equitable to both the cattlemen and
y the government. Mr.. Richards told the
z, secretary that he had no hand whatever
II in inducing the soldiers widows to make
a fraudulent entries on public lands in Me-
r, braska. Mr. Richards left this afternoon
for New York, but will return to Wash
ington early next week.
Beebe Gets Another Term.
:. The president today nominated Cyrus
Beebe of Dubuque, Ia. to be Indian in
;. spector. This is in the nature of a re-
- appointment, Mr.. Beebe having served one
g. full term as Indian inspector, with head
n' quarters in Indian Territory.
7 He was originally recommended by SEN
l. ator Allison.
Howard H. Baldrige OF Omaha was ad-
~ mitted to practice before the supreme
court today. Mr.. Baldrige arrived from
lt New York this morning and left for Ne.
o. braska tonight.
Congressman Burkett today recommended
the appointment of A. A. Hyers to be post
n master at Havelock. vice G. s. Copeland
= resigned. Mr.. Copelands resignation will
take effect February l.
E Secretary shaw to Give Dinner.
Secretary and Mrs. Shaw are in New
York. making a number OF purchases 70
their home on Mause avenue. The secre
r tary and Mrs. Shaw will give their frs
u cabinet dinner January 10. The secTetar
81 goes to Chicago on December 20 He is L
AZ deliver an address before the Bankers
90 | club at its annual banquet on that even
nm ing. His subject will be finance. In yiel
of the recommendations the secretary ha
as made in his report his speech is bein
~, looked forward to with much interest.
n The South Dakota delegation upon tn
NJ | recommendation OF Representative Marti
70 has agreed to the appointment of VIII
he H. Bonham. editor OF the Deadwood Pic
% neer-Times. as postmaster OF that city.
I'm sale of Indian Lands.
he Bishop C. c. McCabe of Omaha and :
j. oBrien, formerly Of Omaha, now a res
ng dent of Cheyenne, are registered tonigl
at the Ebbitt.
,TJr Representative-elect Hnshaw toda
ms called upon Commissioner Jones at the II
m dian bureau to- advocate the framing OF
7o ,ns bill to provide for the sale Of the surplJ
ms land belonging to the Otoes and the dii
as tribution OF the proceeds among the II
me dians Mr. Hinshaw was informed by Con
* missioner Jones that the department wou
ter recommend such a measure and in fact
ms bill Of this character had been frequent
recommended.
York Wants Public Building.
led Mr.. Hinshaw is greatly interested in 81
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