The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-04
MORRIS BILL
MAY FAIL
Principal Opposition Is From
Interior Department.
PLAN TOO EXPENSIVE
This Chippewa Pine Land Project
Calls for About a Million.
OTHER PARK SCHEMES BLOCK IT

= 3
With Adverse Report From the sec
rotary the Indian Committee
May Decide Against Bill.
:. From The Jon,nat Bureau. Room 40, z'os'
Washington, Feb. 4.-The Morris bill
for the dis osal Of Chippewa pine lands
will have hard road to travel before it
can become law, Notwithstanding it has
the united support of the Minnesota del
egation. The principal opposition to 1t
will come from the interior department.
Indian Commissioner Jones and Secretary
Hitchcock have not been placed in pos
session Of the details of the bill, but from
what has been told them about the action
of the delegation at its meeting Tuesday
last, it is accepted as a fact that the de-
partment report will be adverse
Commissioner Jones' opposition is based
on the excessive cost of the plan agreed
upon. According to estimates the total
cost to the government to carry out the
provisions of the bill viii be in the neigh
borhood of $1,000,O00. 1t is estimated
that, there will be in all 250, 900 acres of
land reserved under the 5 per cent reserve
provision. The government will have to
pay about 100000 for the timber on this
land and another 1915, 900 for the land it
self, at the rate of $1.25 an acre. Another
$4,000 will come out of the treasury for
the pine timber on the islands and 10000
on the $4,000 acres of land reserved for
park purposes. This makes a total of
$965,OOO This enormous cost will certain
ly bring out a protest from the Indian
Office and interior department.
Following the report by the secretary
will come the action of the committee
on Indian affairs. With an adverse report
staring it in the face, it will take hard
work on the part Of the delegation to get
the bill out Of the committee with a ia
yorable report. Still harder work will be
necessary to get it through the house,
where few members not directly inter
ested study the questions they are called
to vote upon, but depend for guidance on
the reports of the departments and the
committees. -arE ...-
Another feature that must be considered
is the large number of bills before the
house for the establishment of national
parks. The Appalachian park will cost
( in the neig hborh opdsof 1000, 0o0; the
Valley Forge park will cost a good, round
sum, and the proposed park Including the
Palisades Of the Hudson will naturally
cost a great deal Members favoring
these bills will oppose any action on the
Morris bill unless they can get favorable
action on their own measures. Then
there is a considerable element in the
house that is always opposed to any ap-
preparation for park or similar purposes,
no matter how meritorious the PROPOSE
lions may be. These are the so-called
economists who oppose any considerable
expenditure of public funds unless they
can see where they or their, districts are
to be benefited. ..... .-. ..--.
panied by Mrs. Torrance,
VERY BUSY. arrived to-day and is at
the Ebbitt House. The
purpose of his coming is to attend
meeting of the pension committee, which
has in charge the Henry Clay Evans mat
ter On the 18th inst Judge Torrance
will be in Boston and deliver an address
in Faneul Hall. In the evening of that
day he will. be given a banquet by his
Massachusetts aides; on the following day
he will have another banquet from the
department of Massachusetts, G. A. R.,
and in the evening will deliver an al
dress at a meeting in the Park street
church. On the 18th inst. he will attend
the meeting of the department OF Rhode
Island at Providence and on the following
day will be at Augusta, Me. He will re-
turn to Washington about the 18th inst.
to attend the encampment of the District
of Columbia, G. A. R. The executive
committee on the national council of adj
ministration will meet in Washington,
Feb. 10 to make final decision regarding
the place for holding the national encamp-
ment this year.
I r NDJ pnr tot iv0c at no
and Stevens are moving
TAGGING. steadily in the matter Of
what the state wants for
Fort Smelling, but necessarily their prog
ress is slow A great many officials in
the war department must be seen and q
great deal of time must be expended in
visiting these officials. Every week our
case looks BETTER" says Mr.. Fletcher,
''and we hope TO succeed"
It is not yet certain whether there is
to be a public building bill. If there is
to be, the Minneapolis federal building
addition will undoubtedly be taken care
of. Mr.. Fletcher is, watching this mat
ter closely. He also has his eye on the
river and harbor bill, and wants to get
something there for the state. Altogether
'your uncle is quite busy man and
his cares will multiply as the session ad-
vances.
OLEO BILL The cleo bill will pass
the house. In the senate
WILL PASS the old opposition will be
renewed, but the friends
of pure butter on that side of the capitol
think they will be able to pass the bill.
Senator's SDooner and Hansbrough will
probably lead the fight. The strongest
opposition will come from southern sena-
tors, who think TIE proposed law will
cripple the cotton seed oil industry
LICENSES The house committee on
merchant marine and fish
FOR cries is considering a
proposition to require the
LAUNCHES engineers of naphtha and
gasolene launches to pass
an examination and secure licenses from
local boards of supervisors of steam YES
sells. There are many owners of these
launches in the twin cities and on the
Great Lakes. Considerable pressure has
been exerted on the committee for such
legislation because of the many accidents
that have occurred recently, due to the
inexperience Of operators. The committee
is also considering the question of amend
ing the navigation laws to permit local
inspectors to issue joint engineers and
pilots licenses to the engineers of cable
ferries This will permit the employ
ment of one person to operate these
ferries where two are now required.
FIGHT FOR Representative Marshal
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