Gilpin observer., 1903-03-05
WASHINGTON NEWS AND
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS

The Supreme Court has decided that
lands allotted to Indians and held In
severalty by them cannot be taxed for
state purposes. The opinion was held
that neither the lands held by the al
lottees, the permanent improvements,
nor the personal property used for the
cultivation of the lands Is subject to
taxation. He said that as the lands
are held by the United States in exc
cution of its plans relating to the In
dians, without any right in the Indians
to make contracts in reference to
them, or to do more than to occupy
and cultivate them, there is no power
in the state to assess and tax the lands
for state or municipal purposes. This
right could not, he said, accrue until
the lands are patented.
Senator Fairbanks introduced an
omnibus public building bill, which has
been agreed upon by the Senate com
mittee on public buildings and
grounds BY the bill the amounts of
various buildings are increased to the
following: Colorado Springs, $175,-
600; Evanston, Wyoming, $179,000;
municipal building, Washington, ST.
100000 A new building is authorized
at Pierre, South Dakota, to cost $780,
WV. L HC od4C VI IhI Oiu CuotoIl uOuoc
at Kansas City, Missouri, is author
ized, tha proceeds to be applied to
the new building, the enlargement Of
which is to cost not more than $400,-
900. A change is made in regard to
Lincoln. Nebraska, the total cost be-
ing $780, 900, the old building to be
sold.
The Interstate Commerce Commits
ci hoc ctrI unit Tod rnv.tf fr,t ttrC Co,
ate regarding all securities issued by
railroad companies, the par values Of
each class of securities outstanding on
June 80, 1900, interest and dividends
thereon, etc The report says that for
the United States the total par value
of railway securities is Silica OBS, 1923,
and their market value $S,35l ,103, ,523.
The capital stock is stated to be par
value. $6.021 1854 SOP, and market value,
s3.250. 144 ,59e. The par value of the
funded debt is stated to be $5,7O2 ,671,-
1927, and the market value $5, 100, ,95S,-
927. .,,-..
The President has sent TO the Senate
a report of the secretary of war upon
the resolution requesting information
as to the Isle of Pines. The secretary
quotes from an endorsement made by
the late military governor of Cuba. who
says that at the date of transfer of the
government of Cuba the Isle of Pines
was under the municipality of the
province of Havana. The Isle of Pines
was transferred to the de facto govern
ment of the Republic of Cuba, pending
the settlement by treaty between the
United States and Cuba. The island
to-day is under the control of the civil
governor of the province of Havana
and the Republic of Cuba. No special
action was taken to protect the inter-
| ests OF United States citizens who have
purchased property and settled in the
Isle of Pines. because no such action
was necessary. All Americans are in
| the same condition as other foreigners
| 1t was understood that when they went
there they took the risks incident to the
situation. Secretary Root says Gen.
Woods endorsement answers all Ques-
| tions of the Senate.
Senator Burrows, chairman of the
Senate committee on privileges and
| elections, presented to the Senate a.
protest signed by the Rev. j. l.. Leil-
itch in the case of Senator-Elect Reed
Smoot OF Utah, urging that Mr.. Smoot
shall not be permitted to take his seat
in the Senate. Mr.. Leilitch is in charge
of Methodist missions in Utah and re-
sides in Salt Lake. He is in Washing
ton as the representative of the Min
isters Association of Salt Lake. His
statement is sworn to. Mr.. Leilitch
declares that Smoot is a polygamist,
and now has a plural wife. although he
deems it inexpedient to give the maid
en- name of the lady at this time. He
wants the Senate to compel the First
Presidency and the Quorum of Twelve
1 m ha ~ nf
| plural marriage. Mr.. Leilitch also as
serts that President Joseph F. Smith,
the president of the Mormon church,
is living in open polygamy, and has
child born to him by his plural wife as
late as 1885," and also that president
Lorenzo Snow lived and died in the
| practice of polygamy and polygamous
| cohabitation. and that his plural wife,
Minnie Jensen Snow, bore him a child
Us late as the winter of 1S96-97"
A scheme for the organization of the
new Department of Commerce and La
Dor has been laid before Congress by
Secretary Cortelyou, in the estimates
transmitted to that body through the
secretary OF lie treasury. In addition
to the twelve branches of the public
service transferred to the new depart
ment from other departments, which
have been appointed for. Secretary
Cortelyou asks for appropriations for
salaries aggregating $685. 500. The sal
aries cover the secretary's Office, the
bureaus of corporations and manufac-
lures and subordinate divisions. Sec
retary Cortelyou says in his letter that
provision should be made for the pay
ment Of salaries tor the remainder of
the current fiscal year OF such o!ricers
and employees as qualify before July
1. LOB, but he says that the bureaus of
corporations and manufactures proba-
bly, will not be perfected until some
time during the next fiscal year. SO he
concludes that $669.690 will be suffi-
cient for the remainder of this and the