Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1903-01-09
TROUBLES OF LEASING BILL
Nebraska Members Unable to Agree on
Terms Of Proposed Measure.
GURLEY IN THE ATToRNEYSHlP FIGHT
Congressman Smith of Council BIuns
District Has Three Lively POST
office Fights on His
Hands.
From a star Correspondentl

| CFrom a Staff Correspondent
WASHINGTON. Jan. s.-Cspeclal Tele-
gram)-As a result Of the meeting Of west
err Legislators at the ofice Of the secretary
Of the interior last night the Nebraska
! members present were charged with the
! preparation Of a land leasing bill that
| would be acceptable to the interests which
/ at present are opposed to the measure.
I Today MIR. Burkett and Mr.. Shallenberger
! endeavored to agree upon the main features
/ OF the proposed measure. Mr.. Shallenber-
! ger, however, would not agree to the prop
ostion of leasing thirty sections OF land to
! one cattle gro yer, insisting that the
! amount proposed by Mr.. Bartlett Rich
ards and other cattle growers was entirely
| too large an amount of land to be held
/ under one lease.
Judge Stark, on the other hand, insists
that the Nebraska legislature should have
the right primarily to call upon the ma
| tional government to enact such legislation
and at the same tire be the judges as to
the value Of the public domain to be leased.
| In view Of these widely divergent ideas, as
put forth by Stark and Shallenberger, there
is a growing fear that there will be no
legislation at this session Of congress re-
Sarding a bill to lease the public lands in
Nebraska.
I'VE in the eastern part Of the state"
said Mr.. Burkett today, having no public
| lands in our sections, must depend upon
those directly associated with this question
for intelligent action. l would like to see
this question settled. The people of Ne
braska I believe, want TO see IL settled and
anything can do to bring about concerted
action will be done. l want the rights OF
the komesteaders safeguarded but l do
think the cattle growers have some rights
in view OF the millions they have invested
in the cattle raising business"
| Representative Lacey of Iowa, chairman
| of the house public lands committee, saw
the president this morning at the White
House offices. He is interested in securing
homestead Legislation for settlers in
Alaska.
Mercer Presents GurIey.
Representative Mercer presented W. F.
Gurley OF Omaha to the president this
morning as a candidate for United States
district attorney for Nebraska. Mercer
told the president that the fight for the po-
sition had become three-cornered one and
that an early settlement of the case would
rebound to the advantage of the party in
the state.
In view OF Senator Dietrich's we'll known
position in favor Of Chairman Lindsay, who
is backed by 90 per cent OF the active re-
publicans OF the state, and Senator MIL
lard's liking for w. 8. Summers the pres
ent incumbent. Mercer stated that in case
of a deadlock he had brought out W. F.
Gurley.
There is now some talk OF fourth can
didate entering the race in the person Of
w. Munger Of Lincoln.
The president did not indicate his posi-
tion.
W. I. Buchanan and wife Of Buffalo. N.
Y, formerly of Sioux City, are In the city
to attend the presidents reception tonight.
Congressman Rumple of Iowa returned to
his congressional duties today after a long
absence at his home on account OF illness
Lively POstOHce Contests.
Representative Walter I. Smith of Coun-
Gil Bluffs said today that he had postofice
contests at Dunlap, Greenfield and Guthrie
Center on his hands, but he hoped to termi-
nate the contests in the near future. He
stated that there we're at least three can
didates for each ONCE, but he hoped,to make
decision that would be satisfactory to
the party workers in all the towns named.
Congressman Burkett has accepted an in
vitation to deliver an address at Union
League club, Baltimore, February IL.
Routine of Department.
The Postoffice department, on request Of
0. H. Wirth and endorsed by Senator Mil
lard, has ordered the establishment OF a
numbered station at Fiftieth and Hamilton
streets. Omaha.
Senator Dietrich has recommended the
appointment OF Frank NJ. Holcomb for post
master at Goehner. Seward county.
Postmasters appointed: Iowa-P. !. Kin
Finger, Bunch, Davis county; William A.
Robins, Robins, Linn county; Mrs. Elsie
Ondler, Troy, Mills county. Wyoming
Martin l.. Jones, Ishawooa, Big Horn
county; Neil S. p Larson, Otto, Big Horn
county.
These additional rural free delivery routes
will be established in Iowa February q:
Geneva, Franklin county. one route; area
covered. seventeen square miles; popula-
tion served, $50. Hampton, Franklin county,
one route; area covered, TWENTY-FIVE square
miles, population served, 416. Sumner,
Bremen county, six routes; area, 1O6 square
miles; population served, 2,375. Rowley,
Buchanan county. one routeI area, eighteen
square miles; population served, 375.
postofice has been established at Pack
ard, Butler county. Ia, with Joseph W.
Daley as postmaster.
The postmaster at Greeley. Neb., was to-
day authorized to move his ONCE into the
building owned by Mrs. NJ Connell.
The conversion OF the Evarts State bank
OF Evarts S. D., into the First National
Bank Of Evarts, with s25 900 capital was
today approved by the comptroller OF the
currency.