The Grit-advocate., 1903-03-06
WASHINGTON NEWS AND
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS

The senate authorized Senator AID
rich Ia report an amendment 20 the
civil appropriation bill for 100000 to
carry into effect the Presidents rec
Omme LuatiOn for an International con-
fererCs of SILVER and gold-using ma
tiOns
The supreme Court has decided that
lands allotted to Indians and held in
severaIty 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
taXatiou. He said that as the lands
are he'd by the United States in exc
cutioh of its plans relating to the In
dians, without any right in the Indians
to mac 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 stato or municipal purposes. This
right could not, he said, accrue until
the lands are patented.
Senator Fairbanks introduced IN
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
I following Colorado Springs, $l75,-
900; Evanston, Wyoming, $179OOO;
municipal building, Washington. 81
100000. a new building is authorized
at Pierr", South Dakota, to cost sl70,-
900. The sale of the old custom house
at Kansas City. Missouri is author
iZed, the proceeds to be applied to
the new building, the enlargement of
which is to cost not more than $780,
900. change is made in regard to
Lincoln, Nebraska, the total cost be-
ing $3.50 900, the old building to be
sold.
The conference agreement on the
Alaskan homestead bill strikes out the
Senate provision prohibiting The use of
soldiers and additional homestead
rights in Alaska, leaving the law as it
now exists. 1t limits the use of scrip
to tracts not exceeding 1G0 acres and
reserves from such location along navi-
gable Or other waters tracts of not less
than eis - rods in width between such
entries. The amendment of the Senate
dS lt cDulIli utdllUl Vi HO1ltSleduS IS SO
modified that while homesteads 800
acres may be taken only 1G0 acres may
be CDmmuted. The senate amendment
relative to surveys is substantially ac-
cepted.
Senator Burrows, chairman of the
Senate committee on privileges and
elections, presented TO the Senate
cir b,,t oh
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
listers Association of Salt Lake. His
statement is sworn to. Mr.. Leilitch
declares that SmoOt is a polygamist,
and now has plural wife, although he
deems it inexpedient to give the maid
en- name of the lady at this time. He
wants he Senate to compel the First
Presidency and the Quorum of Twelve
Apostles to produce the record of this
plural marriage. Mr.. Leiitch also as
serts hat president Joseph f. Smith
the president of the Mormon church.
is living in open polygamy, and has
child Lorn 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
cohabi'ation, and that his plural wife.
Minnie Jensen Snow. bore him a child
as late as the winter of 1861"
A scheme for the organization of the
yt m nj nf 7
Dor has been laid before Congress Ey
Secretary Cortelyou. in the estimates
Transmitted to that body through the
secretary of ,le 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 $669,G9O. The sal
aries cover the sccretarys 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 for the remainder of
the current fiscal year of such officers
and employees as qualify before July
!. 1y03, 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 SGG9, $50 Will be suffi-
cient for the remainder of this and the
next year. In addition to the salaries
are estimates of 1000 for rent: $780,
900 for contingent expenses; Sl5O,O0O
for travelling expenses of examiners;
5000, for printing and binding Tin
cluding $250,OO0 for the census ofice).
In his rccommendation for a building
for his department, Secretary Cortel-
you urges that the future growth of
the department be considered. He says
it should be so planned in advance as
to be not inferior in convenience or
beauty to the structures which COM
mercial and financial houses at the
great centers of American trade are
erecting for the transaction of their
daily business" He states it should
have at least one hall suitable for con-