The Teton peak. [volume] (St. Anthony, Idaho) 1899-1904, 1904-01-28
Dolngs of tdahO's Rep
reSentatiVes at the
Capitol,

lIIt oeNale committee on Public
Lands and delivered an extended
argument i'll support Of his recent
bill limiting the right OF selection
Of public lands Of the United
States il lieu Of surrendered rail
road land grant lands.
Under the close questioning Of
several members Of the committee
lie brought out many important
features OF the bill. He is quite
confident that it will be favorably
reported from the committee.
The Senator has introduced a bill
appropriating the sum of %17, 800
20 the Nez Perce tribe of Indians
under their treaty OF June II, 1885,
and their treaty of June 9, 1863,
which account, according to the
accounting Of the Indian Bureau,
is due the Nez Perce tribe
He has also introduced an amend
me1lt to the Indian Appropriation
bill, to reimburse the Indians in
the sum of 1895 for expenses incur
red by the tribe during the last
three years ii presenting their
claims to the Department.
Interesting reading is often found
in looking over pension bills. Two
of those recently favorably reported
to the senate through the efforts OF
Senate IIeyburn relates to pen
siOns for Idaho citizens. One is a
bill increasing to $16 month the
pension of Hon. H. c. Riggs, a
pioneer of the state, who served in
the Mexican war. Had Mr. Riggs
served during the war of the Rebel
lion it would have been possible tc
have secured for him a pension OF
$50 a month. 1t has long beer
the policy of Congress to deal more
literally, though the reason is no
known, toward the Civil War vet
, Grams than the veterans Of th(
! Mexican War. Nearly forty wear.
elapsed before the Mexican Wa
: veterans were granted pensions
and then the rate was only s.
month. A pension OF John w. Lay
| formerly of Boise but now Of Mul
lens, amounting to $S a mont
from 1897 to March 2, 1899, b.
:. reason of allowance of a highe
S rate by special act OF later date, ha
] been allowed. Mr.. Lay received
pension previous to November
: 1897, but was dropped by tn
= Cleveland administration for til
II reason that he formerly served tn
# Confederate army. He has bee
I able to prove to the satisfaction
Commissioner Ware that II
service in the Confederate regimen
V was involuntary, and that at tt
i first opportunity offered he Jolne
II the Union forces with whom /
u served creditably. An increase
: the pension of Charles Reed OF En-
met will probably be granted. M
Reed is now getting $12, but ha
on account of an accident Causii
at the loss of a leg, become Who'll
" incapacitated. The Senate specl
committee will probably recommel
n an increase.
re Senator Hepburn is strongly a
III vocating the passage of the Servl
Pension bill granting all ClN
a War veterans, regardless of disab
r. itv, the sum of $12 per month.
saws inasmuch as all veterans
of advanced age, they are prac
'or cally incapacitated for hard lab
,es This bill would save the soldl
on the large expense now enta1led
he securing pensions, and at the sa
:al time would greatly simplify
- work of the Pension Bureau.
ST Nj. French has been devotl
on considerable of time at the Y
st, Department, advocating that
ol Boise barracks be changed II
temporary to permanent barrac
and that they be enlarged iron
are two to four company cava
70 post. Chief Of Staff, Genf
). Chafee, has recommended
change TO the Secretary OF Var.