The Grit-advocate., 1904-04-01
LATEST NEWS FROM WASHINGTON
Land Lavs Decisions.

Land LaW Decisions
In the Senate Mr. Gibson spoke for
his bill for the repeal Of the desert
land. the timber and stone laws and
OF the commutati0n clauSe OF the home
stead law He oOntended that our
remaining agricultural lands should be
held exclusively for actual settlers and
that the timber belonging to the ma
tion should be properly cared for. and
as 1t is required, sold at its true value.
This reform can only be accom-
plished. he said, BY an absolute repeal
of the desert land act, Of the COmmu
tation clause Of the homestead act
and OF the timber and stone act.
MI Gibson argued that frauds are
made possible by all these laws. He
quoted the land decisions Of the In
terror Department az showing that in
1877 as much as 1855 acres Of land
had been entered in California under
the desert land law for the benefit OF
J. B. Haggin, "and," he added, am
informed that desert land entries for
the benefit Of Mr.. Haggin and his as
sociates exceeded 900, 200 acres" An
other instance was given in which 49,
600 acres of land was entered in Wy
oming by residents of eastern states,
who Immediately turned the land over
to land company without having even
| been on It.
Senator GIBSON denied that the re-
peal OF these laws would seriously
| cripple the irrigation fund, since 1t
now aggregates $30,OOO,000, including
| land filings to date. and will be fur
ther increased by sales Of coal lands,
timber, etc.
The bill was allowed to lie on the
table until April 9Th, In order TO per
nit further discussion.
| The House public lands committee
authorized favorable report on M.
Donyngeg bill donating 120 acres Of
land in Yuma county to the Beecher
Island Battle Memorial Association.
This tract is to be used for the purpose
of establishing park commemoratinE
the battle on the island between early
settlers and Indians.
| The House committee on merchant
marine and fisheries authorized IA,
vorable report on the Frye bill, extend
ing the cOastwise laws Of, the United
States to the Philippine islands July
], 1905, without amendment The vote
was seven to Ave, two Republicans and
three Democratic members pakinS w
the minority vote. A motion to post
pone the operation Of the laws to 1909,
made by Mr.. Lacking, was lost on
strictly party vote; another motion
a mskire. the time 1893 yaraltet in 2 'ie
:, vote: The ball was rhen votea on xs
il passed the Senate. Mr.. Lncking en-
deavored to amend 1t by require
..Jt Iu tn
should be manned by American or
NY a party vote.
The United States Supreme Court
has decided that persons travelling on
railroads may not secure damages In
case of accident when they ride on
passes, and the decision went to the
extent OF applying the principle to
such passengers az were not familiar
with the contract usually printed on
the back Of passes. The case decided
was that OF John ID. Boreing and his
wife, Merlin BOreing, VS.. The Chssa-
peake Beach Railroad Company. M-s.
Boreing was injured in an accident on
the road while travelling on a pass is
sued to herself and her husband, con-
tanning the usual stipulation OF exemp-
ton from damage. 1t was urged that
she had not been made aware of the
stipulation and that even II not liable
on general principles the company
must be SO on account Of her ig
norance The court did not accept this
view.
The states OF "Oklahoma" and "Ari-
zona" are created In a bill which has
beeen completed by the Republican
members OF the subcommittee Of the
House committee on territories. The
Democratic members Of this subcom-
mittee have been placed in possession
OF tho bill and after they have con
sidered it for few days, meeting
OF the full subcommittee will be held.
The two states mentioned are com
posed of Oklahoma and Indian Terri
tory as oklahoma" and Arizona and
New Mexico az Arizona" The ad
mission OF the latter two territories is
not delayed by any restriction Of law,
but may be effected as soon as con
vention can be called to form state
constitution. The bill provides, how
ever, that Oklahoma and the Indian
Territory shall not be admitted as a
state until the year 1906. BY that time
all the Indian lands will have been
allotted.
| During the discussion of the sundry
civil appropriation bill in the House,
Chairman HeminWay summed up the
fiscal condition for the next fiscal
year, showing that after all legitimate
expenses had been paid there would
be 1922 600 900 surplus for the year.
Mr.. Heminway estimated the annual
expenditures for 1905 to be $597SO2.-
324. To this sum must be added the
interest on the public debt, estimated
at $S4,97l $50. The revenues for the
year, he said, were estimated at $7Of,-
f72 0G0. The total estimates of tho
departments for the expenses Of the