Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1904-04-15

Devils LAKE INTER-ocEAN, /
wise occupies unique position in the
United States senate. There is no
man in that body that has the conf
.dence of his fellow senators to great
Ell extent than he has. ard there is
no MEMBER of the senate who is a
greater student Of public questions.
This was evinced ths other day wnen
the Indian appropriation bill was III
for consideration. There was not a
line in that great omnibus bill of
more than hundred pages with
which Senator McCumber was NJ t
familiar. During the running de-
bate which lasted more than three
days Senator McCumber was the lead
ing figure, and manga provision was
retained in the bill Though his clear
explanation Of the objects sought to
be accomplished and shs equities con-
tanned therein.
During the debate the senator de-
moastrated that he is the equal Of any
member of the senate upon great
national legal questions. Sen ator
Patterson of Colorado who is recog-
nized as one of the ablest lawyers on
the Democratic side, antagonized sew.
eral provisions of the Indian bill on
legal grounds. His legal propositions
were made at every turn by Senator
McCumber and it is no exaggeration
to say that before the debate was end
ed the Colorado senator resem bl ed
more nearly 80 cents than a great con-
stitutional lawyer. The manner in
which Senator McCumber replied to
Senator Patterson with directness and
precision, hurting law and facts, was
revelation to many of mis- colleagues
Senator Spooner of Wisconsin and
Senator aoar of Massachusetts the
two great lawyers on the Republican
side Of the chamber, who have fire.
quently clashed with Patterson and
who hear many scars inflicted by the
Coloradian in those debates smiled as
Senator McCumber propounded legal
questions to the Colorado senator who
demonstrated to the satisfaction of
his colleagues that he is the most art
full dodger in that body. Not once
did Senator Patterson reply directly
to the questions asked by Senator Nc
lumber but each time he would parry
and side step indicating the instabi-
llty of his ground.
In the Indian preparation bill Sena-
tor McCumber secured an amendment
for the opening up to settlement of
the lands of the Turtle Mountain
band of Chippewas in North Dakota
and appropeiating $1,000, 600 for the
purchase of their residue Ian Is and
surveys. Senator McCumber also So
cured an amendment to the Indian ap-
preparation bill appropriating 800, 600
for the erection of schooI buildings at
the Wahpeton Indian agency.
As chairman of the committees ON
pensions Senator McCumbers has the
largest corps of clerks under hin of
any member of the senate. In fact
his committee is often referred to as
the senate pension bureau. Thus far
this congress more than 10, 900 bills
have been introduced granting PEN
slona and increasing pensi ons to sur
vivors and their defendants of the
civil and Indian wars. Whe lit is
remembered that eat b bill mist be
taken up separately, referred to the
pension bureau for report. the evil
dence presented carefully considered,
complied, and reports drawn the work
OF handling this enormous amount Of
pension bills becomes at once appar-
emit,
In his position as cha irman of the
pensions committee Senator Nc
Cumber was largely instrumental
in securing the issuance of the execu-
tive order granting pensions of Sc per
month tc all survivors of the civil
war over SO years OF age.
,s