Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-01-30
House Discusses Question Whether
Members Of Congress Are
Entitled to II.
GREAT INTEREST MANIFESTED.
Mr.. Llttle6eld Maintained There Was
No Interregnum, the Two
Sessions Merging.

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day considered whether members Of
| Congress are entitled 20 be paid mile
age a second time, The controversy
arose on an Item In the urgent deficien-
cy BILL providing for two payments Of
mileage for senator's and members Of
the house on account OF the extra ses-
sion which merged into the regular SEES.
sion. a point OF order was raised by
Mr.. Maddox OF Georgia against the
payment Of mileage second time. and
he was supported by Mr.. Littlefeld
Rcp., Me.), who contended that there
had been no interregnum and consc.
quently but one session OF Congress,
and there IL no authority OF law for a
second appropriation for mileage.
The interest manifested In the ques-
ton was shown by the fact that there
were few empty seats on either side Of
the chamber when the mileage item
was reached.
An adjournment was taken before a
conclusion was reached
Consideration of the amendments In
creaslng the appropriation for the ex-
penses OF the district land offices pre-
cipltated a discussion on the subject Of
alleged land frauds In which Mr.. Mon
dell, author OF the amendment, took
principal part.
on motion OF Mr. Mondel OF Wyo-
ming the appropriation for the expenses
OF the district landofiices was Increased
from $4,000 to $4,000 on account Of the
increasing volume OF business. Before
It's adoption Mr.. Robinson OF Indiana
inquired II the increased business was
not because OF the land frauds.
Mr.. Mondell replied that he did not
think so.
Mr.. Robinson asked: 1T Is a fact,
Is II not, that many millions OF acres
have been fraudulently entered In the
last year or two?"
Mr., Mondel REPLIED Il do not be-
lieve that Is true. / believe that nine
tenths OF the statements OF fraud that
have been made have been made by
people who had a purpose In making
that statement, and did 1t TO serve their
own personal ends, and that they are
largely the paid agents OF the trans
continental railways, who would like
to have all the public land laws re-
pealed In order that the 30,000,000 or
100000 acres which they own will find
a better market"
Mr.. Shafroth OF Colorado said 10 cur
tail the appropriation and reduce the
clerical force Of the land Office would
be 90 curtall Inquiries into the charac.
ter Of entries.
Mr., Robinson asked II II was denied
that millions of acres had gone astray
by reason OF fraudulent land entries?
In reply Mfr. Mondell said. Nov the
gentleman does not pretend to know all
about the land business OF the govern
ment and | live In state and have
lived all my life In regions where pub
lie land was being entered. | have lived
In a state where So per cent OF the land
Is still public land, and will say TO the
gentleman so far a. my personal
knowledge Is concerned, and ] have
taken some pains TO investigate, my
opinion Is that In this year OF grace
there Is less fraud In connection with
public lands In the Uoited STATES in
proportion to the acres then there ever
was before"
"Brt the gentleman Is not obllvious
OF the fact said Mr., Robinson. and
he has evidently read the current pub
lie Views which state that the secre-
tary of the interior has repeatedly
stated that there is great amount OF
fraudulent land entries out In the
western country, has he not?"
Mr. Mondell retorted THE gentle
man has not carefully read the secre-
tarys report, The gentleman has
probably read the transcontnental
edition OF the secretary's suggestions"
Il have read the secretary's news
paper interviews" reJoined MI. Robin
SON. which were accredited at the time
OF the arrest OF n gentleman engaged
largely In II, and OF the scandal that
was voiced IN the newspapers"
Mr.. Mondell concluded by saying
there Is no question that there was
some scandal In connection with the
pubic lands, particularly the timber
and stone acts, In some parts OF the
country.
A discussion was preolpItated by the
motion OF Mr.. Hay OF Virginia to re-
strict the purchases Of newspapers by
the secretary OF commerce and labor TO
those OF q professional character, the
bill providing simply for newspapers"
The proposed amendment failed.
When the paragraph relating TO mile
age OF members was reached Mr.. Hem
enway called attention to the fact that
provision for the mileage OF senator's
had been omitted from the bin by an
oversight. and II was inserted,
Mr.. Maddox OF Georgia raised point
OF order against the Item.