The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1904-03-23
DAY is SPENT ON
THE INDIAN BILL
Question Arises Over Civil Ser
vice Rules
WANTS PENSION REPORT
Lively Discussion of Matter of Author
izinq Payment of Claim Made
BY Indians In Gold or
Greenbacks.

Washington, March 22.-rhe senate
spent the greater part OF the day on the
Indian appropriation bill Mr.. Lodge took
exception to the provision exempting carr
didates for the position cf Indian agency
farmers from civl service examination,
and on his suggestion the amendment was
passed over without action.
Other features arouslng discussion were
those relating to the designation Of In
dian school superintendents as Indian
agents, and authorizing the payment Of
the claim made by Indian tribes on ac-
count of the difference between the value
of payments made them in greenbacks
and coin payments, as required by ire
aties.
A bill providing for the enlargement of
the public building at Tyler, Texas, was
passed.
When Mr.. Carmack's resolution direct
ing the committee on the judiciary to in
quire into the legality of the recent old
age pension order of the secretary Of
the interior was reached, Mr.. carmack
asked that it go over, subject to his call.
lie explained that in naming the judici-
airy committee he meant no discourtesy
to the committee on pensions.
viii Move a Substitute.
Mr.. McCumber, chairman of the COM
mittee on pensions, gave notice that when
the resolution is taken up he will move
to substitute the name of the committee
on pensions for that of the committee
on the judiciary.
The senate then took up the Indian
appropriation bill and proceeded to read
the amendments suggested by the COM
mittee on Indian affairs.
The first discussion in connection with
the bill arose over the house provision
permitting superintendents of Indian
schools to act as Indian agents. MIR.
Spooner called attention to the fact that
school superintendents are appointed as
the result of civil service examinations,
whereas Indian agents are appointed by
the President and confirmed by the sem
ate. He said that to adopt the provision
would be for the senate to surrender Its
function in the selection of agents. The
provision was defc' led by Mr.. Stewart
Mr. Dubois and Mr. Platt, of Connecticut,
as calculated to promote economy and
relieve confusion in the conduct of bust
ness at the agencies.
lie pTONlSiOn WAS diHtilutu ny Sliih-
ing out the word hereafter" which has
the effect of confirming the operation
of the clause to the next fiscal year.
Against Committee Amendment.
Mr. Lodge made a point of order
against the committee amendment re-
lievlng the Indian agency farmers from
civil service examination. Mr.. Stewart,
Mr.. McCumber, Mr.. Teller and Mr. Platt
of Sonneeticutt contended that the pro-
vision is necessary in order to procure
efficient service and said that a collegiate
education Is not necessary to efficiency In
teaching agriculture to the Indians
Mr. German criticized the provision as
showing a tendency to get away from the
requirements of the civil service law. He
referred to reported utterances by Admit
raj Walker in favor of the suspension of
the law on its application to the isthman
canal commission.
He thought that the matter should be
left to the President and that If the law
Is to be applied, 1t should be applied i'm
partially.
Lfr. Spooner supported the amendment,
saying that to require farmers and stock
men for the Indians to pass civil service
examination 'is absolute nonsense" and
away beyond the intention of the original
civil service reformers
At Mr.. Lodges request the amendment
together with that of a similar nature re-
lating to the employment of matrons at
Indian agencies, was passed over.
Are Stricken From Bill.
The committee amendments authorizing
the commissioner Of Indian affairs to ex-
erclse supervision of the renting of home
steads, and surplus lands by the Creek
Choctaw, Chickashaw and Cherokee In
dams in Indian Territory, requiring the
recording of all leases of land by a1lottees
of the five civilized tribes, and authoriz-
ing the secretary of the interior to dis
possess lessees claiming under leases OBJ
tained through fraud, were stricken from
the bill on point of order.
There was discussion of the senate
amendments of the providing for the pay
ment of 100000 to the Chippewa Indians
on account of the differences between. the
value of coin currency paid to them be-
tween 1S43 and 1878, but the provision was
allowed to stand because 1t was in ac-
cordance with the treaty between the
United States and the Indians. The
treaty required payment in coin. whereas
the payment was made In greenbacks,
worth about so cents on the dollar.
without completing the reading of the
BILL the senate, at p m, went into ex-
exutive session, and at BIS p. m. adj
journed.