The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-04-18
Senator La Toilette Has At
Least Checked Temporar-
lily the Raid On Territory
Coal Fields
/ RAILROAD CONSPIRACY
UP TO DATE THE FIGHT is A
DRAW, BUT THE CORPORA
TIoNs STILL HAVE TIE PRIZE
WITHIN REACH.

WASHINGTON, April II, 1906
Senator La Toilette has won at least a
temporary victory in his fight to pre-
vent the blhon-dollar steal by the
railroads of the Indian Territory coal
fields. After having been juggled about
in both Houses, in committees and CON
ference, and the same old grab scheme
having been attempted in three or four
different forms, all of which were quickly
detected and exposed by the new Senator
from Wisconsin, the railroads have
agreed to truce.
The legislation in which the gigantic
steal was to have been put through, as
has been told before, was the bill pro-
viding a plan. for settling up the affairs
of the FIVE civilized tribes of Indians, who
have become citizens and are to give up
their tribal relations and try to live like
the white man There Indians own
something like half million of acres of
the richest bituminous coal lands in the
country. The conspiracy was to enable
the railroads, by some sort of innocent
looking auction or lease provision. to get
these coal fields practically without cost
to them.
La Toilette fought the steal from the
start. 1t has been his first big fight in
the Senate Two ore three times he seem
ed have been beaten, and it would at
once crop up in another form. As the
bill has, finally passed and gone to the
President it pays no attention to the min
eral lands. The present status is TO be
left undisturbed.
That this suspicion is well founded
is as good as a certainty be
doubted La Toilette proposed an ade-
quate preventive measure, a law provid-
ing for the lease of the lands, but max
ing it impossible for the railroads, direct
ly or indirectly, to obtain control of the
leases. Some of the same Senators who
want to amend the rate bill by a provis
ion forbidding the roads to operate or
own coal mines blocked the La Toilette
plan for keeping the Indian Territory
coal lands from coming into possession
of the roads.
Up to date the fight is draw. The
railroads won't get the mineral lands this
year, but by beating the Ia Toilette
amendment the prize is left within their
reach at any time they have the votes
to grasp it and can frame scheme that
La Toilette or somebody else, won't de-
tect.
The railroads can afford to wait for
prize worth FIVE billions. If these coal
fields are to be saved for the people, it is
up to La Toilette to force the fighting in
the next round His fight now must be
aggressive instead of defensive.
There is only one section in the immi-
grafton bill just reported by the House
committee which at first glance seems
strangely out of place. This section pro-
vides that no Intoxicating liquors shall
be sold in the capitol An interesting lit
tie story goes with the section and how
it comes to be there.
It has been only three or four years
that the capitol has been 'dry." Well
stocked and wel-patronized bars were
previously profitable and popular features
of the Senate and House restaurants.
The temperance folk had been trying
for years to abolish these bars Year
after year the effort was made and fail
ed. The favorite way in Congress of
accomplishing such legislation as this is
to tack section for the purpose onto
one Of the big appropriation bills. 1t is
contrary to rules TO legislate this way,
but It is always possible to make rule
to violate the rules if the Speaker and
House managers arein favor of the plan,
and in the Senate it is simply 4 matter
Of consent and Senatorial courtesy to do
almost anything.
The prohibition section was tackled un-
to appropriation bill after appropriation
bill in the House. and passed without
trouble. The bar question never worried
the House much. It is just as conven-
lent and satisfactory TO keep a private
stock. and there are lots of closets in
committee rooms that seem made for just
such 4 purpose. But the Senate. for a
long time. chopped out the no bar see
tion. Then finally an amendment of the
same kind was tackled onto an immigra-