The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-03-29

any reasons short of absolute eenYie- tion-we should urge this bill or sitting silent thoul supinely permit it to become law although believing it to be uneon- stitutional or illegal and unjust on any ground"
 Indian Lands Come Up.
 Mr. Knox spoke for an hour and half, and when he concluded he was congratu- lated by a large number of senators on both sides of the chamber
 The conference report on the bill pro vidlng for the settlement of the affairs of the five civilized tribes of Indians was then laid before the Senate and MT. Lafolette took the floor in opposition to is acceptance. He yielded the floor to MT Patterson, who made a point of order against the provision inserted by the con ference committee giving the eommis- sioner to the five civilized tribes final authority in deciding questions of fact in the matter of allotment of lands He said that this question had not been passed ur<n by either house of Congress, and contended that the action of the conferees was not regular. He also at tackled the provision on its merits, say ing that the commissioner was not an at torney.
 A1r. C1app, in charge of the report de- tended the provision on the ground that it would expedite business.
 Mr Clark of Wyoming criticised several points of the agreement. especially that regarding the coal lands in Indian Terri- tory. He contended that the acceptance of the report would place the entire con- trol of the coal lands in the hands of the secretary of the interior instead of Con gress.
 Mir Clark also said that the conferees had practically repealed the joint resolu- ton extending the Indian tribal govern ment until March, 1907. by depriving the different tribes of all the means of carry ing on their various governments.
 LafoIlette Wants Halt Called.
 MT. Lafollette discussed the provisions dealing with the Indian territory coal lands, saying that there are known to be 437,0O0 acres of those lands. and that they are worth not less than S175, GOO GOO, and possibly much more. He believed the Senate should call halt on the disposal of the lands until inquiry can be made by the Senate relative to the natter His purpose was not he said, to crticise the secretary, but to show that in the multi tude he might not be able to exercise as much supervision as is desirable. Mr. Lafollette would have declared void any lease assigned to the railroads.
 MT. Bacon spoke against agreement to the conference report.
 Discussing the coal land provision MT. Tillman said that in view of the great ex- tent of prairies in the west, the disposal of the Indian Territory coal lands be- comes a question of vast importance, not only to the Indians but to the millions of people who in the future will occupy that section of the country. His informa- tion was to the effect that the railroad companies control practically the coal supply of the United States. He would prevent the roads from getting control of the Indian Territory properties, and to this end he suggested that the govern ment should itself purchase the lands.
 He read letter from a correspondent at Edmund, l. T., saying that notwith- standing the place Is only 125 miles from the mines in that territory. the Atchison. Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad company il sists on bringing coal from Colorado in order to get the long haul, with the result that people in that town are com pelled to pay SS a ton for bitumnous coal.
 The consideration of the conference re- port had not been concluded when at 5:12 D. m. the Senate went into executive ses- sion.
 At 5:l6 p. m. the Senate adjourned.