Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1906-03-03
INDIAN BILL PRECIPITATES
RATE REGULATION ELOQUENCE

Washington, Mar. 2.-The senate
today passed the bill providing for the
settlement of the affairs of the Five
Civilized Tribes. Under the guise of
considering the bill the senate spent
practically the entire day in discussion
Of the railroad question.
The subject was raised by Mr. La
folette's proposed amendment to the
Indian bill prohibiting railroad COM
panies and their stockholders from
acquiring coal lands in Indian terri
tory. and when the question was once
before the senate it held its place per-
sistently until almost the close of the
days session. Notwithstanding Mr..
I.afollette has sat i'm the senate less
than three months, he led the debate
aud occupied more time than any 9TH
er speaker He eontended that the
prohibition contained in his amend
ment is necessary to prevent the rail-
roads from controlling the coal busl-
ness of Indian territory. Late i'm the
day the Lafollette amendment. togeth-
er with all the Indian committee $
amendments to the section, was laid
on the table.
The bill has passed both the house
and senate, but as the senate amend
ed it in many respects it will now go
into conference.
It is general bill for the adjust
ment of the fairs of the Five CIVILIZED
Tribes upon their abandonment Of
their tribal organization. Following
| are the most important features of the
bill
Cardinal Features
1t requires the enrolment of the
| members of the Five Civilized Tribe,
by March 4, 1907 fixes the rights OF
| the Indian freedmen; continues in Of
/ flee the present municipal chiefs: pro-
I vldes for the execution Of tribal deeds
| transfers suits from the Indian to tht
/ United states courts; authorizes tn,
/ secretary of the interior to assume
! charge of and sell tribal buildings foi
the benefit of the tribes; gives hin
| control of the schools until a regulal
state or territorial school system l.
| adopted; prohibits the sale of the Goa
and asphalt lands until after the ex
/ piratlon OF the present leases of thosf
/ lands or until authorized by law: au
! thorizes the secretary to sell the unal
lotted lands for the benefit Of thj
/ tribes: removes some of the restrlc
tions placed upon allottees in the mat
ter of alienation of lands; authorizes
sectional line roads gives authorit,
/ to electric roads and light and power
companies to locate canals, reservoirs
and dams; extends some of the Okla
homa laws to the Indian territory am
extends the present tribal regulation
and government until March 4. 1907
LafolIette Registers Protest.
Mr.. TAfollette laid special strcs
upon the necessity Of prohibiting rail
road stockholders from acquiring Goa
lands and i'm support of his contention
referred to the fact that through thci
officers the railroads of Pennsylvania
own 9S per cent of the anthracite Goa
in that state.
He declared that they had drive
the Independent operators and inde
pendent owners out of business thu
rendering all the people who use an
thracite coal dependent upon the eigh
or nine corporations for their fue
lie declared that the people must b
able to assert their sovereign powe
over the transportation lines and tina
they must be so controlled as to pro
tect the general public. 1t had bee
said that II the railroad companie
want the coal lands they will get ther
regardless OF what congress may dc
He could not agree to that doctrin,
7 want" he said. "to put on recor
the protest Of one Individual agains
: the doctrine that the railroad compan
! les can secure the mastery for tn
national products OF the country so o
I to interfere with their being fair an
even-handed transporters Of the prod