Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-03-02
SENATE PR0CEEDlN GS.

began It's session today by agreeing to
the conference report on the joint
resolution extending the tribal gov
eminent of the Indian tribes in In
dian Territory. AS agreed upon the
resolution reads:
THAT the tribal existence and pres
ent tribal government of the Choctaw,
Chickasaw. Cherokee, Creek and Sem
mole tribes. o: nations Of Indians In
the Indian Territory are hereby con-
tined In full force and effect for all
purposes and existing law until all
properties OF such tribes or the pro-
ceeds thereof shall be distributed
among the individual members OF said
tribes unless hereafter otherwise pro-
yided by law
The bin for the settlement Of the
affairs of the Ave civilized tribes Of
Indians was then laid before the sem
ate, Mr.. Lafollette's amendment pro-
hibiting the sale of coal lands In In
dian Territory to railroad compan-
ions being the pending question.
Mr. LaFollette continued his speech
In support OF the proposition, He said
senators had ,aid to him that his
amendment went too far but meet
ing that contention he said that legis-
lation to be effective must be posi-
tive: that an attempt to do less than
is proposed by his amendment was to
give husks instead Of kernels to peo-
Pile who were crying out for relief.
He laid especial stress upon the
necessity OF prohibiting railroad stock
holders from acquiring the lands and
in support OF his contention referred
to the fact that through their officers
the railroads of Pennsylvania own 9S
Der cent OF the coal lands.
He declared that they had driven the
independent operators and lndepen-
dent owners out of business, thus rem
dering all the people who use anthra-
cite dependent upon the eight or nine
corporations for their fuel. He de-
clared that the people must be able
to assert their sovereign authority over
the transportation lines, and that they
must be SO controlled as TO protect
the general public, 1t had been said
that II the railroad companies want the
coal lands they will get them regard
less of what Congress may do. He
could not agree to that doctrine.
Il want" he said. "to put on record
the protest Of one individual against
the doctrine that the railroad COM
panies can secure the mastery OF the
national products OF the country, so as
to interfere with their being fair and
even handed transporters OF the pro-
ducts of the country, I want 1t put on
record that this government of the
United States is stronger than any OF
its creatures, stronger than the rail-
roads in the aggregate and all the CEN
tralized power OF the corporations rep
resented by unlawful corporations and
trusts. I would write II In the statutes
that the railroad companies must be
common carriers and nothing else and
write II so as TO make II effective"
Mr., Clapp said in reply to Mr.. La
Toilette that the Indian committee had
hesitated to accept the amendment be-
cause IT dealt with the regulation of the
railroads which Is provided for In an
other bill before the senate
Mr. Stone announced his concurrence
In the views OF Mr.. Clapp. but express
ed the opinion that there should not on
~ be no present sale OF the
coal lands, but further leases also
should be prohibited.
MIR. Teller doubted the right Of Com
gress TO say that railroad stockholders
shall not become the owners Of coal
lands. He believed In restricting the
railroads but would proceed in an or
derby and legal way and not In a way
that would create greater evils than It
would eliminate.