The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-04-12
SPOONER TO
 SPEAK TODAY Debate on Rate Bill IS
 Nearly Over. PROSPECTS FOR ANEARLY VOTE Tillman, Teller and Clapp Have
 Rough Passages. South CaroIinian Says Hill Was stolen From His Committee, and the Other Two Senators Brave the Pitch
 fork.
PROSPECTS FOR ANEARLY VOTE

Washington. April 11.-In the Senate today Mir. Aldrich expressed the opinion that the end of the general debate on the railroad rate bill would become ap- parent before the end of the present week and that then an agreement upon a day for a vote could be reached. The statement was made in response to a request by Mir. Tillman for such an agreement. There was no other dis cussion of the rate bill during the day owing to the fact that no Senator was prepared to speak. It was announced that MT. Spooner would reply tomorrow to MT. Bailey's speech of yesterday.
 The session was almost entirely de- voted to the consideration of the con- ference report on the bill providing for the final settlement of the affairs of the five civilized tribes of Indians, and in connection with that report there was sharp controversy over an amendment inserted by the Senate which provided for the ratification Of the disbursements of $1S6.000 of the loyal Seminole fund made by Special Agent J. E. Jenkins and Administrator A. J. Brown.
 The debate was characterized by number of spirited passages between MT. Tillman on the one side and by Messrs Teller and Clapp on the other.
 The South Carolina Senator contend ed that the Indians had been defrauded while his opponents urged that If they had been, the proposed legislation did not deprive them of their rights un- der the law. No conclusion was reach ed.
 Franklin Committee.
 When the Senate met today the Vice. President designated Messrs. Lodge, Kean, Burkett, Sutherland, Foster and Latimer, to represent the Senate on the 200th birthday of Benjamin Franklin at Philadelphia.
 At the instance of MT. Morgan. res- olution of the Illinois Legislature. en- dorsing the permanent retention of the Island of Pines, as American terri tory was read.
 The following bills were passed:
 Prohibiting the use of diving appa- ratus in the taking of sponges; creat- ing q new division of the Southern Judicial District of Texas with term of court at Victoria; prohibiting aliens from gathering sponges in American waters; authorizing the maintenance Of a toll bridge across Tugaioo River. be- tween the States of South Carolina and Georgia.
 MT. Newlands was appointed con fierce on the Statehood bill to take the place of MT. Patterson, who Is in Colo 
 rado.
 The Senate then took up the report conference bill for the settlement of the affairs of the five civilized tribes of Indians, and MT. Tillman opposed it's adoption because of the retention of the Senate amendment ratifying the disbursement of $1s6.o00 made by A. J. Brown and James E. Jenkins. to the loyal Seminole Indians. under an act If Coo of May 31 1900.
 Mir. Teller defended the action of the conferees and in the course of sharp colloouy with MT. Tillman expressed apprehension that before the matter was disposed of, the South Carolina Senator would accuse him of stealing something.
 "The Senator expects nothing of the kind" responded MT. Tillman. T con tradict him fatly."
 MT. Teller responded that MT. Till mans arraignment of the committee did not come with good grace from q Senator that confesses he knows noth- ing about the position.
 "If." he said, the Senator were even q good corn field lawyer he would know the Indians lose none of their rights by the Senate provision.
 In the course of his remarks MT. Clapp said that the conference report had only been formally recommitted yesterday and MT. Tillman made the point of order that the conferees had transcended their authority in pro ceeding with the conference when the bill was not formally in its possession The chair, however. sustained the ac ton of the committed.
 Railroad Rate BilI
 While the conference report was pending the railroad rate bill was laid before the Senate and Mir. Tillman made another effort to secure an agree ment to fix date for final vote on the bill In doing so he made com plaint that the debate on the rate bill was Tagging.
 .:Ir Aldrich challenged that state ment. saying he had never known time that a debate on such a measure had been so continuous and so well sustained. If he said. "the Senator is able to restrain his haste for few days until some important speeches are male, I hope we will then be able to reach an understanding. I should say that before the end of the week we ought to foresee the end Of the gen eral discussion
 The bill was then temporarily laid aside and the discussion of the report of the Indian settlement bill was re- sumed. Mir Tillman attacked the Sem mole payment provision. declaring that
  against thieves who were put In charge of their property
 MT. Tillman said that If the Secretary of the Interior had permitted himself to he duped in the matter of the pay ment of the Indians he was not At for his place. He intended that the suits for the recovery of the money should be prosecuted by the government.
 "'rhe question: he said. replying 10 Mir. Clapp. lis whether some lawyer had come up from Indian Territory and bamhoozlcd the government"
 "Tt the senator has been bamboozled if was when he was asleep at the switch and let the provision go through the Senate originally responded MT. ClApp sharply
 If the senator from South Carolina has been asleep at the switch" Mir. Till man just as pointedly replied. 'it was when this bill was stolen from his committee. by your committee. The hill should have been considered by inc committee on the five civilized tribes Of which l am chairman"
 -,eThat," Mir Clapp said in reply. would have been a sorry spectacle"
 MT. Spooner took the position that Congress could ratify the disbursement
 tha of