The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-12-21
.RAPS AT CONGRESS
Former Senator Pettigrew
Attacks Both Houses.
SPEAKER CANNON IS INCLUDED
Makes Charge that "UncIe JOe'' ana
Senator AIdrich Permitted Rnil-
the Wesf-CIaImS 10 Have the Sc
eret of Lobby Work in 1895.

Congress is owned body and soul by
the corporations" declared former Sena-
tor r. F. Pettigrew, of South Dakota,
with emphasis, last night.
Il was a member of the Senate for
twelve years, and l do not hesitate TO
say that the railroads control a majority
OF the members of the Senate, and they
own the House.
Speaker Cannon is as bad as the rest
of them It was he and Aldrieh who per-
mitted the railroads 10 steal the public
lands in the West, and after the roads
had gobbled up all the choice lands, they
consented 10 have the law repealed. It
was under this same law that all the land
fraud cases arose.
Il am not candidate for the Senate
again. / do not want public Office. and
therefore, / am at liberty TO speak my
mind. and 1 do say with emphasis that
the Congress of the United States is rot
ten.
Successor TO INittredge.
My state will elect a Senator next
year 20 succeed Kittredge- do
not want his seat. Ii is not because 1
should object 10 going back there, but I
simply do not want TO go 70 the trouble
Of making a campaign. Kittredge is the
ably be reelected.
1T was In 1895 that l endeavored 70
have a law passed that would prevent
the railroads from stealing the public
lands" continued Mr. PettigTew, but all
my efforts were futile. Finally I secured
an amendment TO the sundry civil bill
which would have operated effectuaiiy 10
prevent the railroads from entering pub
lie lands. but Allison and Cannon were
both onto their jobs
THE bill was reported back 20 the Sen
ate about 5 o'clock in the morning. There
had been no time 10 have IL printed. it
being the last day OF the session. and II
was passed. I did not know until after
ward that Allison and Cannon had inter-
polated phrase OF a few words, which
virtually made nugatory the intents and
purposes Of my amendment This phrase
was or any other claimant or patentee.
Under this wording the railroads were
enabled to enter the choice lands Of the
West and they lost no time in doing IT,
Law for HSmestendcrs.
This law. in effect. provided that any
homesteader in a forest reservation could
give up his homestead and settle on any
other part OF the public domain. The
railroads had alleged homesteads on the
tops Of mountains where the lard was
absolutely worthless, and when the APP
parently innocent phrase any other
claimant or patentee' was put into my
amendment, they were entitled to give
UP their 'homesteads' and grab any land
in any forest reservation.
an this way they secured the choic-
steads were alleged 20 have been set
tied on the top of Mount Tacoma
where the snow is always several feet
| deep. and where no vegetation could
possibly be raised The friends OF
! these roads in Congress knew all about
what the railroads were doing, but II
wasn't until two years afterward thai
could get the law repealed, and be-
| fore that was accomplished all the best
| lands had been stolen.
1T was the same way with the UniOr
! Pacific Railroad bills. There never
was a stronger lobby working on any
| legislative body than was in Washing
| ton in 1895 and 1898.
damned n Dill Through.
Huntington damned through III,
| House a bill 20 have the government
! give Up its second mortgage. which
would have given the road millions Of
dollars. and he had a clear majority IL
/ the Senate and the bill would hav,
passed that body had not some Sena
ators talked il 20 death. That was tn,
! only way we could defeat IT,
1T was the same way with the railroad
pooling bill. 1t passed the House an,
would have gone through the Senate haC
il not been talked to death. The Senator
opposing these bills could have had 500,
600 apiece to quit talking. and would hav,
| been allowed to vote any way they chose
because the railroads had enough votes
to pass the measure without us. paid
man for two months to collect materia
for a speech in order that I could do m,
part toward killing these attempted rob
berries
II repeat. Congress-both House an,
Senate-is absolutely in the power of tn
corporations"