Omaha daily bee., 1907-02-14
Ksssure ss Finally Agreed Upon BY
Eebraskans Goes to the House.
SETS OUT NEED OF ANEW JUDGE
~ Committee, Under Lead of
: estern Members, Opposed to the
President's scheme for the
Leasing of Coal Lands.
From a stan correspondent)

substitute TO Senator Burkett's bill, which
passed the senate at the last session OF
congress in order that Senator Burket may
move TO pass the bill without having it go
to the judiciary committee Of the senate.
The report filed by Mr. Thrill is rather
voluminous. going inc the whole subject
Of the creation OF additional judges for
federal districts and among other things
IL states:
''on July l. 1905. there were II criminal
cases on the docket in the Nebraska dis
trict and on the same day there were
twenty-siX civil cases in which the United
States was interested On the same date
there were on the docket 20 civil cases In
which the United States was not inter
ested. making the total number Of
cases pending in said districts ss2- On July
/. 1906 there were pending civil cases $50.
criminal cases 1SO. Total so.
Excluding Sundays and legal holidays
court was in session in 1893 all but forty
FIVE days. and in 1904 all but thirty-eight
days.
Notwithstanding the fact that the dis
! trict Judge OF this district has held court
practically every day In the year and has
/ been assisted by several outside judges.
! they have by their combined efforts been
unable to dispose of the business as fast
/ as the cases are filed.
A comparison is made with Iowa which
contains two judicial districts. and during
I one fiscal year the total judgments in civil
cases in these two judicial districts in
Iowa amounted to S7z.5s7. During the same
period the total judgments rendered in the
district OF Nebraska amounted TO S557,eS-
Judge Asks for Help.
| The report recites that Judge Munger
! has said that he is very much in need
/ Of help and that Il is practically impos-
i sible for him TO do the work OF the dis
{ trict. He states also that the work in
4 the circuit Is increasing very rapidly,
sixty-eight more cases having Oeen com
menced than were disposed Of during the
! year ending June 80. 1905, and that it will
be more dificult in the future to obtain
assistance from other Judges. in conse-
/ Quence thereof.
The report further says that the De-
I partment Of Justice made very exhaustive
and complete investigation OF conditions
in the district OF Nebraska and as result
of the investigation recommends that an
additional Judge be provided Tor this dis
l trict
"All OF the Judges of the Eighth dis
| trict who must be assnnsd TO have per-
sonal knowledge regarding this matter.
have advised against a division OF the
/ state into judicial districts. 1t is there
! fore suggested that everything after the
enacting clause of Senator Burkett's bill
be stricken out and Judge Norris bill
be substituted"
The report further calls attention to
the fact that the marshal Tor the district
OF Nebraska receives a salary OF only
$500 The salaries of marshals in the
I oF DaEnfa
Minnesota. northern and southern dis
tricts of Iowa, eastern and western dis
tricts OF Missouri. Kansas and Colorado
receive $4,000 The committee recon-
mends an additional section that ION and
after July /. 1907, the salary Of the
marshal for the district Of Nebraska shall
be $1,000 per year"
Bill Regulating Coal Land.
Almost at the moment the president Z
message urging legislation for the leasing
OF government coal lands was being read in
the house this morning. the house commit
tee, being in session. ordered report on a
bill which does not contain the leasing
clause favored by the chief executive. The
bill which the public lands committee de-
ciced TO report simply amends the present
coal land law compelling entrymen to
spend $50 for working improvements on
each quarter section; IL increases the
amount of land which may be taken to four
sections. or 255o acres. and that patents is
sued under the homestead law shall contain
a provision reserving coal lying Hereunder
for twenty years HOmesteaders are given
the privilege. however. OF buying the coal
lands at the lawful price Of so an acre.
Major Lacey, chairman of the public
lands COMMITTEES. had a conference with
the president along the lines Of leasing
the public domain for coal mining purposes
and told the president that the western
members were in opposition 10 the leasins
scheme The president called attention q
the manner in which forest reserves were
being leAsd for grazing purposes, TO which
Major Lacey replied that had not the west.
ern members seen the disadvantage Of III,
forest reserves for grazing purposes they
might be in favor Of his coal leasing sug.
gestiOns contained In the message OF today
but he had very serious doubts whethe,
the western members OF his committs.
would agree with him on his recommenda
tions.
During the discussion OF the Martin bu
today In the committee on public lands an,
having no knowledge as TO the mess7R z,
which the president sent today To con
gress, Representatives Volstead OF Min
nesoia. Gronna Of North Dakota and Rob
inson Of Arkansas voted against the Mar
tin bill In committee and viii submit ,
minority report in which they will offer ,
draft Of bill carrying out the sugEes
lions contained in the presidents messag,
today. They will urge the repeal OF IN,
present law and win provide In their pro
posed bill for the reservation of enal Land,
with the leasing clause attached
Burke Turns n Trick.
/ Congressman Burke of South Dakots
turned a trick today that may result In 4
favorable report being made on his bil
opening the Rosebud Indian reservation I,
| settlement Owing to the absence OF sew
. eral members OF the house committee OF
Indian Affairs there was extreme doub
whether there would be a quorum OF II,
committee present TO do business tomorrow
Mr.. Burke realizing that the time wa
growing extremely short 20 get his blI
through congress. induced the speaker q
appoint CongressmAn-elect Dixon OF Mon
tana 20 the vacancy created by the election
OF AR. Curtis Of Kansas 20 the senate. Mr.
Burke had a conference today with III,
speaker on the merits Of his bln and he re
CARDS the prospects Of Consideration an
passage extremely bright II IL understooS
that Inspector Mclaughlin and Agent Kel
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