The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-06-11


as well as public life. He does not
seek public position for the purpose
of accommodating wealth. His ambi-
ton is not inspired by a desire to
crafty inherent vanity. He loves the
public service, takes deep interest in
public affairs and as a result has
strong ambition to have a hand In
their direction. While he is not as
brilliant as Ingalls, he will make q far
more useful senator. He may not be
SO popular as Plumb. He has none
OF the characteristics of the dema-
gogue. He will not yield against his
conviction or judgment to any popular
or ephemeral passion that may agitate
the people, but will do what he thinks
Is in the interest Of the public well
fare. 1t is hard to speak in too high
praise Of Mr.. Long. His private life
Is admirable. He is a model husband,
senate at fortunate period of life.
ana unless -overtaken by some I'M
| expected misfortune will become
conspicuous national leader and rem
der his country valuable service
One who believes in fairness, In
honest treatment Of even an opponent,
must admit that there is much con-
h1ct between the present opinions held
in reference to my record by Mr..
White and Mr.. Bristow, as shown by
the article to which I refer, and the
opinions that they held after this rec.
ord In the house was made, during the
six years of my service there. These
words were said before Mr.. Bristow
| before Mr.. White blossomed out a. his
general manager in this campaign.
Coal. OIL and Asphalt Lands.
The charge is as follows:
when the attempt was made In
the senate to keep the coal and oil and
asphalt lands of the five civilized
tribes out of the hands of the rail-
roads. Senator Long voted with Wall
| street. which held that it should con-
| troll the coal and levy tribute upon the
people. President Roosevelt after
| ward stepped in and took all coal
lands away from such future control.
| Longs vote on this proposition IL on
| page 1912. volume 40, part 4 Of the
Congressional Record. 1t is Wall
street vote If ever there was one"
| The bill referred to was to provide
for the final disposition Of the affairs
Of the five civilized tribes in the In
dian Territory, and was known as the
Curtis bill. The vote in the senate
| referred to by Mr.. White was taken
on March 2, 1906. The bill as 1t came
| from sale until further action by con-
gress. These coal, oil and asphalt
lands do not belong to the United
States, but are the property Of the
Choctow and Chickasaw Indians. They
have been leased for many years to
q
fixed royalty is paid to the Indians.
The royalties amount to about $780,
900 a year and this amount is ex-
pended by the government for the
benefit Of the Indians of these two
tribes. The senate committee ON In
. dian affairs reported an amendment to
the bill providing for the sale Of the
lands in 1907; this was amended in
the senate providing that they should
; not be sold prior to 1911 To this
, l a m m Inn ant a -
fered by Senator LaFollette (page
) S211), placing certain limitations and
| restrictions upon the sales of these
! lands when they were sold. One OF
the restrictions was that no railroad
company or any person who was a
e stakeholder in any railroad company
could become a purchaser of these
: lands The debate shows that 1 was
: | opposed to the committee amendment
providing for the sale of the lands
D and that I favored the house pro-
e vision for reserving the lands from
e sale. Senator McCumber (page 3z71)
!, made motion to lay the COMMITTEES
amendment on the table. This would
, carry with it Senator LaFollette's
amendment and would reserve the
lands under the house provision. L
voted for this motion; the yeas were
38 and the nays Z.
The charge that I voted in favor
of permitting those lands to be un-
also the other statement that Presi-
: dent Roosevelt stepped in and took all
, , these lands away from such control.
President Roosevelt has made no or
, der in relation to these lands. He
, did make an order in reference to coal
lands owned by the United States, but
those are Indian lands which are
: leased under laws passed by congress.
There has been no change in the
status of these lands by virtue of the
l tod IN,
! The record shows that I voted to lay
the committee amendment on the
, table, because I was opposed to the
j alienation Of these lands by the In
! dams.
) Mr.. White, in an article in the KAN
! sas City Star Of May S1st, said in
J reference to this vote: re
$50 rank was that vote and so gross
the injustice to the people of Kansas,
, that they had to turn from their duly
, elected senator and present a memorial
to Theodore Roosevelt, who by execu-
tive order and without trusting to the
Justice Of the Wall Street senate, took
, those coal lands from the railroads by.
: executive order, and made them part
: of the public domain
!, This is false in every particular and
has no foundation in fact. There has
been no change in the status Of these
lands since the vote was cast They
still belong to the Indians and are OPP
Grated under leases approved by the
secretary Of the interior.
Instead OF President Roosevelt con-
tive order, as stated by Mr. White. he
!, Endorsed my vote when he signed the
.. bill which provided that these lands
should be reserved from sale until fur
Their action by congress.
j Lake Erie and Ohio River Ship Canal.
This is the charge:
when it was proposed to limit the
r l
8 posed Lake Erie & Ohio river canal
q that the charges for freight ON that