Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-05-27
BURKETT TO SECOND TAFT
Nebraska Senator Selected to Voice
the Sentiment of State.
INDIAN LANDS TO BE OPENED
House Passes senate Bill for the Sale
of Portions of the Cheyenne
River ana standing
Rock Agencies.
tFrom a staff correspondentO

the honor of seconding the nomination OF
Secretary Taft and Senator Burkett has
been selected to perform that duty. 1t is
understood that California and Massachu-
setts will also second the nomination Of
Secretary Taft the nominating speech to
be made by Representative Theodore Z.
Burton of Ohio. While this latter has not
been decided upon. politicians who are in
terested in Secretary Tafts candidacy are
strongly of the opinion that an Ohio man
should present the name Of Mr.. Taft and
there is no man in Ohio who stands for
Secretary Taft and his policies so strongly
as does the representative from the big
Cleveland district
While Nebraska and Kansas in the early
spring crystallized sentiment in the west
for the secretary Of war they were i'm
mediately hailed as pioneer states for the
Buckeye statesman and as other states
elected delegates and emphasized the
thought Of the prairie commonwealths,
Nebraska and Kansas have received great
commentator for the work done. Cali
fornia followed in good time, and the Pa
cific coast having a pronounced inter-
est in Secretary Taft the delegation from
that states will be asked to select one
of its number to second the nomination
of Mr.. Taft. It is thought that National
Committeeman knight will be chosen for
this office, having seconded the nomina-
tion Of Roosevelt at Chicago in 1904. Just
whom Massachusetts, will put forward Is
not known, but the state will be repre-
sented as voicing its sentiment in favor
of the nomination of William Howard
Taft.
The selection Of Senator Burkett to
second Tafts nomination dates back to the
trip which the senator made with Secretary
Taft to Boston a month or six weeks ago.
and where they addressed the Republican
club of that state. Senator Burkett caught
the fancy of the Bostonians and his happy
illusions to the war secretary paved the
way for one of Judge Taft's great speeches.
and it was then he asked Burkett to second
his nomination, at least that is the way
the story goes. but Senator Burkett has
been slated on the part Of Nebraska to
second Taft's nomination, and that is con-
siderable glory for the state.
Indian Lands To Be sold.
By vote Of lSs TO 70, the houses today
passed the bill authorizing the sale of un-
allotted land in the Cheyenne River and
Standing Rock Indian reservations. situ-
ated in South and North Dakota. and to
open same to public settlement. Congress-
man Hall. in explaining the bill. stated
that the total acreage embraced within
the provisions of the bill amounted TO
| 100000. or this amount 10000 were in
the Cheyenne River reservation and 1,20O,-
coo acres in the Standing Rock reserva-
ton. He stated that the bill would leave
the Indians on the Standing Rock reser-
walton about 10000 acres, and about
10000 acres TO the Sheyenne River Indi-
! ans, exclusive of any allotment now taken
or which may hereafter be taken prior
D o -. .,FN L.,
He stated the lands reserved for the use
of the Indians upon both reservations as
diminished were ample and more than suf-
ficient for the present and future needs
Of the Indians OF the respective tribes.
He further stated that 1t was of the
utmost Importance that the bill should
pass because IL meant the upbuilding and
development of South and North Dakota
because of the encroachments of civiiiza-
/ tion along the whole front of the two
! reservations. He said that one railroad
had already reached the reservation and
that another was building rapidly to it
and with railroads built settlement was
assured 1T will bring wealth to the
states" said Mr.. Hail." as well to the
holdings and property Of the Indians
/ themselves"
Indians Are Satisfied.
| ERNhANSNhNdNANN GAANlulaus VINO mas Charge
of the BILL stated that the Indians were
entirely satisfied with the bill which has
passed the senate and was now under con-
sideraton ard voted to have the surplus
unalIotted lands of their reservations dis
posed III the manner prescribed. He said
the quantity and quality of the lands were
excellent and that he believed they were
worth anywhere from SIS to s. per acre
! The lands are to be classified first into
/ agricultural lands OF first class; second
agricultural lands OF second class; third
grazing lands; fourth timber lands and
/ fifth mineral lands, which are not to be
disposed of or appraised. The bill provides
that lands shall be paid for by the home
steader at the appraised price, one-fifth
/ OF the purchase price in cash and the bal
ance in five equal instalments, the pro-
ceeds from the sale OF the lands to be
placed TO the credit OF the Indians and
draw interest at the rate OF 3 per cent per
annum. Sectors l5 and 35 are reserved
as school lands by the states Of North
and South Dakota, which is in accordance
with the enabling acts Of these states. An
appropriation is made to pay the Indians
for these lands at the rate Of 81 per acre.
Two commissioners are provided for 10
appraise the lands and after a survey
has been made that the president shall
issue his proclamation opeEing the lands
- settlement.
Pollard Acting Speaker.
For four hours today Representative Pol
lard was acting speaker OF the house OF
representatives. and in that time was called
upon to rule on a number Of interesting
parliamentary questions and resist the ef-
fort made by the minority leader, John
Sharp Williams, 10 secure a recapitulation
Of several votes. Although somewhat
nervous in the beginning Mr.. Pollard grew
in self-assurance as the day went by, and
when Mr.. Cannon relieved the representa-
tive from the First Nebraska district he
/ congratulated him warmly On his success
as presiding officer OF the house at a most
trying time. for everybody is weary OF the
protracted session. The clerks are just
about "tuckered out" while the representa-
lives are mad all through because they
| cannot get back 10 their homes and look
over the political situation.
Senator Burkett said tonight that to-
morrow would decide whether he would
I go 10 Lincoln 10 deliver the Memorial day
l Grafton on Saturday. as he had promised a