The Sentinel=record., 1910-01-09
ASKS REPEAL OF LAW GIVING RAILROADS RICH TO CUT
 GOVERNMENT TIMBER.
Arkansas Congressman Puts Up a Splendid Argument as to Why Present Law Should
 Be Modified.

Washington, Jan. S.-Asking con gress to take away from the railroads the free use of government timber adjacent to their rights of way by repeating a law enacting in 1875. Rep resentative Oldfeld of Arkansas made his maiden speech in the house today in explanation of bill he had just introduced.
 While the courts have held that railroads under this statute may go from two to twenty miles on either side of their rights of way and cut down the timber of government lands for the purpose of constructing their roadbeds,' said MT. Oldfeld, yet I am convinced they frequently go fur ther than twenty five miles,
 He added that this timber was of ten carried as far as Loo miles from the place it was cut to be used.
 MT. Oldfeld said that about two years ago two citizens of his state wrote him that storm had blown some timber in government land in their neighborhood and that although they desired to use this timber to build a school house and church, the governments timter mai in that territory had informed them that un. der the law they would be liable to criminal prosecution if they used it.
 Hence that timber is lying there cn the ground today unless the rail road company has decided to use it." added Mir. Oldfeld.
 He urged that the law ought to be repealed or amended so as to mako the railroads pay for the timber they used, in which event, he said, they would be more economical in cutting it.
 General debate on the army apprp- priatioi bill consumed the time ths house was in session today and as there seemed to be no disposition to discuss that measure, members took advantage of the opportunity to make speeches on variety of subjects.
 Representative Hull of Iowa, caalr- man of the committee on military af- fairs, explained that the bin carried an appropriation of $95.212,71s for tne maintenance of the army during the fiscal year 1911, and urged it's passage as reported. stating that the estimates had been pared to the bone.
 Representative Bartholdt of Missou- ri indicated that he would offer an amendment to the measure providing for the restoration of the army can teen when it is taken up for amend ment.
 A lengthy speech in opposition to ship subsidy legislation and directed particularly against the Humphrey bill, recently introduced, was made by Representative Kustermann of Wis consin.
 Representative Smith of California spoke in opposition to the govern ment exercising control over water power sites in the West.
 Representative Coulden of New York spoke in favor of deeper water ways and had read the resolutions adopted at the recent Norfolk-Atlantic Deeper Waterways Convention.
 Taking the Republicans severely to task for violating thep arty pledges at the last presidential campaign. in failing to give the country revision downward,' Representative Henry of Texas denounced the tariff bill passed at the special session, termfng it "the Payne-Aldrich sham
 The father of the measure. Repre. sentative Payne of New York, sat in dignified solitude in the middle of the sea of empty Republican seats on the Republican side, paying close atten. tim to the speaker and smiling very broadly and incredulously and now