VALIDATING CERTAIN HOMESTEAD ENTRIES. JANUARY 28, 1915.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed. Mr. STOUT, from the Committee on the Public Landa, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany S. 3878.] Your Committee on the Public Lands, having had under consideration Senate bill 3878, beg to submit the following report: That the bill be amended by striking out, in line 4, the words "nineteen hundred and fourteen" and inserting in lieu thereof the words "nineteen hundred and fifteen." The committee recommends that the bill as amended do pass. This measure will affect a large number of cases in all of the publicland States wherein the so-called enlarged homestead act is in operation. It provides, in brief, that claimants who have filed under the enlarged homestead act prior to January 1, 1915, shall be permitted to perfect their claims, although they have previously obtained title to less than 160 acres of land. The bill has the unqualified support of the Department of the Interior, as shown by the following report filed with the chairman of the Committee on the Public Lands: Hon. SCOTT FERRIS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, Chairman Committee on the Public Lands, House of Representatives. MY DEAR MR. FERRIS: I desire to call your attention to Senate bill 3878, validating certain entries made under the enlarged homestead act of February 19, 1909, but invalid for the reason that claimants had already perfected title to other homesteads, though the latter contain less than 160 acres. Favorable report was made on this bill by the department on January 29, 1914, and it passed the Senate on March 28, 1914. Favorable report was also made by the department, September 23, 1913, on House bill 84, a bill containing similar provisions. It does not appear, however, that your committee made report on either of these bills during the recent Congress. A large number of cases of this character are now pending b ore the General Land Office and the department, many of which ì ave been under suspension since November 23, 1912, at which time my predecessor made favorable report on a similar bill, but which failed of enactment during the Sixty-second Congress. In view of the character of the proposed legislation, I have directed that action on all such cases be deferred, to afford opportunity for further consideration of the proposed legislation by Congress during the present session. If enacted, said cases will be given immediate consideration thereunder. In the absence of such relief legislation by this Congress, however, I will feel it my duty to promptly dispose of the cases, in order that the lands may be no longer withheld from appropriate disposition. Very truly, yours, A. A. JONES, First Assistant Secretary. CONGRESS EXTENDING PROVISIONS OF ENLARGED - HOMESTEAD JANUARY 29, 1915.-Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and ordered to be printed. Mr. FERRIS, from the Committee on the Public Lands, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany S. 5734.] The accompanying bill (S. 5734), entitled "An act to extend the provisions of an act entitled 'An act to provide for an enlarged homestead,' approved February 19, 1909, to the State of Kansas," having been under consideration by the Committee on the Public Lands, is reported back to the House with the following amendment, to wit: After the word "of," in line 3, insert the words "sections 1 to 5, inclusive," and strike out the words "including section 6 thereof," in line 7, and that the said bill as amended do pass. Your committee has gone very carefully into the merits of the accompanying bill, has submitted it to the Department of the Interior for its consideration, and has unanimously reached the conclusion that its enactment would result in the establishment of homes on a part of the public domain now unoccupied, and that it will contribute to the well-being of many prospective homesteaders, without any injury to the Federal Government. The unamended act was passed by the Senate August 7 last. The Department of the Interior reports 102,000 acres of land subject to homestead entry in Kansas, exclusive of the lands embraced in the Kansas National Forest, and that of this reserve there is 137,129.41 acres of public land subject to disposition and soon to be restored to the public domain, and therefore subject to homestead entry. All of this land is located in the semiarid district. It is practically all grazing land, generally sandy, and more or less rough, and experience has demonstrated that unless the entryman is permitted to file on more than 160 acres it will continue to remain unoccupied and unproductive, when a goodly portion of it might just as well be the abode of contented homesteaders. Congress has extended a similar provision to Colorado, where the conditions are very similar if not identical, and we believe it to the best interest of all concerned that the same action be taken here. The following is a copy of the letter received from the Department of the Interior referred to above: Hon. SCOTT FERRIS, Chairman Committee on the Public Lands, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, House of Representatives. MY DEAR MR. FERRIS: I am in receipt of a communication from Senator William H. Thompson, dated December 18, 1914, requesting reconsideration of my report of July 22, 1914, to the Senate Committee on Public Lands on S. 5734. The basis of the unfavorable report was that on June 30, 1912, there remained subject to disposition only 92,568 acres of unreserved and unappropriated public lands in the State of Kansas, and that these lands were mostly in small tracts scattered throughout the western portion of the State. It was concluded that the enlarged homestead act, which was extended to the State of Kansas under the terms of said bill, would have little application in said State, even if enacted. Notwithstanding my said report, the Senate, on August 7, 1914, passed the bill, and on August 14 I advised Senator Thompson that if he had any further reasons to suggest, the department would be glad to give further consideration to the matter, and referring to the fact that certain lands in the State of Kansas were included in a national forest, I said: "I am not aware of any intention on the part of the Department of Agriculture to have restored to the public domain the Government lands embraced within the Kansas National Forest." Senator Thompson, in his letter of December 18 stated that the Department of Agriculture contemplated the restoration of the lands in the Kansas National Forest, and since the receipt of the Senator's letter I have received from the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture a communication recommending the restoration of the Kansas forest lands, effective December 1, 1915, with the exception of secs, 25, 26, and 35 in T. 24 S., R. 83 W., sixth principal meridian. The area of the national forest, less the three sections proposed to be retained, is 260,865.78 acres, of which 137,129.41 acres are public, subject to disposition. Furthermore, the Commissioner of the General Land Office reports that, upon corrected reports received from the local offices in Kansas, the area subject to dispo sition outside the Kansas National Forest is something over 102,000 acres. In view of the changed conditions, I am of opinion that it would be advisable to extend the enlarged homestead law to the State of Kansas, so that the lands in that State of character described in said act may be entered in such quantities as will more likely be sufficient for homestead uses. Cordially, yours, A. A. JONES, First Assistant Secretary. O WHITE AND NEGRO RACES ON CARS IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. FEBRUARY 1, 1915.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed. Mr. CARAWAY, from the Committee on the District of Columbia, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany H. R. 1718.] The Committee on the District of Columbia, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 1718) to require all transportation companies, firms, and persons within the District of Columbia to provide separate accommodations for the white and negro races, and to prescribe punishments and penalties for the violation of its provisions, having considered the same, report thereon with the recommendation that it do pass with the following amendments: Amend the title so as to read: To require all transportation companies, firms, and persons within the District of Columbia to provide separate accommodations for the white and negro races, and to prescribe punishments and penalties for violating its provisions, and to provide for its enforcement. On page 1, line 4, after the word "firm," strike out the word "and" and insert in lieu thereof the word "or." On page 1, in line 5, after the word "character," insert the words "on regular routes of travel." On page 1, in line 6, after the word "passengers," insert the words "for hire." On page 1, in line 9, after the word "vehicles," strike out the word "or." On page 1, in line 9, after the word "compartments," insert the words "or sections." On page 1, in line 11, after the word "vehicles," strike out the word "or." On page 1, in line 11, after the word "compartments," insert the words "or sections." Add to the bill as a new section the following: SEC. 4. Any person who shall enter or be in any compartment or section of said car, vessel, or vehicle not designated and set apart for persons of his or her race, and |