FIFTY-FIFTH CONGRESS, 1897-1899. 1781 
with those States, to be drawn back from them at some future time 
when needed by the General Government. That money never has 
been returned. It was afterwards considered an equitable adjust- 
ment as between Virginia, North Carolina, and other old States of the 
Union, which had received none of the public lands, and the younger 
States that had received their share of public lands, but had not received 
so large a proportion of the funds deposited with the States. 
I think that was the general feeling in the committee amongst those 
who have had this matter before them over and over again for the last 
eight or ten years, that we had better for once and for all time settle 
the question by this adjustment made, and accepting what was con- 
sidered to be a reasonable sum by the Secretary of the Treasury and 
the Secretary of the Interior as a compromise. 
There is a considerable area of the public lands of the State of Arkan- 
sas that is claimed by the Lron Mountain Railroad Company. On that 
land taxes were paid by the company to the State of Arkansas for 
twenty years and over. The State, under the swamp-land act, has set 
up a claim to that land. Most of the land, however, has passed into 
the hands of settlers, and it was deemed best while making a general 
settlement of the whole matter that the title of all these parties should 
be quieted and the cloud of disputed title removed from their lands, 
which cover a very large area of the State. That is provided for in 
the amendment proposed by the committee and which was read to the 
House on yesterday. 
Now, sir, I believe ina general way that this gives the outlines of 
the proposition pending before the House on the report of your com- 
mittee, and | yield the remainder of my time, or so much as he may 
desire, to the gentleman from Arkansas [Mr. McRae]. 
Mr. W.J. Tapert. Is this the unanimous report of the committee / 
Mr. Lacey. It is. 
Mr. Neuson Dinawey, Jr. Before the gentleman from Iowa takes 
his seat I would like to ask him one or two questions with reference 
to this matter. 
I understand that this is a settlement recommended by the then Sec- 
retary of the Treasury and the Commissioner of the Land Office, or 
was it the Secretary of the Interior? 
Mr. Lacry. The Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of the 
Treasury, together with the governor of Arkansas. They appointed 
experts, who went, examined, and made a statement of the account. 
The question was submitted to the governor of Arkansas and the Sec- 
retaries of the Interior and of the Treasury, and they entered into a 
written agreement to make the settlement on the basis of the payment 
by the State of $160,572, and referred it to Congress, as required by 
the act of Congress which authorized the settlement thus tentatively 
to be made. 
