Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1888-09-08
ANOTHER GOOD SHOWING.
Our Delegate In Congress Again De-
tends Our Principal Industry.

Ien0s our fr1ncipal Industry.
Hon. Fred. T. Dubois, our Dele
gate in Congress, has again earned
the commentator of his constitute nts.
Last Saturday, the proposition to pro-
vide for surveying the arid lands Of
the West and to prosecute mining
companies for alleged violations of
the timber law coming up for COZ.
sideration, he got up out of a sick
bed, contrary to the advice of his
physician, and, succeeding in obtain.
ing the floor, spoke as follows:
Mr.. DUBOIS. l am much obliged
to the gentleman from Nevada; but
l can not occupy much time to-day,
because | am unable to physically,
having come from a sick. bed to this
House, knowing that this discussion
on the appropriation for surveying
our arid lands, with a view to ulti-
mately retaining them, was to take
place. Both these subjects are of
great moment to my people.
Mr.. Speaker, it is absolutely be.
yond my comprehension to under
stand why this body will continually
refuse to assist the chief industry of
our Western coast. Your legislation
and attempted legislation in regard to
Territorial affairs is absolutely sur
prising. You seldom legislate in &C.
cordance with our wishes when there
is conflict of opinion. Whenever
We get anything at all we have to con.
tend for it, and fight for it, and plead
aud beg for it. Your legislation is
generally adverse to US.
Mr.. BLAND. Will the gentleman
yield to me- for a moment?
Mr.. DUBOIS. Certainly.
Mr.. BLAND. I wish to ask to have
an amendment to the pending amend.
ment read, and would be glad to hear
the gentleman upon it. propose,
with the consent OF the gentleman, to
offer an amendment to concur IN the
Senate amendment with an amend.
ment which ask to have read.
The Clerk read as follows:
Provided, Nothing herein rhsll be construed to
prohibit such prosecutions in cases where said
timber has been cut Or used by any corporation
persons for merchandise sale in any other place
or places Other than the community where such
timber IS or was located.
MIR DUBOIS. The amendment No.
1lS, now under consideration, was IN
troduced BY the distinguished Senator
from Nevada, who is the father of all
mining laws. He understood the
needs and wants Of the mining coun-
try so we'll that when he was in the
Senate, 20 years ago, he framed, you
may say. all the mining laws which
are now on the statute books, which
so fully and we'll protect the miners
and the Government that there has
scarcely been any amendment or
change made in them by subsequent
Legislation in the various States or
Territories. This ameDdm.n Mt pro.
vides that persons living in the min.
ing regions shall not be prosecuted
for cutting aud using for mining and
domestic purposes timber which is
not fit for any other use, which can
not be used for lumber or for com.
merciaI purposes. This amendment
can do no harm to any one either in
the present or in the future. There
are some gentlemen on this floor who
have been so used to defending the
poor farmer and agriculturist that
they seem TO forget every other class
of people.
Now, can say this to them: That
in my country but for the miners there
would he no farmers. Take the Wood
River country, so.called, in Idaho, for
an illustration, which was founded in
1880, where now there are several
towns of two or three thousand peo-
pie. In 1880 there was scarcely a
person located there. There were no
farmers. We had magnificent prai-
RTE land, the Camas Prairie and other
fruitful valleys near by, with scarcely
settler upon them. | travelled over
Ca,nas Prairie in 1882, and there were
hardly dozen people upon it. Now,
since the large number of mines
which have been discovered there
yield an enormous and ever-increas
ing supply OF precious metal that
prairie is covered with farms and
ranches. The farmers are absolutely
dependent upon home market for
their products. They live ST. far
from the markets of the world that
they can not ship. and they must sell
what they raise at home. The mines
bring persons to engage in mercantile
business and all other businesses, and
the people are supplied by the farm
ers who would not be there if it were
not for the mines. There has never
been protest from farmer in those
countries against the mineas using
this class of timber. am safe in
asserting that the Commissioner OF
the General Land Office has not a