Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1890-04-11
Our Washington Correspondent Sends
a Lengthy Budget of News
and Gossip.
He Talks About Irrigation for the
Dakotas, Tariff Revision, Sill
yer Coinage, Etc.
He Chats With Many of Our Well
Known Statesmen on These
Subjects.
A Newsy Letter.

WASHINGTON, D. c., March 3d.
Especial. THE international copyright
law which is being agitated by the press
of the country, has not yet received that
consideration in the upper branch Of
congress which shapes the votes of the
solons and which is reflected in express
sions of their opinions respecting its pas
sage. Knowing Senator Pierce to be an
author of no mean repute, it was sup
posed that he would naturally favor q
law protecting the interests of literary
artiicers; hence the question addressed
to him answered itself in the affirmative.
But said the Bismarck statesman, if I
find upon investigation that such a law
will not increase the cost of books, I will
vote for it; otherwise I will not, for I
consider the interests of sixty millions of
readers paramount to the advantage of q
few authors.
H LISBON POSTOFFICE.
Mr.. johnson, who has been appointed
postmaster at Lisbon, has not yet been
confirmed, and Senator Pierce explained
that it is not unusual for a confirmation
to be delayed two or three months.
Said he, Sat present there are a dozen
nominations which have been running
from thirty days to three months"
THE LAM OFFICES.
He thinks the officials of the several
land offices in North Dakota will be re-
moved gradually until republicans &C.
cupy them all, and that the process of
displacement will begin before a great
while.
There is no political problem, the So
luton of which is awaited with more
solicitude by the people of state than
the subject of irrigation. Immediate re-
lief and permanent prosperity are expect
ed to flow with the waters from these
artesian wells. It is not to make our
prairies "blossom as the rose," but to
preserve their bloom that we require
irrigation, and it should be said of our
delegation that each member is putting
forth his best exertions to accomplish
this good result.
An appropriation of $4,000 for neces-
sary surveys in North and South Dakota
was added to the urgency deficiency bill,
which passed the senate, but the house
refused to agree and a committee of con-
ference was appointed. It is understood
that the present disagreement is due to
the fact that the house conferees want
Major Powell, of the geographical sur
vey placed in charge of the work, where
as the senate insists that the agricultural
department shall have control of the ap-
preparation. Senator Pierce said he does
not know what the upshot will be, be-
cause it is not likely that the senate will
yield and the house may persist in refus-
ing to concur. Continuing he said:
"What I want is an independent appro-
priation of $15O,O0O for North Dakota for
the purpose of locating and sinking arte-
sian wells, and if the committee on irri-
cation will bring the bill in soon it will
probably be favorably considered"
At this point the senator INDUCED in
some adverse criticism upon the obstruc-
tive propensity of the house. cit seems"
he said, "to be the disposition of the
house, for some unknown reason, to de
lay and hinder any legislation for the
new states, and it makes one weary to go
on working to accomplish something and
after getting a bill through the senate
have it meet with all sorts of technical
objections in the house. Hansbrough
and the members from South Dakota
are doing everything they can, but are
met with obstacles at every point. The
only way for us to checkmate this preju-
dice is to form a combination of the
northwestern delegations and fight for
our rights, and this I have repeatedly
urged"
Nor could the senator repress a gesture
significant of Impotence when he alluded
to the vast consumption of valuable time
by Mr.. Blair in his six-weeks address or
the educational bill, which, he added, did
not change a single vote. It was during
the debate on this measure hat Senator
Pierce made his maiden speech in TIE SEN
ate, which was telegraphed to the TR1B'
UNE and published in full. Avery vigor'
GUS infant was this same verbal female
whose sentiments have vibrated a res
ponsive chord all over the country. From
Michigan, Ohio, and Iowa come letters
from G.. A. R. posts applying for copies
of the speech, while those who will read
w UA0 0uN VI o0AdUOl 4Old1l . OAuSAOI
may be counted on the digits of a one
armed man. This may be because the
speech was ~of-handed.
TARIFF REVISION.
Senator Pierce believes that during
this congress there will be a revision OF
the tariff, largely in the interests Of west
ern products; that among other impor
tant measures of general concern will be
the passage of a silver bill, and the en-
actment Of other laws increasing the
circulating medium and tending to make
money less dear than at present.
SENATOR SPENCER.
Hon. g. E. Spencer, who represented
the La. S. L. in the recent attempt to OBJ
tain incorporation in North Dakota, is
guest at the Arlington hotel, where YOU
correspondent on the first visit found
him invalided, but subsequently much
improved. The attention of the dist1n.
guished attorney was called to the sug.
gestion that he is, not a citizen of North
Dakota, made by way of objection to his
appointment on the seed wheat commit.
tee, and the direct question was put;
"Are you a citizen of North DakotaY'
He replied that he has fulfilled all the