Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-05-11
OF OUR
CONGRESSMAN
Montana Representative Took In.
slant Rank Among Effective Leg
islators in Washington.
FAVORED BY THE PRESIDENT
Consulted on All Western Affairs by
Chief Executive and the House
Committees.

Washington, ID. c., May 5.-The
farewell dinner given in honor of Rep
resentative Dixon by the Montana
colony in Washington, has drawn es-
pecial attention to the achievement
of the Montana member, says the
Washington correspondent of the
Montana Daily Record. On every
side it has been admitted that Mr..
Dixon has been remarkably success
full already, and it has been frequent
ly remarked here that, by virtue of
his standing with the administration,
he will be able to do much more for
his state in the course of time. While
1t is not always made to appear SO at
home, in the majority Of cases the
first term of a member of congress
does not abound in achievements like
ly to excite any special wonder. Or
dinarily the new member makes
couple of calls at the White House,
where the president says a pleasant
word to him and passes him along
the waiting line of callers, he makes
a little talk which consists chiefly in
the request to be allowed the privi-
lege of extending his remarks In the
Congressional Record, and then he Is
allowed to pass two or three bills of
minor importance which the house
Ion mi he,
gauntlet of the senate.
In striking contrast, Mr.. Dixon's
counsel with regard to western mat
ters has been frequently sought by
the president, he has been recognized
in every possible way b. the speaker
and the committee on rules, and his
every request has apparently carried
as much weight as that of the men
who were serving their third term,
and whose prominence in committee
service has long been established.
Introduces Crow Bill.
Early in the session Representative
Dixon introduced in the house his bill
to open the Crow reservation in east
ern Montana. On January 18th he Sc
cured a favorable report from the In
dian committee and on February 18th
he called up and secured the passage
of the Crow bill in the house. 1t then
went to the senate. There II rested
until about three weeks before ad-
journment, when Mr.. Dixon and Sen
ator Gibson went before the senate
and succeeded in getting
hn urtth
tain amendments that had been ac-
tually prepared by Mr.. Dixon and As.
sistant Secretary of the Interior Ry-
an and given to Senator Clark to Of
fer in the senate. Beyond introducing
these amendments, prepared for him,
Senator Clark absolutely did nothing
In the matter. In fact, as long as the
question seems to have been so wide
ly advertised by certain papers in
the Crow bill would have
passed the senate six weeks before
1t did, had not Mr.. Clark written Sen
ator Stewart, chairman of the SEN
ate Indian committee to allow no ac-
ton to be taken on the Crow bill un-
I'll he had returned to Washington.
The senator had not been in Wash
ington for more than two weeks when
the Crow bill was called up in the
senate for passage.
Passes Fiathead Bill.
A few days after the introduction
of the Crow bill, Mr.. Dixon also in
troduced the bill to open the Flathead
in western Montana. The
Flathead bill passed the house late
in March and a few days before ad-
journment Senator Gibson called II up
in the senate, where 1t passed with
out amendment.
The Crow reservation contains
about 100000 acres. Sections 16
and SO in each township are given to
the state of Montana for school pur-
poses for which $4,000 is appropri-
ated to pay the Indians. Forty thous-
and dollars is also appropriated for
The Flathead contains about $780,
900 acres, of which sections l6 and
26 are also given the state for school
purposes and $100,0UO Is appropriat-
ed to pay the Indians for the school
lands. Seventy-five thousand dollars
is appropriated for surveys on the
Flathead reservation. It is estimated
that these lands will be worth to the
state of Montana approximately ST.
900 1000.
Representative Dixon has also to
his credit during the session a bill
allowing the government to accept
the donation of certain lands, pur-
chased by the citizens OF Missoula
and given to the United States In or
der to enlarge the military reservation
there. Until this act was passed Fort
Missoula had been carried on the ito
be abandoned" list OF army posts.
This legislation makes 1t permanent
military post and the government is
improvements there,
looking to its permanency and en-
largement.
Mr.. Dixon also secured the passage
OF an act quieting title to abost $50
land patents in the Bitter Root val
ley. which had been issued by the de-
partment enormously, but In good
faith. TO settlers there.
To Open the Blackfeet.
Near the close OF the session Mr..
Dixon also introduced and secured
the passage of an act allowing the Ok
Bow Bend Power company to con-
struct a dam across the Missouri riy-
er near Helena, for power purposes.
During the last days of the session
Representative Dixon introduced a
bill to open the Blackfeet reservation
in Northern Montana. along the same
general lines contained in his Flat
head bill. It was too late In the ses-
sion to hope for any favorable &C.
tion hut Ii L. understOod 10 be hia nnr,