The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1904-05-06
Congressman French made every
possible effort to secure the passage

Il possible effort to secure the passage
of the Senate bill approprlating $685.
900 for the establishment of a fish
hatchery In Idaho, but the House
Committee. struck out appropriations
| Of this kind1for all the states. Mr..
French. did not let up until it was
evident nothing further could he
done. That his efforts were appreci-
ated as not ineffective the inclosed
letter from the Chairman OF the
Committee will Indicate:
! .Washington, d. c April %. 1904.
| Hon. Burton L. French, Washington,
d. G. Ny dear Sir: The Commit tee
on Merchant Marine and Fisheries
has considered various bills for The
establishment Of fish culture stations
10 the United States, i0cludlng, the
Senate bill IN which you are interest
cd, for the establishment Of such
station IN Idaho. The full commit
lee has directed the subcommittee
on fisheries, OF which am chairman,
to prepare an omnibus bill cuutaining
about IL dozen stations, and report
same to full committee at its first
meeting 10 December next. This
bill will stand a fair show for passage.
while an individual bill would have
no chance at all. In preparing this
Hill l shall certainly consider as
favorably as possible the measure FOR
idaho which you are interested IN,
and can almost assure you that it Will
be included In one OF these that. the
sub b--committee will favorably report
| "You have urged this matter SO
ably and faithfully that the sub-conl-
/ mittec is convinced>of the merit nf
your proposition. Assuring you of
my interest, +. remain, Yours very
truly Signed, T. c. Stevens.
Congressman French gave the Com
mittee on Public Lands very
Illuminating talk on the subject Of
the repeal of the timber and stone
act. He pointed out a weakness in
the hill that passed the Senate, In
| that it placed very large amount OF
arbitrary power in the hands of one
officer of the Government. lie said:
awhile at the present time we
have an honorable and splendid man
as the Secretary Of the Interior. this
law in its application during future
years might make possible the perpct-
ration of great frauds. There are
500, 600, 900 acres of unpatented land
belonging to the Government. There
is no means of knowing exactly how
many acres Of this land are covered
with timber. This does not include
Alaska, which contains something
like 400, 900, 900 acres OF land still
unpatented. In Idaho there are over
II ,00O.0 600 acres of unpatcnted land,
in Oregon over $4,000, 200 acres, in
Washington ., 600, 600 acres, and in
! California, over $4,000, 900 acres.
making total in these four states Of
III 900, 900 acres of unpatcnted land,
part of which IS heavily timbered.
4 II believe that it would be con-
servative estimate to say that one.
fifth of the unpatented land Is
covered with timber. Assuming this
to be correct, the timbered area is
20, 600, 900 acres. II this timber is
worth only 81 a o acre. under this law
YOU have turned over To the arbitrary
discretion of the Secretary Of the
Interior, under regulations that may
be prescribed by him twenty millions.
II It is worth $5 an acre, you have
turned over one hundred millions. Ii
it ia worth $40 an acre, then you have
turned over two hundred millions.
J Therefore 1t seems to me that this
( law, ii It is to be law, should be q
: little more closely safeguarded, Ia
= order that these lands may be hand
: led without the possibility OF fraud.
r question the adyi;abllity 0f dele.
Y eating SO much property to the
c discretion, not to speak OF the honor,
: of one Official. Under this bill it il
Y proposed to turn over without limit
, alton all the timber IN the Govern
0 ment domain to the hands OF one
y man.
c aAs member of the House o
!. Representatives., endeavoriug in M,
humble capacity to represent y STATE
which probably more than any othel
Z Is interested iO this question, l ar
q opposed to the passage Of the bill
e II it must pass ii should not. be ia
+ its present. form. It should b,
J, amended. Itshould be safeguartlet
= by careful wording 50 as to prcven
u fros,A In nicracintV r.,