The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-03-04
MUCH WORK DONE
BY The DAKOTANS
Delegations from North and South
Dakota Have Taken Prom
inent Part.
, By w. w. Jermane.

Washington, March An sizing up
the work Of congress which closed to-
day, the record shows that the delega-
tions from the Dakotas have put thru
than average local and general import
ance. In all mention of legislation in
this connection, it should be remem-.
bered that senators and representatives
have worked in harmony. o.. ~.
Probably the most important piece of
legislation of interest to North Dakota
was the Devils Lake reservation open
ing bill, which became law toward the
end OF the last session. Another was
the settlement of the long pending
claim Of Turtle Mountain Indians for
lands taken by the whites, by the pay
ment of 81 900 900 cash.
new land district, with hcadquart-
ers at Dickinson, was created, and the
Indian agricultural school, costing
100000 established at Bismarck.
A bill Of interest to all the western
country, was one pushed thru Hans
brough s committee on public lands, for
bidding the exchange of timber lands
for lands in forest reserves Land
legislation embracing other features,
including the sale Of timber lands at
auction, was advocated by the secretary
Of the interior, and put thru the senate
by Mr.. Hansbrough, but it died in the
house committee on public lands
Bills for the construction%of a bridge
at Fargo, and extending the free homes
act to lands in the abandoned Fort
Abraham Lincoln reservation, also be-
came laws.
Irrigation Work.
Outside Of congress, the work of es-
tablishing irrigation projects at Fort
Buford and along the Missouri river
at Bismarck. and one other place have
peel Deen ID, DECIDED upon under The federal
was the author. Thru the efforts of
Senator ,Hansbrough, Fort Lincoln, near
Bismarck, has been@ made a battalion
post instead Of a two-company post,
with double its present capacity.
Senator McCumber tried hard to have
the senate pass the pure food bill,
which passed the house in the second
session, but it was sidetracked only
Yesterday. He also secured an appro-
prlatiOn in the river and harbor bill
of $4,000 for the improvement of the
Missouri river at Bismarck and other
places, the fate of which was only de.
cided today.
South Dakota Members.
The most-talked-of legislation en-
acted by South Dakota members was
the operation Of the beef trust. which
is to result in the prosecution of prom
inent packers in Chicago. Next to
that were acts opening the Rosebud
Indian reservation to settlement and
entry, the creation Of the Battle Noun.
tain sanatorium park in connection with
the Hot Springs soldiers home, and
authorizing the state of South Dakota
to select school indemnity lands in
Great Sioux reservation.
Bills for the construction of two
bridges across the Missouri river at
Iankton also became laws.
Senator Kittridge, since the death of
Senator Hanna, has been in charge of
legislation relating to the Panama canal
zone, and was also in charge Of amend.
ments to the copyright laws, meas,
ure of great interest to publishers.
The delegation also secured the in.
sertion Of substantial appropriations
for the Missouri river in the river and
hasbor bill, and provision was male for
public buildings, but the latter measure
was killed by Speaker Cannon. The
Indian school and the Indian insane
asylum at Canton were also cared fol
in the various Indian appropriation
acts Of congress.
Mr. Martin 5 bill for 64O-acre home
steads on lands west of the Missouri
river passed the house but failed in tn
senate at the Last minute.