The Owyhee nugget. ([Silver City], Idaho) 1905-1984, 1905-12-22
WashlnRton Letter.

as she broke bottle of wixe on the
prov of the Battleship Idaho, as the
battleship left the ways and slid gent
ly into the water. IN the presence of
Governor Gooding, Senators Dubois
and Hepburn, Representative French,
prominent navy officials, and a large
number Of people from Idaho and Phil
adelphia, the Battleship Idaho was last
Saturday launched at the Cramps
shipyards at Philadelphia. This great
ship which is to carry the name of
Idaho around the world, is the latest
addition to Uncle Sans navy, and is Of
1900 tons displacement. After the
launching the shipbuilding company
gave a banquet to the people present.,
and addresses we're made by Governor
Gooding, Senators Dubois and Hey
burn, and Representative French. Miss
Gooding, the sponsor, received "a dia-
mond and pearl chain for the excellent
manner in which she performed her
portion of the ceremony, She is the
youngest person that has ever chris
tened battIeship, and the christening
was pronounced unexcelled.
Burton t. French has been promoted
to the committees on immigration and
public lands These committees are
two of the most important to Idaho
that Mr.. French could possibly have
e,oa,,rad nnJ TJolo is ip1aad f,rtnnafo
in having her congressman on these
important places. AS member of the
immigration committee, he will be able
to do much to prevent the repeal of,
the hinese exclusion law, and as a
member of the committee on public
lands, he will be better able to look
out for the interests of the state in
connection with all land matters that
may come up. A great many members
we're after these places, and it vas
great surprise to some of them that
Frencn was Uncle Joe's choice.
A bill has been introduced in the
senate by Senator Hepburn providing
for the granting Of $50 additional sec
tions Of land to the state of Idaho for
the purpose of aiding in the construc-
tion Of the state capitol When Idaho
WAS admi ted she only received $4,000
acres of land for state capitol purposes
while Montana received $4,000 acres.
Washington $4,000 acres, Wyoming
10000 acres, and Utah $4,000 acres for
the same purpose. Idaho is now con
structing capitol building that will
cost about 81 100000, and in order for
the general government to treat Idaho
as fairly as her sister states, she should
have an additional appropriation OF
public laud
A determined effort will be made at
this session of congress to modify the
laws relating to Chinese exclusion. A
great many eastern people, whose sym
pathy has been aroused for the orient
al nations an account Of the plucky
stand made by japan i'll the struggle
with Russia, are determined to try to
force through congress laws permit ug
Chinese and Japanese to enter the
United States under no restrictions
whatever, except those relating to inn
migrants from European nations. In
fact it is intended TO ( ace China and
Japan in this respect o. the same
plane as England, France, Germany,
Norway ana Sweden A majo.'ity Of
the senators and representatives from
the northwest will bitterly oppose :
modification of this law President
Roosevelt seems to be a believer in a
modification of the law, and so ex-
pressed himself in his message. Rep
resentative French, member of the
house committee on immigration, will
do everything possible in the commit
tee and in the house to defeat the pro-
posed measure. Ia statement . last
week he gave as his reason for his po
sition on this question his belief that
the Chinese are as a rule opposed to
our ideals and life; that they would
never harmonize with our institutions
as Europeans do; that they are of diff
erent blood aud traditions and would
be disturbing factor especially in the
west; that their wages in this country
would be so small that they would
practically drive the American laborer
out of the market; and that they would
always tend to destroy the ideals Of
American living.
Without doubt the timber aud
stone act will be repealed at this ses-
sion of congress. A determined effort