The Lamar register., 1905-01-25

| ent law provides. Similar bills have
| been introduced for the benefit of
| homesteaders in two or three other of
the far western states and there seems
| to be a disposition in Congress to
adopt these measures.
A bill introduced by Representative
| Smith of Texas aims at the settlement
of reclamation claims made by citizens
of Mexico on account of waters di-
verted by Americans from the Rio
Grande river The bill contemplates
the construction of a dam on the Rio
+, Grande at Eagle New Mexico. If found
by the secretary of the interior to be
feasible.
Commissioner of Indian Affairs
Leupp gave a hearing to delegation
of fifteen Pueblo Indians from New
Mexico who are in Washington to
urge congressional action exempting
| the Pueblos from all taxation until
| Congress hereafter shall provide other
wise. Superintendent Crandall of the
Pueblos accompanied the Indians.
Commissioner Leupp promised his as
sistance in urging Legislation by Con
gress.
The House passed the Bonynge bill
| revising the trademark law. 1t al
lows the registration of trademarks
used in interstate commerce, the pres
ent law restricting registration to
| trademarks used in foreign commerce
only, but defines specific marks which
may lie registered, and allows appeals
from decisions of the commissioner of
patents to courts. 1t provides new
remedies for infringement of trade
marks and makes the statutes conform
with treaty stipulations with some
| twei!y counties.
In transmitting to the President the
annual report of the Philippines com
mission, Secretary Taft says that the
reports show the great benefit which
has been conferred on the islands by
continued state of tranquility. Ex-
cept in the wild mountainous regions
| OF the uneXplored island of Samar and
| in the Moro region of the Rio Grande
and Lake Ianao in the sparsely set
tied island of Mindanao and in the
island of Jolo, conditions as to tran
guilty and ladronism. he says, con-
tinue 10 improve, and except in the
places mentioned agriculture and tho
arts of peace are not at all interfered
with by lawless bands or depredations.
The census bureau has issued re-
port on the condition of irrigation in
the United States in 1902. showing
that 3.415 systems. with 59,311 miles
of main canals and bitches. were irri-
eating 9.4S7.o77 acres on 134 .O3d
farms. The amount expended in con-
structing all these systems was $685.
320,452. The average construction cost
per acre in the arid region was SS9.14,
and average per irrigation system 81.
40. The report says that the great
obstacle to the development of irriga-
tion in Texas and New Mexico is the
present treaty between Mexico and
this country which prohibits the i'm.
pounding of the waters of the Rio
Grande.
By a stroke of his pen Postmaster
General Wynne has transferred to his
supervision the battalion of postofIice
inspectors who have. since 1891, been
under the control of the fourth assist
ant postmaster general, the latter
method having been put in practice
when Major Estes G. Rathbone was
chief inspector and was at the same
time made fourth assistant postmaster
general The order has created a
great deal of surprise because General
Bristow, the present fourth assistant
postmaster general. is the man who
has been complimented by the Presi-
dent for his handling of the inspection
force during the great postofiice scan
. dal. The real reason for the change is
that most big Investigations are or
dered directly by the )stmaster gen.
eral and In order to make them effect
i've he wants his information at first
hand instead of being filtered through
subordinate department.
The Senate committee on forest res
eryations made favorable report
upon the House bill to transfer the
control of the forest reserves from the
Interior Department to the Depart
ment of Agriculture, but amended the
bill materially, so as to protect mining
interests upon lands within the re-
serves. The amended bill provides
that rights of way for construction and
| maintenance of dams. reservoirs. wa
ter plants, bitches and canals across
reservations for mining purposes and
for milling and reducing ores are
granted citizens of the United States
and shall not be abridged by inclusion
of mineral lands in forest reserves.
The amended bill also modifies the au-
thority conferred on the secretary OF
agriculture and retains in the control
of the secretary of the interior execu-
tion of laws affecting surveys, entries.
REIMBURSEMENT and patenting of lands
within reserves.
| The House committee on eieCtiouS
of President. vice president and rep
resentatives in Congress gave hear
ing on bills introduced by Represen-
tative w. Bourke Cochran of New
York. One provides for publicity of
contributions to campaign funds in
presidential elections and the other
for the appointment of a special COM
mittee to inquire into and ascertain
the amounts OF money expended by
both political parties at all presiden-
tial elections from 1892 to 1904. Mr..
Cochran advanced the argument that
a great share of the expense of cam
paigns should be thrown on the gov
ernment. He said public buildings
could be assigned as headquarters of
the leading parties and the govern
ment clerks might be assigned to them.
He said he could see no reason why
the government printing office should
not be made available to the parties,
under reasonable restrictions, for the