The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1905-03-10

ance than the promotion or peace
The House would more thar likely
ratify the Presidents protocol witt
San Domingo, but it is almost sure
to be rejected in the Senate. Senator
Hepburn of Idaho will, no doubt,
stand by the President in this matter
aud make a fight for the ratification
of the protocol. The Senator intro
duced resolut tion IN December 1908
| looking to the same end as the proto-
col, but the Senator's ideas on the
Dominican question were at that
time too far ahead and no action was
taken. 1t is possible that nothing
further would have been heard Of
Heyburn's resolution, had not the
President taken the matter up.
The House Of Representatives, with
commendable wisdom, passed a bill
placing the control of the Panama
Canal ia the hands of the President.
For some time the Senate hesitated
and clung to the'old Canal Commis-
sion. There is a very close friend
ship existing among certain leading
Senators and members of the Com.
mission, and 1t was feared that the
Senate would refuse to concur ia the
House bill on account OF these rela-
tions, however, all doubt was last
week dispelled when the Senate
passed the Kittridge bill, which is
practically the same as that passed
by the House. This new law will
place entire charge OF the construc-
tion and government Of the Canal In
the hands OF the President, and make
it possible to complete the Canal in
an orderly and business way. A
very important provision of the law
is that authorizing the President to
cause judicial proceedings to be insti-
tuted to condemn far public use the
shares of stock of the Panama Canal
Company owned by private parties.
/ This is merely an exercise Of the
right Of eminent domain. This will
enable the Government to use the
railroad entirely to facilitate the
building of the Canal without quib-
bling with private owners of the
road. 1t is believed that this gigan-
tic undertaking will now be pushed
to completion, and 10 few years 1t
is hoped that the Canal will be open
for use.
Some time ago Representative
French introduced bill In the House
Of great interest to the people of the
| ard portions of the west. The bill
provides that the proceeds from the
| sale Of material utilized for tempor-
ary work. structures in connection
with irrigation operations, money re-
| funded in connection with irrigation
work. and also any proceeds arising
from the sale of condemned property
used for irrigation purposes shall be
placed in the reclamation fund and
be used in reclamation work instead
of being returned into the Treasury
of the United States to the credit Of
u general fund. This bill was referred
to the Committee on Irrigation from
which favorable report was received
and the bill passed. This bill will
cause several thousand dollars to be
annually placed 10 the reclamation
fund that formerly went to Other
uses.
Senator Hepburn is very active il
assisting the State in its application
to relindnish forty.five thousand
acres Of land selected by the State
and which it was found on investi
cation to be mountainous and a greal
deal of it practically of no value. III
visited the Interior Department thi.
morning and submitted the brief o
Attorney General Guheen and numer
GUS aff1davits tending to show tn,
character OF the land, aud made ;
short argument in support of tn,
States application for relinquish
ment. The matter will be take,
under consideration and II adyers
action should be taken, the Senate
intimated that he would endeavor t,
secure relief through Congress, as TIL
. loss to the State if it is not allowed
to relinquish, will aggregate severa
hundred Thousand dollars.
In the House Of Representative
last Sunday, Representative Frencl
delivered a very eloquent tribute 1
to the life aud character of Hon, Gee