The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1906-05-18
FRENCH A HARD WORKER
Has Capacity and Willing
ness to do Hard Work.
LABOR PARTY In POLITICS
Probably New Element for Poll
ticians to Reckon with.

From Northwest Press Association
"If there is a hard working ma i n
the House OF Representatives, that
man is French of Idaho," said a
prominent and leading member of
the House of Representatives last
week, "and If plenty Of good common
sense, together with capacity and
willingness for hard work, is a requi-
site for success, French will get
there. Mr.. French, together with a
very few other members, occupies a
unique position in national legsla-
tion, and has great many difficul--
ties to contend with not usually
encountered by members of congress.
From most of the states there are
many times more members of the
house than of the senate, and as a
result it is the senator who has
trouble in keeping up with his end of
the work. For instance, Pennsvl-
rania has 80 congressman to take
care Of the, states interests ia the
lower house, and Washington State
has three members of the lower house.
With Mr.. French. however, the con-
dition is the reverse. The state of
Idaho is represented by two active
senators. Both are constantly pass
ing bills through the senate, which,
Of course, they expect to be passed
through the house. As Mr.. French
is the only member of the house
from Idaho, it is necessary for him to
do great deal more work than is
ordinarily required of a congressman.
Another thing should be born in
mind. It is ordinarily great deal
more difficult to secure the passage Of
a bill in the house than In the SEN
ate, especially bills carrying an ap-
propriatlon.
There are at present SO senators
while there are nearly 400 representa-.
tives. On account of this difference
of numbers it is natural that sena-
tor should be able to get the atten-
tion Of the senate much oftener than
a member can get the time of the
house for any purpose whatever.
Anyone wh) will take the trouble to
investigate, however, will find that
Mr.. French has done exceedingly
we'll. One reason for this, doubtless
is the fact that he Is in perfect har-
mony with Senator Hepburn, and
the same may be said of his relations
with Senator Dubois except where
political matters are concerned.
The bill which recently passed the
senate and the house providing for
the opening of agricultural lands in
forest reserves to settlement is with
out doubt due ia part to Senator
Heyburn's opposition to the policy Of
the forestry bureau TO embrace agri-
cultural land IN forest reserves. The
bill came to the House as an admin
istration measure and was drawn
partly at the suggestion of the fores-
try bureau. 1t is looked upon here
as direct admission of the correct
ness Of the position taken by Senator
Hepburn, and Is 10 line with his
opposition to having millions of acres
of the best land in the state taken
from the market and placed out of
reach of settlers. 1t Is not likely,
however, that Senator Hepburn will
be satisfied with this legislation, but
will continue to press his views, and
keep up his fight until the whole
question of forest reserves is settled.
One OF the most important OF re-
cent developments from a political
viewpoint, as seen in Washington is
the threat and seeming determination
of labor leaders to put up candidates
for congress in number of districts
where the labor element is dominant.
The labor lobby, a short time ago,
addressed a lengthy communication
to the president, the speaker of the
house of representatives, and presi-
dent protein Frye Of the senate, in
which general dissatisfaction was ex.
pressed with the condition of laws
Tor the benefit of laborIng interests.
This message was heralded as a