The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1906-06-19
A Favorable Report on
SmaII's Bill.
TO DRAIN THE SWAMP
Report Carries With il a Recon-
~mendution That One Million Dol
lars be Appropriated Tor tie
Purpose SPECIFIED i'll
Mr.. Smalis Bill.
Gy THOMAS j. PENCE.

Washington. -. ., June ll2.-Rep-
resentative small scored this after
noon when he secured a favorable ne
port on his bill appropriating one mil
lion dollars for the drainage Of the
Dismal Swamp.
Favorable action on his measure
was not expected at this session. but
the Congressman from this district ha-
worked 50 energeticaly in behalf 81
the measure that the committee on
public lands decided this afternoon u
make Il report in behalf OF the project
Originally Mr.. Small asked for a three
million dollar appropriation to drain
the big North Carolina sWamp. but IA
did not insist on the sum. and the com
mittee took the position that one mil
lion dollars is sufficient to do The work.
The idea Of draining the DismaI
swamp was seized upon by Mr.. Small
only a few months ago when Senator
H~ansbrough introduced a bill for thu
drainage II swamp lands in North
Dakota. lie convinced the committee
that the Dismal Swamp when draine,t
would be one of the most fertile Spote
ia the United States.
The action Of the committee today
is believed to be the entering wedg,
by which all lands in the various
states will be drained.
The appropriation for this work is
not a direct one. It is derived from
The sale of public lands and must BE-
paid back in installments OF equal
amounts without interest within ten
years, The geological surVeY IS direct
Cd to carry out the work in
ton with the State authorities.
Statement by Blackburn.
Representative Blackburn said TO-DAY
when his attention was called to the
| statement in the Washington Post
from Statesville that former Chair
man Rollins had predicted rs d
feat.
4 am not at all surprised at his
prediction. People at all conver@anl
with political conditions are vel
aware that those who have been
directing the so-called organiZa-
ton have been uniformly opposed
to the election of anybody to any Offise
the only object being the appoint
ment of some one to some office
whom they could control. / suppose
the contention Will no longer be made
that the late chairman has had amy
interest in the election of Republicans
members Of Congress. but it was pre-
summed that he would have more intel
ligence than to admit TO publicity. The
factsc are Well known that he suggest
ed, u week after | was elected, to
reputable gentleman in ASheVille that
We would have been better off il
Blackburn had not been elected
The Italian case.
In view of the fact that the Depart
ment of Justice is Investigating the
killing of two Italians and the alleged
assaults of the Italian colony engaged
in railway construction work in Nit
chell Count. North Carolina, tn
italian embassy will not make any di-
%plonatic representations pending the
disposition of the matter by the Fei-
eral court at ASheVilie. The govern
ment had placed the matter in H.
hands of District Attorney Holton.
The Senate COnfereeS today agreed
upon Senator Simmons amendment u
the postotfice p topriation bill, grant
ing fifteen days leave Of absence t.
rural delivery carriers. Several OF
the confereeS tried to eliminate IN,
amendment. out Senator Clay was Oh
stlnate. and his threat to take tnt
fight to the floor Of the Senate he'd
the desired effect.
Justice Common Of the North Carr
lima Supreme court, who has been
visiting here returned home today.