, 1908-06-16

injury of persons in the government
service is a most proper, though tardy
and belated recognition OF the respcn-
sibility of the government in such
cases. The laws recognizing the
consular service and the army medical
department, while not attracting much
attention. are samples of carefully con.
sidered helpful Legislation, as is
also the legislation increasing the eff
nciency of the life saving service.
Congress set a standard for the states
by passing laws restricting child labor
and prohibiting race track gambling
in the District OF Columbia.
The new Legislation which attract.
cd the most attention was the emer-
gency currency measure which, thanks
To the insistence Of Speaker Cannon
that congress should do something to
provide against a recurrence of panics
similar to those of last fall, finally be-
came a law. This does not
in any way affect the currency OF the
country in ordinary times. 1t is pure
ly an emergency Measure and TEN,
| porary in its nature as 1t is self re-
| pealing at the end OF six years.
Whether 1t is a perfect piece of leg
islation or not remains to be deter
| mined. At any rate it is the very best
that could be had out of the widely di-
| vergent views in both houses and In
both parties.
-"The best hope one ever has Of a
life preserver is that he may never
be Obliged to use one and yet we
| would all be very uncomfortable on a
crowded steamer If no such safe
| guard We're provided. An emergency
| currency is in the nature of a life pre-
| server or a life saving station, ex-
| oeedingly useful and necessary in emer-
gencles. The bill which was passed
has the virtue that the issue of in
creased circulating notes under 1t will
occur without a disturbance of busi-
ness, that they are safe and we'll Sc
cured and would automatically retire
from circulation when not needed by
reason of the tax laid upon them.
In the land legislation was secured
a second homestead law which allows
a second entry to those who had prior
| to its passage made an attempt to Sc
cure a home on the public lands but
failed to perfect title. Provision was
also made for second desert entry
somewhat along the lines of the
second homestead law. Legislation
was also secured giving ..yoming and
Idaho more lands for reclamation
under the Carey act.
The bill further safeguarding the
| desert land law and granting an x
| tention of time in which to accom-
| plish reclamation will be very helpful
and ought to result In wider opera
lions under this most useful law.
| Among the other land legislation pass
| ed was a bill relieving certain classes
of homestead commuters whose en-
tries had been cancelled by reason of
q change of policy on the part Of the
department in requiring IA months
| continuous residence Immediately pri.
or to the submission OF Communication
proof. Just before the close of the
i session of congress we succeeded in
| passing an omnibus public lands bill
which contained some 25 different
provisions of legislation helpful and
important to various localities, among
others a provisions for the re-survey
of large areas of land in Wyoming and
Colorado.
The failure to secure final action
on the 800 acre homestead was a very
great disappointment to me. and l
have no doubt to a great many west
ern people. After having expended a
great deal of time and effort In o
nection with this legislation l natur-
ally very greatly regretted the fact
that the Smoot nonresident home.
stead feature, together with the antas-
onism rouse by opposition on the
part of certain western members and
the opposition of the interior depart