Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1908-05-07
HON. EBEN ". MARTINS
RECORD In CONGRESS

looking carefully into the character ol
the candidates as well as into what
they have done in public way
1t is pleasure to advocate the Sc
lection of such men as Mr.. Martin Ier
positions of great trust and RESPONSE
bility, wherein not only the people
of the state who select the congress
men are represented, but also the peo-
pie of the nation. Because of the anx-
iety of many friends to do all they
can toward returning Mr.. Martin TO
congress, the Star desires to give
brief outline of some of the important
matters with which he had to do while
in congress from March 4, 1901, TO
March 4, 1907:
He was a member of the committee
of western senators and representa-
tiyes selected to prepare the national
irrigation bill, and worked earnestly
for its passage. 1t became law, and
under it the semi-arid and arid west is
being reclaimed. $2,250,000, is being
expended in Butte county on the Belle
Fourche project, covering 100000
acres of land. The Cheyenne river
project in Fall River county was ac-
lively pushed by him, and ii he is re-
turned to congress we have no doubt
but he will succeed in having the
government bring this project to
successful complexion.
1t was Congressman Martin VINO
started the national investigation or
great corporations and trusts by pre-
pairing and pushing to passage the re-
solution for investigation OF the beer
trust. This was the first resolution
and investigation of this character
and the form of the Martin resolution
was followed in the Standard Oil in
vestigation, investigation OF the coal
combine, and in similar investigations.
1t was the beginning of series OF in
Quiries into the conditions and con-
duct of great interstate corporations,
which is rapidly developing into
national policy OF control and regula-
ton of all corporations engaging in
interstate commerce. In this matter
Mr.. Martin was leader and not
follower, and was recognized as being
instrumental in helping inaugurate
one of the chief Roosevelt policies.
He drafted and introduced bills for
the regulation and control of corpora
tons engaging in interstate commerce
by federal license system-requiring
satisfaction of the secretary OF COM
merce and labor that they are not
over capitalized, are not trust or
combination in violation of the law,
and that it is their purpose to operate
under and in obedience to the federal
statutes, as a condition of receiving
license to do business in interstate
commerce, providing for the regular
examination of their affairs similar TO
the examination of national banks and
providing as a penalty for violation of
the laws of the United States the for
fixture of their license and right to do
business in interstate commence, be-
sides criminal penalties. This is now
the policy of the Roosevelt admins
tration and is favored by the president
in his message to the present con-
gress. He also supported the railroad
rate legislation actively and made a
speech advocating it.
He introduced and assisted in the
passage of the bill to establish the
national sanitarium for disabled vol
unteer soldiers at Hot Springs. Near
ly S1000,000 has been expended by
the government in buildings and Inn
provements of grounds, and this is
one of the most humane undertakings
of the government in aid of the veter-
ans of our wars. Not only the people
OF this locality feel grateful for his
dcIING SGTNlCGS III DtIldll Vi tulS great
Sanitarium, but veterans from various
states who have been here feel that
Mr. Martin did them and the nation
great service.
Being a member of the committee
on public buildings and grounds, he
was in position to insist upon liberal
treatment of our state in the matter
of public buildings. During his term
as a member OF the committee, the
appropriation for the Aberdeen build
ing was increased and appropriations
made for federal buildings at Pierre.
Yanton, Deadwood, Lead, Watertown
and Mitchell
He promoted and passed numerous
bills OF less national Importance than
the ones already alluded to: A bill
for the relief of settlers on the Black
Hills forest reserve; a bill allowing
homestead settlements on the agricul-
tural lands within forest reserves; a
bill to place fixed monuments on the
western boundary line OF South Dako-/
| ia; acts granting lands totowns, citie<
| and benevolent associations for ceni-
| etery purposes; an act creating the
| Wind Cave National Park; an act per-
hitting settlers in northwestern South
Dakota to obtain timber from the
Long Pine Hills in Montana; bill
| comforting jurisdiction on the United
| States courts for crimes committed on
| Indian reservations a. many special
acts for the relief 4 soldiers who
are in special 2 ii assistance be-
| ycnd the ordin-.. provisions of the
| pension laws. All of the foregoing
| measures became laws, and many OF
| them are of vital and far reaching
| Importance.
Besides these he assisted in obtain
| ing liberal annual appropriations for
| Improvement and maintenance of all
| the government institutions of the
! state; the Indian schools, the Indian
| asylum at Canton, the Military Post
| at Fort Meade, and the fish hatchery
| at Spearfish, and secured an appropri-
| alton for locating agricultural expert
| mental stations in Fall River and
! Butte counties, but the former for
| some reason since he has not been in
| Washington to look after them. has
been permitted TO sleep.
Mr.. Martins most important unfin-
ished work Is the legislation for the
| ccltrol and regulation of corporations
| engaging in interstate commerce, and
hat is likely to be one of the fore
most national policies for the next
decade. He has given the subject
| much thought and study and few men
| are better equipped than he to push
| forward this important legislation in
| the interest of the people.
| aside from the magnificent record
| which Mr.. Martin made in congress,
proof for which may be found in the
| Congressional Record. he is a man In
| whom the people have confidence and
| admire In every way. He is true to
| the interests OF the people: man
| of high ideals and lofty purposes: q
man OF most exemp1arv che m cfar.