The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1908-08-21
GIVES HIS REASONS
Congressman Bede of the Eighth District. of
Minnesota, Who is Regarded as one of
the Big Men in House of Repre-
sentatives, Tells Why he
Seeks Reelection.

court of claims to recover from the
government for removal from their
lands.
Bill for the purchase of 1000
acres of land on the Fond du Lac
Indian reservation near Cloquet,
for SIPS an acre, to be used as a
forestry experiment station.
Mr.. Valstad and myself secured
the passage of a bill making the
public lands of Minnesota subject
to the drainage laws of the state, so
they can be assessed like private
property for drainage purposes.
co-operated with others of Our
state delegation in the passage of a
bill opening to settlement about
10000 acres of land around Cass
Lake.
During the session l also secured
the passage of eight special pension
bills for needy old veterans.
AS a member of the River and
Harbor committee, / have worked
earnestly to do everything needed
for the commerce of the Head of
the Lakes, and that committee has
authorized for the aid of our local
commerce more than $4,000 a day
for every day / have been in con-
gress.
But I have also traversed the
whole country in studying river and
harbor matters and equiping myself
for congressional work. Through
my efforts, the Rivers and Harbors
committee has visited this district
three times, and two boards of en-
gineers have been sent here to make
special reports on the needs of our
harbor.
During a trip of the committee
down the Ohio River in 1905, I
aided in the organization of the
Rivers and Harbors Congress, and
through the public sentiment for
waterway improvements developed
by that body, congress felt warrant
ed in voting SS7 600, 900 a year ago
for that purpose, which made it
possible to include Sc, 100000 for
another lock and canal at the 500,
and IS, 500, 900 for another channel
at Detroit, not one cent of which
would have been authorized but for
the lumber, grain and ore of Mimi
esota.
Under authority of an item which
1 secured in the last Rivers and
Harbors' bill, the engineers have
recommended that a harbor of re-
fuge be built at Grand Marais, and
the appropriation will be forthcom-
ing.
Ever since l can remember there
has been demand for lighthouse
on Rock of Ages, of Isle Royale.
On going to Washington l took this
matter up and the lighthouse has
been built. 1 also SECURED the au-
thorization for lighthouse at Split
Rock, on the north shore, which is
now under construction, and sur
vey was ordered at the last session
for lighthouse on the approach to
Ashland.
New members begin at the bot
tom of committees and work up.
In five years 1 have climbed over
half way to the top 81 the commit
tee on Rivers and H,rbors, and am
next to the chairman on the less
important committeeof expenses of
the War Department. The districts
which change their members often
never reach a Craftsmanship or a
commanding position of any kind,
and such members receive scant re-
spect at Washington, where every
body knows their transient tenure
of Office. 1 was doing newspaper
work in Washington when Tom
Reed was speaker of the house, and
each of the other four members
from Maine had an important chair
manship. These five men from
little New England state, because
of long service and the positions
and experience thus attained, had
more influence on national legis1a-
ton than any hundred members
who had blown In from the prairies
of the West. Again, why not get
wise?