The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1908-05-07
HON. EBEN v. MARTINS
RECORD IN CONGRESS

4AtO IA0 CudEdCISI Oh
the candidates as well as into what
they have done in a public way.
1t is q pleasure to advocate the Sc
lection Of such men as Mr.. Martin for
positions Of great trust and responsi-
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
a toward returning Mr.. Martin to
congress, the Star desires to give q
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 committed
OF western senators and representa-
tives selected to prepare the national,
irrigation bill, and worked earnestly
for its passage. 1t became a law, and
under it the semi-arid and arid west is
being reclaimed. $2,25O,O0 is being
expended in Butte county on the Belle
Fourche project, covering 1000 Doc
acres Of land. The Cheyenne river
project in Fall River county was ac-
lively pushed by him, and If he is re-
turned to congress we have no doubt
but he will succeed in having the
government bring this project to a
successful complexion.
1t was Congressman Martin who
started the national investigation of
great corporations and trusts by pre-
pairing and pushing to passage the re
solution for investigation of the beef
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
vestlgation, investigation of the coal
combine, n in similar Investigations.
1t was the beginning of a series of in
into the conditions and con-
duct OF great interstate corporations,
which is rapidly developing into a
national policy of control and regula-
ton OF all corporations engaging in
interstate commerce. In this matter
Mr.. Martin was a leader and not a
follower, and was recognized as being
instrumental in helping inaugurate
n of the chief Roosevelt policies.
He drafted and introduced bills for
the regulation and control of corpora
ions engaging in interstate commerce
by a federal license system-requising
all such corporations to show to the
satisfaction OF the secretary OF com
merce and labor that they are not
over capitalized, are not a trust or
combination in violation OF the law,
and that it is their purpose to operate
under n in Obedience to the Iedeial
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 Tor violaticn OF
the laws OF the United States the lor-
feiture of their license and right 10 40
business in interstate commence, be-
side criminal penalties. This is nov
the policy OF the Roosevelt aGnainis-
tration and is favored by the president
in his message to the present CON
gress. He also supported the raiiroad
rate legislation actively n naste a
speech advocating it.
He introduced and assisted IN the
passage of the bill to estaisiah the
national sanitarium for di a3iea vol
unteeI soldiers at Hot Springs. Near
ly $1,000, GOO has been expanded by
the government in buildings and m
p~royernents OF grounds, and tai@ Is
n OF the most humane undGftaAril $
OF the government in aid OF the vslAT-
ans OF our wars. Not only the people
OF this locality feel grateful for his
active services in behalf OF This great
sanitarium, but veterans from various
states who have been here feal ti1aa
Mr.. Martin did them n the nation a
great service.
Being a member of the committee
on public buildings and GROUNDS, he
was in position to insist upon liaaGal
treatment of our state in the mater
of public buildings. During his term
as a member OF the committee Inc
appropriation for the Aberdeen build
ing was increased and appropriations
made for. federal buildings at Pierre,
Yanton, Deadwood, Lead, Waterfowl
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 agricll-
tural lands within forest reserves; a
bill to place fixed monuments on the
western boundary line OF South Dako-
ia; acts granting lands totoWns, cities
and benevolent associations for Gem
e Mipg g paTe9 Nation All P aer er aa aa{#n sne
uniting settlers in northwestern South
Dakota to obtain timber from tho
Long Pine Hills in Montana; a bill
comforting jurisdiction on the United
States courts for crimes committed on
Indian reservations and many special
acts for the relief of old soldiers who
are in special need OF assistance be-
ycnd the ordinary 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 alt
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 Spearfsh, and secured anappropri-
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 tho
sccntrol and regulation of corporations
engaging in interstate commerce, and
that is likely to be one OF the fore
most national policies for the next
decade. He has given the subject
muchthOught and study and few men
are better equipped thar he to push
forward this important legislation In
the interest of the people.
ASIDE frOm%tha mapnifiranf rnpnrd