Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1908-08-13

/ was great victory 10 secure SO great
change in the homestead law is EN-,
phasiZed by the fact that the bill met
with the determined and powerful op.
position of the then Secretary of the
Interior. Mr.. Hitchcock. The bill. ac.
cording to custom. having been re-
ferred to the Secretary for remarks,
he briefly expressed In a written re.
port his unqualified opposition to its
passage. The belief of our Congress.
man that this high official represent
ing an executive branch of the gov
ernment was unjustly encroaching
upon the legislative branch, deter.
mined him more than ever to succeed,
and within two weeks after the ad,
verse report, with the favor of PresT-
dent Roosevelt, the bill became a law.
No Congressman could feel more sos
licitous than Mr.. Kinkaid for the In.
terests of the homesteaders of his
state, natural consequence of his
being the father of the one-seotion
act, All the numerous letters, ques
tions, and requests of entrymen re-
ceive his prompt, courteous, capable
and painstaking attention. Besides
securing to deserving old homestead
ers yet holding their original home
steads in western Nebraska, the right
to add three quarters TO their original
entry, the act has invited thousands OF
other progressive homesteaders and
home builders from other states who
have come here and availed them.
selves OF the privileges of the act and
who will help to accelerate the devel,
Dpment of the state. Under the old
one-quarter section regime many OF
our towns in the public land localities
had for several years been growing
smaller, but the operation of this ben
etccnt law has reversed this order OF
things and since the day II took effect
business In all such towns has en-.
| joyed n new and continuous impetus,
every branch feeling the beneficial ef
fects of increased trade, and the towns
have been growing, as the population
In the country has been growing, and
country and towns are on the best
business basis ever enjoyed. Ne.
brasian who on account of his busi-
ness position ought to know, recently
stated that Nebraska, II not now first
as daiIy state In the Union, was a
close second, and that the Kinkaid
Act had been the greatest factor I'm
bringing this about. lie predicted
that the operation Of this law to-
gether with the progressive farming
already inauguratedT which our Con
gresham has done so much to stim-
ulate, ere long would promote an in
crease of the population of the Sixth
District fourfold. Right here It Is per.
tinent to note tnat Mr.. Kinkaid dur
ing his service mas been indefatigable
in his efforts to promote the improve
ment OF agriculture in western Me-
braska upon scientific methods by ex.
periments by progressive farmers
with grain, grass and forage plant
seeds, brought from other regions,
found to be better adapted to this eli
mate than such as have been I'm use.
Legislation.
During his service, Mr.. Kinkaid has
helped to pass the most important
laws of any in the history of the
United States. The acts thus passed
are more directly In the interests OF
the people than all the laws pre-.
viously passed Conspicuous among
such acts are the railway rate bill,
pure food and meat inspection bills,
employers liability bill, age pension
BILL widows pension bill, bill limiting
the hours of labor OF government EN-
ployes, bill limiting the hours of labor
OF railway trainmen, bill limiting the
hours OF labor of telegraph operators
bill to promote the safety of EN-.
known as the Ash Pan Act and a
bill providing for the payment, with
out suit or the employment Of coun.
sci, Of damages for personal injuries
sustained by employees of the govern
ment engaged In certain dangerous
occupations These and many other
bills in the interest of the people re
ceived his hearty SUPPORT.
Due to his loyalty to their interests
in promoting the granting of theil
claims for the allowance and increase
of their pensions and the passing OF
private bills in Congress for their re
lief, soldiers of the Civil and Spanish
American Wars have come to regard
their Congressman as their trut
friend. He has been exceptionally
successful in promoting relief in the
thousands of cases in behalf of which
he has labored.
Mails.
Greater improvement has beer
made In the mail service OF the Sixtl
District during the incumbency of Mr
Kinkaid than in the twenty-five year