The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1908-06-16

1acVufeS.
It has co-operated in the beneficent
work Of arbitration to avert or ter
rninate strikes and promote the inter
ests of our laboring people. Con-
gress has wisely co-operated with and
supplemented the work of this de-
partment by enacting law for the
better protection of seamen and to
prevent thefr being induced to ship
through false representations 1t has
provided for an investigation into the
conditions of working women and
children. 1t has amended and
strengthened the law to prevent the
importation Of contract labor and
provided a plan for the further ex-
clusion of that class OF Asiatic imrni-
grafton which enters into competition
with American worknen. 1t has en-
acted law limiting the hours of la
Dor of employees engaged in railway
train service and of railway tele-
graphers.
The congress just closed re-enacted
the law passed by the Fifty-ninth
congress to conform to the opinion
of the supreme court, making COM
mon carriers liable for accidents to
their employees engaged in interstate
commerce. 1t has enacted law for
the further protection of the life of
railroad employees in their hazardous
employment, 1t has provided COM
pensation for laborers and mechanics
who may be injured in the service
of the government and making a pro-
vision for their families in the event
of their being killed in the course of
their employment 1t has enacted a
model child labor law for the Dis
trict of Columbia. 1t has directed a
thorough investigation into the work
ing conditions of the employees of the
telegraph and telephone companies
doing interstate business, and, in re-
Spouse to the urgent appeal from
both capital and labor, congress be-
fore its adjournment appropriated
S150,000 for an investigation into the
cause of mine accidents with view
of promoting the safety of workers
in Our mines.
1t is within bounds to say that no
previous sessions OF congress have
interest in the needs of the wage
earners than the past three sessions,
nor has there heretofore in the same
length of time been as much impor-
tant and progressive legislation in the
interests of this class of Our fellow
citizens.
The work of the department of the
interior has been prosecuted under
the present. administration with INTEL
ligence and vigor. During the past
year over million acres of coal
lands have been restored to the pub
lie domain During the last five
years fences unlawfully closing pub
lie lands have been removed from
5,519,533 acres, and steps are now be-
ing taken to remove from such in
closures 3,75O,000 other acres.
During the past five years $516,5O1
have been collected for timber tres
passes upon the public land, and
other judgments have been collected
on claims compromised yielding
s51o,6s1.
During the last five years 1872
fraudulent land entries have been
Cancelled, restoring to the public do
main 1,s59,s4O acres. From July 1,
1902, to May 1, 1908, deeds for 100
acres each have been granted to
275,333 homestead settlers on the
public domain, covering 44,O53,2so
acres. .u......
Since July 1, 1906, 171,O47 original
homestead and desert land entries
have been made, embracing 1881, 400
acres, carrying out the avowed policy
of the president to prevent monopoly
Of Our public lands and place family
on every 100 acres. 1t is estimated
by conservative engineers that the
reclamation act will bring into cult
walton and occupancy a quarter mil
lion acres of land now desert. and
uninhabitable, to be fashioned into
farms for Our people, and this vast
area will be brought into cultivation
without entailing the loss of a single
dollar to the national treasury, as
the owner must return to the treasury
1.-THE cost Of reclamation.
Under this act the government has
constructed 1881 miles of canals, Sc
tunnels and Gil miles of wagon roads
into heretofore inaccessible regions,
the expenditures in this work aggre-
eating nearly 100000 per month.
AS a result Of the operations of the
reclamation service eight new towns
have been established, 100 miles of
branch railroads have been construct
ed and $4,000 people have already
taken Tip their residence in the desert.
The work of the pension bureau
has been brought tip to date. The
labor has increased, but the expense
of administration during the last four
years has decreased nearly 100000.
The force has been reduced from
1000 to 1,400, and yet the number of
certificates issued during the last
twelve months has been greater than
any previous twelve months since
the bureau was established, nearly
100000 having been issued during the
past year.
The act of June 81, 1890, was the
first disability law in the history of
the world granting a pension to sol
iiers and sailors because of their
ington dedicated to the peace and
prosperity of all the Americas.
The United States and Mexico have
co-operated in bringing about better
conditions, which will put an end to
all discord and restore peace and
prosperity in Central America. At
the instance of the United States and
Mexico peace conference of repre-
sentatives of all the FIVE Central
American countries was held in
Washington in November and De-
cernber 1907 and AZ th}s conference