Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-11
Petitions Have Been Circulated, and
Are Numerously Signed.
INDUSTRY NEEDS FOSTERING
Kickers Against Reduction in Duty
Represent $4,000 Acres.
TO OPEN IRRIGATION LAND OFFICE
Secretary Wilson Directs One he
Established Temporarily at Powell
for water Users-Major Nc
LaughIin wins Indians.
frrom a staff Correspondent J

NFTom Sta1t COfreSpOhuenlb
WASHINGTON, May 1o-CSpecial Teie-
gram -Nebraskas senators are beginning
to realize that the citizens of the prairie
state are thinking about other schedules
in the tariff bill than lumber. hides, steel,
glass. lead and oil. Hundreds of petitions
have already been received by Senators
Burkett and Brown from residents in the
North Platte country protesting against any
reduction In sugar. These petitions indi-
cate the desperateness of the situation
from the viewpoint of the sugar beet
growers. and the sgners thereof do not
hesitate to say that It is a matter of life
or death to them. They say IL congress
will only extend its fostering care 10 the
beet sugar growers a few more years the
United States will raise enough beets to
supply the world with beet sugar. But Just
now a good round duty Is needed 10 protect
them from foreign competition.
The signers of these petitions, in letters
to Senators Burkett and Brown, state that
there are 1900 acres planted to sugar beets
in the North Platte valley and any reduc-
ton in the duty on beet sugar would spell
ruin to them. The petitions are coming
from Grand Island Hershey, Scott's Bluff
buN OlneT pidttS III lHe btel sugar ARIA
around Grand Island.
Water from shOshOne Project.
The secretary of the interior has an
nounced that water will be furnished from
the Shoshone project IN Wyoming during
the irrigation season of 1909 for the irriga-
BILE lands in the second unit in that project.
the lands covering which are in townships
30 and Sc north, ranges es and 80 west OF
the sixth principal meridian. The lands are
in the Lander, Wyo.. land district, but as
that point is. somewhat removed from the
irrigation project it has been decided TO
temporarily have the register and receiver
ot the local land offiee4 establish an office
at Powell, on the reclamation project.
Homestead entries, accompanied by ap-
plication for water rights and first INSTALL
ment of water right charges, amounting
to $3.50 per acre, can be made commencing
May %. Operation and maintenance fees
for the season of 1909 has beIl fixed at 81
per acre for irrigable land, whether water
is used or not. The area of farm units in
this project are noted on a plat which will
be available for inspection at Powell few
days prior to May %
The government will maintain and oper-
ate storage and diversion works and the
main canals. Necessary laterals are to be
maintained by the water users. The
amount of water to be furnished has been
fixed at three acre feet per acre per
annum. and no water will be furnished in
any year until portion Of the charges
for operation and maintenance then due
shall have been paid.
Mclaughlin Wins Indians.
Major James Mclaughlin, chief inspector
OF the Indian bureau, is in Washington,
having been in South Dakota negotiating a
treaty with the Sioux Indians for the
cession of the remainder of their tribal
lands in the Rosebud and Pine Ridge coun-
try, as proposed by bills introduced in
March last by Senator Gamble in the SEN
ate and republican Burke in the house.
Major Mclaughlin has, as usual, been
successful in his treaty making negotiations
with the Sioux and has made his report to
the secretary of interior II approved and
finally enacted into law it will throw open
to white settlement nearly 10000 acres of
virgin soil in the Rosebud and Pine Ridge
Indian reservation.
Bill for Old Veterans.
Senator Burkett today introduced bill,
which provides that any solder or sailor
who has served In the United States army
or navy during the late war of the re-
bellion and received an honorable discharge
and is drawing pension from the govern
ment of the United States, and has
received a receipt from any local United
States land office for government fees
required In homesteading land for less than
100 acres. shall be entitle to homestead,
with a credit OF fees and without residence
enough more land that when added To
the land called for in receivers receipt
shall be equal to and not exceed 100 acres.