The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1910-04-22

Washington, D. c., April 16.-
Congressman Thomas R. Hamer's
lieu selection bill was today passed
by the house of representatives. BY
its provisions millions of acres of
school lands, untold in value, will be
restored to the states of the north
west, and over 100000 acres to
Idaho. The determined effort of the
member from Idaho to regain those
vast areas of wealth, of which his own
and other states have been deprived
by reason of their summary inolu-
sion in forest reserves has born Its
first fruit in what is regarded as most
decisive recognition OF the Justice
of his vigorous and persistent eonten-
ton by the lower branch of congress.
The ultimate passage of this bill
will mean more Idaho and the
Northwest than the success of any
other measure now before the nation
al legislature, although 1t perhaps
has not received as widespread pub
licity as some which have been in
jected into the program of the pres
ent administration. Millions upon
millions of dollars will accrue to the
states affected. The aggregate has
not been exactly determined, but it
will probably exceed $15O,00O,OO0
The Golfers Of the public schools of
Idaho alone will be swelled by at
least $25,O00,000, for the right is
granted to designate lands within
forest reserves, and the state will
thereby secure some of the richest
timbered tracts in the western coun-
try, worth in certain instances hun
dreds of dollars per acre. The en-
actment of this legislation by the
house is regarded as an unusual
achievement for a man who is serving
his first term.
Chapter one of the story of long
resentative is ended. The initial vic
tory was won when Hamer secured
the promise of Secretary Wilson of
the department of agriculture that
he would not oppose the bill, although
he had previously proven a most pa
tent obstruction to such legislation.
With that formidable barrier removed
he turned to the committee on public
lands to meet and overcome the
threatening opposition of fellow mem
bers of that body who from precedent
and prejudice had arrayed themselves
against this legislation, and after a
series of the most sensational sort
of sessions in which he found himself
also beset by untOward influence en-
anating from OUTSIDE of the commit
tee, he accomplished his second vic
tory, and the bill was favorably re-
ported to the house and placed on
the union calendar.
The measure in the final form in
which 1t was presented and passed
today is as follows:
Where any state or territory owns
land lying within the boundaries of
national forest, or where its right of
indemnity selection In respect to
school sections within the bOundar-
les has not been fully exerc sed, the
said state or territory is hereby au-
thorized, subject to the approval of
the secretary of agriculture, to be
given at his discretion, to exchange
such lands for, or make indemnity
selection of, other national forest
lands of like quantity and value, the
same to be selected In reasonably
compact bodies, which lands shall
thereupon be excluded from the Aa-
tiOnal forests for the beneft of the
said state or territory"
The title was amended by the COM
mittee to read: "a bill providing
for the adjustment of the claims of
the states and territories to lands
within national forests"
In Endorsement of the measure, the
committee makes this statement In
its report: The enabling act of
many of the states admitting them
to the Union, granted sections IS and