The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1910-01-21
NEWS FROM The
NATIONAL CAPITAL
DOINGS OF CONGRESS AND
ITEMS OF INTEREST.
TAFT WANTS NEW LAND LAWS
Would Give Secretary of the Interior
Greater Authority Over Public
Domain.

gress calls attention to the land
frauds unearthed within the past de-
cade and blames the lax land laws
of the past for the most of the
frauds. The president urges new
laws and especially acts that will
give the secretary of the interior
greater power over the public do
main of the country.
He also urges the conservation of
water powers, advising leasing
system by which the government
would remain in control and that
the leases specifically prohibit, COM
bines of power corporations, thus
preventing power trusts and other
evils. Soil conservation and irri-
CATION are among the most import
ant matters brought before congress,
and a $30,000000 bond issue for the
completion of the irrigation projects
now under way and others to be
started is urgently requested.
Investigation Committee Appointed.
The following members of COP
gress will constitute the joint COM
mittee that will investigate charges
that have been made against Secre-
tary of Interior Ballinger:
From the neutrality-suspicious.:
Nelson, Minnesota; Root, New
York; Sutherland, Utah; Flint, Cali
fornia. Democrats: Hughes, Colo
RADIO; Paynter, Kentucky.
From the house-Republicans:
Olmstead, Pennsylvania; Mccall,
Massachusetts,; Stevens, Minnesota;
Madison, Kansas Gnsurgent) Demo-
Gratis: James, Kentucky; Raihey,
Illinois.
The question whether witnesses in
the Ballinger- Pinchot investigation
shall be permitted to be represented
by counsel is proving serious prob
lem to the conferees of the senate
and house.
Postofice Department Criticised.
Arraigning the express companies
for making enormous profits on an
infringement of the governments
right to monopoly of transporting
mail, and criticising the postoffice
department for surrendering that
right, Representative Murdoch of
Kanses has introduced resolution
calling on the postmaster-general for
,,fo Tho raea1,,t;lp
that while the postoffice department
last year had deficit of $l7,0OO,OO0,
the Wells-Fargo Express Company
distributed nearly $25OO0,00O in divi-
dends.
Publishers Will Be Heard.
The question whether periodicals
and magazines are paying sufficient
postal rate as second-class matter
will be elucidated at public hear
ing of the house committee on post
Offices and post roads on January e.
1t is expected that several publishers
will appear to state their reasons for
opposition to the proposed increase
The present rate for such matter has
been declared to be responsible to a
large degree for the deficit in the
postal service.
League to Fight Food Trusts.
The National Food Trust League
has been organized here to protest
against the exorbitant prices charged
for the necessities of life. 1t is pro-
posed to gather in million sub
scribers to the league from every
state in the Union. There will be no
dues and no tax levied on the masses
to sustain the league. 1t is the pur-
pose of the league to institute ma
tional boycotts against all food
trusts that raise the price of food
products beyond the point of reason
able profit to the dealer.
Taft Wants Anti Futures Law.
President Taft is considering seri-
ously special message TO congress
urging the passage of legislation to
prevent the present system of deal
ing in futures in farm products. 1t
is proposed to forbid interstate tele-
phone and telegraph companies from
carrying the information upon which
future" deals are made. Attorney
General Wickersham is prepasing a
bill along this line, and it will be
supported by the administration,
whether Taft decides to send spe-
cial message or not.
N~ To Register Corporation.
To put all corporations squarely
on the footing of national banks, so
far as assurance of solvency to the
stockholders and bondholders is con.
cerned. Representative Mann has in,
troduced a bill authorizing corpora
lions engaged in interstate and for
eign commerce to be registered il
the bureau of corporations.