Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1911-08-18
RELIEVES
SETTLERS
Bill Passes Congress Giving Set.
tiers of South Dakota
Privileges.
CLARK IS NOT A CANDIDATE
President Will Probably Visit State
This Fall--Many Invita-
tions are In.

day was a red letter day for the
homesteaders of the western portion
of the country, including South Da-
kota, who were granted their petition
their lands until April Is, 1912, with
cut the time of the actual absence be-
ing deducted from the full time of
residence required by law. All of the
western members of congress, includ-
ing those from South Dakota, Wyo,
ming, Nebraska, Washington, Colora-
co, etc, where drouths had affected
the conditions of the settlers, put up
a strong fight for the measure as pas
sed. Then Mr.. Burke Immediately
took charge of the measure extend
ing the time of payment to home
dian reservations in South and North
Dakota and succeeded in inducing the
House to lay aside the House bill and
to take up Senate bill No. 1852, (which
had previously passed the upper
House. Mr. Burke had very spir-
tied fight on his hands, the chief bel
ligerent being Mr.. Fitzgerald of New
York. chairman of the Committee on
Appropriations, but the western mem
bers came to the aid of the South Da-
kota congressman with the result that
the Senate bill was substituted and
passed. Thus, in a single afternoon
two Of the most important home
stead measures, affecting the people
OF the western portion Of the country,
that have come before Congress in
the special session, became laws.
The Gregory land Office matter has
been one OF the subjects of investiga-
ton by the Committee on Expendi-
lures in the Interior Department of
the House Of Representatives: this
Committee having assumed jurisdic-
ton of the matter of the complaint by
George Silsbee, an old soldier from
Minnesota, who claims that he was
not given a square deal by Register
T. c. Burns, of the Gregory land Of
fee. Mr.. Silsbee is here and has CIV
en- his testimony before the commit
tee in executive session. There is
growing feeling that J. D. Baker and
Company, and other parties who have
been barred from practice before the
land office, are deeply interested in
the Silsbee matter, and it is intimated
in land office circles. that perhaps the
fact that there are to be new lands
opened on the Rosebud and Pine
Ridge reservations may have some
thing to do with the matter in which
Mr.. Silsbee is apparently a prime
mover 1t is apparent that the at.
tempt to involve the commissioner OF
the general land Office has failed to
secure any support from congress
SIGNAL or other sources, and the same
may perhaps be said of the charges
against Register Burns. The infer
ence is that the charges have not
been sustained.
Representatives Martin and Burke
lEesented an invitation of the Com.
mercial club and citizens of Dallas
tc President Taft this week, to visit
that place during his visit to South
| INDlyntY II ic fhnnoh{ la+
ident will attend the Mitchell Corn
Palace the latter part of September.
Senator Gamble has also extended an
invitation to the President on behalf
of Yankton. The schedule for the
presidential trip viii undoubtedly in.
cIude South Dakota, and consequent,
ly invitations from different points
are pouring in at the White House,
The Secretary of the Interior sign
ed an order this week extending the
time OF payment for lots purchased
in the sales at Dupree and Timber
Lake in the Cheyenne and Standing
Rock reservations This matter has
been urged upon the secretary by the
commercial clubs of the neighbor-
hoods in which the hardships grow.
ing out of the drouths we're felt, and
the delegation in congress have been
very dilfgent in pressing the matter
for attention.
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