The Bad River news. [volume] (Philip, Stanley County, S.D.) 19??-1912, 1912-04-04
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENCE
Breezy News Notes From Our
Washington City Pencil
Pusher
Special To The News

A determined effort is being
made in congress for presiden-
tial preference law to be tested out
in the District of Columbia, and
the measure of Representative Nor
ris of Nebraska, is meeting with
favor. A good many members of
congress, who have heard many
criticisms of the operation of the
primary laws, particularly in New
York, are anxious that some sort
of a practical test be made in the
capital where the application of
the system will be directly under
the nose of congressman. Should
such a bill pass and prove popular,
it is all together likely that other
portions of the country might yet
adopt the primary system for the
choosing of their delegates.
And now the democratic men,
bers of congress a-e talking about
aholishing another branch of the
government, namely the depart
ment of commerce and labor. The
tariff board has practically ex-
hausted it's funds. The demo-
cratic policy appears to be one of
false economy through holding up
appropriations for all kinds of
public works, and they even ex
tend their activities in the matter
of cutting down expenses, to the
throttling of some of the most
valuable institutions of the govern
ment.
The three-year homestead bill. a
measure which reduces the time of
residence upon homestead lands
from five to three years, passed
the house a few days ago with
some amendments to the Borah
bill, which had already passed the
senate. The measure having gone
to conference and the differences
existing between the two houses
being such as one would suppose
could be speedily adjusted, this
aid to homesteaders throughout
the country may be classed among
the most beneficial of the Iegisla-
tion in the present session of con-
gress.
Mr.. Pickett of Iowa. made n
telling speech during the debate
upon the sugar schedule and called
attention to the movement that
has been underway for many
months. which evidently has been
financed by the sugar rciiners, for
the express purpose Of eliminating
their only competi,ion-the beet
sugar industry. He viewed the
growth and up-building of the
sugar beet industry and mad. "A
strong plea against wlplng out this
great institution which has been
created by the protective tariff.
The bill for extending the time
of payment to settlers on the Chy
enne and Standing Rock reserva-
tions in South Dakota, and which
was engineered through the senate
by Mr.. Gamble, has passed the
house through the efforts of Con
gressman Martin and Burke, with
some valuable amendments. 1t
will be An absolute boon to settlers
and at the same time give full jus
tice to the Indians who are the
original holders of the land.
The row over the everglades OF
Florida still occupies a good deal
of attention here in Washington.
1t has been suggested that some OF
land companies selling real estate
in the Florida everglades should
peddIe their wares by the quart,
IS much of the land is under
water.
Efforts have been made to Sc.
cure some sort of action in con
gress affecting the activity of post
masters throughout the country
ID reference to their conduct ir
the campaign. The present indi
cations are that any legislation o1