The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1912-10-10
BORAH HAS SPLENDID
RECORD IN SENATE
ACHIEVEMENTS FOR IDAHO AND
THE WEST UNPARALLELED
IN CONGRESS.
Has Accomplished More in Time ssrv'
I'd Than Many Other Able Senators
Have Done in Longer Terms, ~
Colleagues cheerfuIIy Admit.

Colleagues Ch0orfuuy A0miS.
Senator Borah Is one senator who
has not confined himself to legislation
affecting his own state. He has labor
ed IN behalf of the entire west, and In
behalf Of the entire country. and his
success is echoed in President Taft's
speech OF acceptance, In which he cites
four of the Borah bills as distinct and
notable achievements. The president
mentioned the three-y year homestead
law. the children's bureau law, the
eight hour law and the law giving
early patent to homesteaders on gov
eminent reclamation projects. More
over the progressive platform. adopted
at Chicago, committed the new party
to three Borah measures, two on the
statute books and one. the popular
election of senators amendment which
is now before the states awaiting rati-
fication. The progressives specificaily
endorsed the Borah children's bureau
law and his eight-hour law.
Three. Year Homestead Bill.
From the western viewpoint SEN
ator Borah's greatest achievement
was the passage this past session OF
the three year homestead law, which
not only met opposition in the house,
but from the interior department. The
companion law, granting title to home-
steaders on government projects, also
passed this session over departmental
objection.
From a national standpoint Senator
Borah's greatest achievement was the
forcing through congress for the first
time of a resolution submitting to the
states for ratification an amendment
to the federal constitution providing
for popular election of senators. For
years and years efforts have been
made, and by great men, to get such
resolution through congress, but 1t re-
NAMED for Senator Borah to compel
reluctant senate to submit this
amendment, and the credit for that
victory belongs to the junior senator
from Idaho.
AoIn>I In ~ ~ ~ Measures
Among the senator's other achieve
ments was the defeat, last session. of
an Alaska government bill which
would have denied the people of
Alaska any voice in their government.
The defeat OF that bill was followed
by the passage of another bill giving
them local self government to large
degree Senator Borah played an i'm
portant part in the Lorimer and Ste
venson cases and made arguments
among the strongest presented against
those two senators. In the fight In
the last congress over the interstate
commerce law he was largely instru-
mental In getting that bill into ac-
ceptable shape, and including the
long and short haul clause that Is now
opjerating to the benefit Of the entire
intermountain country.
At the recent session, Senator
Borah secured the passage of the new
Industrial commission bill through the
senate in eight minutes, and thereby
established a legislative record that
may never be equaled. This achieve
ment brought the senator much no.
toriety. for the senate is usually prone
to discuss such matters for weeks
The house later passed this bill and II
became law.
But the senator's pride is his three
year homestead law, which he be-
lieves is destined to do much to ale
the homesteaders throughout the west
and do much to encourage settlement
on the remaining public lands that are
susceptible of. cultivation. Since the
bill became law, Senator Borah has
received probably thousand letters
from homesteaders in all parts of the
west thanking him for that legislation
and telling him how it is working tt
heir great benefit and relief.
What He Accomplished.
Senator Borah's legislative record Is
a long one. but the more important OF
his bills which have become laws ir
the past two or three years are giver
on Ike following list:
An art providing for twenty million
doi.il,s u complete the reclamation
projects OF the west.
An act Bringing the state of Idaho
uader The charged homestead law
froa, Wiki :; hal been excluded.
An act shsrs hing the homestead
psrisd f..a.a fiSe u three years.
An act prvidias for the issuance
CT patent to leaders and deser
land entrymen on reclamation projects
nj Che end OF the homestead residence
period.
An amendment leaving II TO TN
honesteader to determine for himsel
whether he will prove up Under TN
old or new law regardless Of notice
and election.