The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1913-04-18
BILLS INTRODUCED
BY BURTON FRENCH

April 7th, Representative Burton L.
French introduced the following
bills:
A bill extending the number of
annual payments to homesteaders
and purchasers of water from the
Government under reclamation pro-
jects from ten to thirty. Under the
present law the payments required
for the water furnished by the Gov
eminent is extended over period
of ten years and with the constantly
increasing cost of reclamation, the
problem of meeting the payments is
already burden. Mr.. French con-
tends that the homestead law upon
reclamation projects should be in
the interests of the poor man and
that thirty annual payments will be
vastly to the interest of the poor
man. while at the same time the
land if it is worth acquiring at all.
constituted an abundant security to
the Government for the payment of
all deferred amounts due.
Also bill that will extend to
Idaho the same nonresidence fea-
lures with respect to lands that may
be acquired under the enlarged
homestead law as now apply to the
state of Utah. The conditions in
the southern part of Idaho are iden-
tical in many places with the condi-
tons in the state of Utah. Lands
often are found lying high above
any practical irrigation line and set
tiers upon the same are denied even
water for domestic uses. 1t is pro-
vided in the present law applying to
Utah that as regards such lands as
these the homestead entryman may
reside within a reasonable distance
from the land from which he may
cultivate and handle the same, ap-
plying the system of dry farming
which is developing so successfully
in the West. Mr.. French urges
that the same provision should ap-
ply to lands similarly situated in the
arid sections of Idaho.
Also bill amending the present
homestead law so that instead of the
homesteader being required to cult
vate 1-16th of the area of his home
stead the first year and 18th of the
area the second and each succeeding
year, he shall be required to per-
form in lieu of such cultivation GER
tain improvement work such as
clearing, orcharding, fencing, slash
ing or blowing to the extent of
$1.5O per acre annually except upon
the enlarged homestead where the
amount of improvements shall equal
rs cents per acre.
Also bill providing for entry
under the homestead law of the sur
face of lands held by the Govern
ment within phosphate Withdrawals
in the state. Mr.. French can see no
reasonable probability of the Gov
eminent ever abandoning the idea
of retaining ownership and control
of phosphate deposits and believes
this is the only reasonable way of
disposing of the land containing the
the same. and believes that the pas
sage of this bill will mean for the
development of some 300. 900 acres
of land in the southern part of the
state.
Also a bill providing that the
Government shall compensate rural
mail carriers who may be injured in
line of duty or their families in
event the mail carrier shall lose his
life while in line of duty under SIM
liar terms as now are provided for
by law with respect to railway mail
carriers.
Also bill providing for uni
form system of railway signals
throughout the Uui;ed States.
Also number of other bills most
important of which are the follow
ing: Extending the pension laws to
certain veterans of Indian W,re