The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1913-04-18


of agriculture and the state land
board.
On the converting of congress April
7th, representative Burton L. French
introduced the following bills:
A bill extending the number of an
nual payments to homesteaders and
purchasers of water from the gov
eminent under reclamation projects
from ten to thirty. Under the pre-
sent law the payments required for
the water furnished by the govern
ment is extended over a period of
ten vars and with the constantly in
creasing cost of reclamation, the pro-
blem of meeting the payments is al
ready a burden. Mr.. French con-
tends that the homestead law upon
reclamation projects should be 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 govern
ment for the payment of all deferred
amounts due.
Also a bill that will extend to Ida
no the same non-residence features
with respect to lands that may be &C.
uuired under the enlarged homestead
law as now apply to the state OF
Utah The conditions in the south
ern part of Idaho are idential In
many places lying high above any
practical irrigation line, and settlers
upon the same are denied even the
possibility of obtaining even water
for domestic uses. 1t is provided In
the present law applying to Utah thai
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, applying thu
system of dry-farming which is deve
Looping so successfully In the West
Mr.. French urges that the same pro
vision should apply to lands similar
ly situated in the arid sections o
Idaho.
Also a bill amending the presen
homestead law so that instead of thu
homesteader being required to cul
J tivate 1-16th of the area of hi
homestead the first year and 1-St
of the area the second and each sue
: ceeding year, he shall be required t
perform in lieu of such cultivatio
e certain improvement work such a
clearing, orcharding, fencing, SLASH
ing or blowing to the extent of SIS
per acre annually except upon the en-
larged homestead where the amour
of improvements shall equal rs cent
l per acre.
Also bill providing for entry un
der the homestead law of the sur
face lands held by the government
within phosphate Withdrawals in tn
state. Mr.. French can see no rea
. sonable probability of the govern
= ment ever abandoning the idea OF re
tanning ownership and control O
phosphate deposits and believes thi
is the only reasonable way to dispos
ing of the land containing the same
e and believes that the passage Of tn
IS bill will mean for the developmeI
d of some 100000 acres of land in tn
so them part of the state
Also a bill providing that the go
eminent shall compensate rural ma
II carriers who may be injured in lin
Is of duty or their families in event tn
mail carries shall lose his life viii
in line of duty under similar tern
as now are provided for by law wit
respect to railway mail carriers.
If Also bill providing for uniforl
n system of railway signals througho,
+ the United States
- Also number of other bills mo-
important of which are the following
Extending the pension laws to ce
:, tain veterans of Indian wars. Provi
- ing for woman's suffrage in the ele
=" ton of members of the Senate an
House of representatives. Autho
A. izing the forest service to co-opera
b. with the University of Idaho and fl
'r the establishment of an experiment
al mining station at the Universit
ID Providing for the erection of scho
house for the detached Kootenai II
II dams. Providing for the trial OF
D. case before the federal courts of Il
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