The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1914-06-19

Pleads Tor SeJClerS.. D0Clarcs
Congress Can Well Spare Few
Hours to Give Necessary Relief.
Unless congress passes some of the
important public land and reclama-
ton legislation now pending there
will be difficulty in securing the final
passage of the river and harbor bill.
That is the open threat made by
Senator Borah of Idaho and the In
lterest displayed by democratic sena-
tors in the west, following the sena-
tors brief speech last Tuesday, in
dicates that considerable effort may
be made to get action on the land
bills. Senator Borah was making a
particular plea for the bill granting
settlers on irrigation projects 20
years instead of 10 in which to pay
for water, and providing for grad
uated payments; for the bill amend
ing the cultivation clause of the three
year homestead law so as to recog-
nize improvements to the extent of
$3.50 per acre sufficient guarantee of
good faith, in lieu of cultivation, and
for the bill authorizing loan of
$50, 100000 additional to the recla-
nation fund. He also said he
thought the time. was ripe for con-
gress to pass water power bill
which will put an end to the era of
|stagnation that prevails throughout
the west.
In his speech threatening the river
and harbor bill Senator Borah said:
BOrah's appeal for West
at appears by the public press that
we are to have no legislation at this
session upon western questions, and I
feel that I may properly appeal to
those in charge of legislation to con-
slider seriously the question whether
such legislation should be put aside.
We have been in session now for
nearly two years. Some measures
covering western legislation vital to
the interests of the west have already
been put into shape and form and
passed by this body, which could be
passed by the other body, and be-
come the law of the land after a
few hours consideration.
"A short time, Mr.. President, after
the incumbent of the White House
was elected he delivered an address
at Chicago upon the subject of con-
|servation, an address which met with
the approval of the entire west. In
the first place, it was a clear and
definite statement as to the necessity
of some practical legislation, and in
the second place, it seemed to sug-
gest that legislation along practical,
sane, and safe lines. AS | have said !,
it met with the approval of all those
who live in what is known as the
arid-land or public land states, or
those states which are yet in the
course of development where there
are large areas of public lands and
where the natural resources are yet
to be developed. l took occasion to
write the president after he delivered
that address, expressing, as an humble
member of the western delegation,
my approval and the purposes which
he foreshadowed as to MS admins
tration.
''The president followed up the ad-
dress, as an evidence of his good
faith, by appointing as secretary of
the interior, Franklin K. Lane, than
whom no better man could have been
found for the position, a western
man, but thoroughly alive to the
necessity of protecting the natural
resources of the west against the
inroads of monopoly, man who un-
derstands the necessity of develop
ment and the pressing need of legis-
lation in order to promote develop
ment; in other words a man who be-
lieves that the tying up of natural
resources is not conservation. There
are only few people in this country
at large who still believe in that
proposition.
"Mr. Lane has made his report on
June 80, 1912, in which he outlined
the purposes and policies of the ad-
ministration. This report met with
the entire approval of the people of
the west, and it was supposed that
legislation would follow within a rea-
sonable time and that relief would be
granted from a condition which can
not be too thoroughly discussed or too
well understood.
Situation not Understood
"As / have said, so far as actual
legislation is concerned, nothing up
to this time has been done and the
situation in some respects is deplor-
able. I do not believe that the presi-
dent understands the situation in the