Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-01-10
National Capital Topics
ndGsr o. snyder,
The Bees Washington Correspondent.

Q ERV1CE in congress has many drawbacks Some
- times II has lite rewards. outside OF the mere
service, which means the salary and perquisites
In the way OF mileage and clerkhire plus a certain
amount OF stationary the representative in congress
knows but two things to be on the tidal wave" and
knowledge Of the wants OF his constituency. There
are two distinctive classes Of In congress-those
who shine in the lmeght and those who shine in
committee work II is not given 70 many men TO
illumine the Congressional Record with a big speech
or TO starte the country by a great thought There
are however. consistent plodders. and that word
advisedy, who accomplish more by conscientious
devotion 20 committee work than those who tear n
passion to tatters'' on the floor Of either house
Sometimes the rewards for a mans activity in
congress come In his lifetime. most largely. however.
they when he Ia dead or out of congress. Hav-
ing been associated in newspaper way when the
called "Klnksid Act of 1904 became operative Il Is
with good deal Of interest that find that the first
assistant secretary OF the Department of the Interior
Andrieus A. Jones' has endorsed Il in iaudatory
manner while the author OF that bill Is still in
and representing the Sixth congressional dis
trict Of Nebraska. Moses A.. Kinksid
The endorsement of the "Kinkaid act" known to
the statutes the act of April o. 1904 authorizing
entry OF not exceeding so of land in consider
able area of western Nebraska and included in the
Sixth congressional district of that state comes
through the endorsement of a bill introduced by Rep
resentative Scott Ferris, chairman COMMITTEES,
on public lands. whose bill makes It lawful for any
person qualified 70 make entry under the homestead
laws OF the united states To make stock raislng
homestead entry for not exceeding $40 Of unap
proprated unreserved public land in reasonably
pact form and which land is TO be known stock
raising land" and under consideration by the
committee OF which he Is chairman.
The bill which contemplates for public land states
what Judge Knkaid secured for his own state Is
favorably recommended by the Department OF the
Interior. The basis OF this recommendation is the
"Kinkaid act' applied to the Sixth Nebraska dis
trict Eleven years have elapsed since the passage
OF the law relating to western Nebraska and the
teror department has hesitation in saying that its
Investigations to the results that legislation are
both important and significant. To quote from the
letter of First Assistant Secretary Jones to the chair
man OF the committee, with relation TO the bill
referred to these findings appearthat prior to the
Of the act of 1904 Considerable land in west
ern Nebraska had been entered under other laws but
the marvellous development since the passage of the
act OF 1904 is marked that It must In great
at least be attributed TO that law It has been found
that some of the valleys and lower lands which
nersperse the larger have been made to produce
through intensive cultivation varied crops of large
value, and that the production of live stock he's
largely increased rather than diminished. The Inn
provements placed by the settlers upon their claims
indicate both prosperity and permanency OF occupa
ton, dwellings of stone, cement frame consruc,
ton, plastered and provided with convenences. have
generally suppanted the original sodhouses and the
farmer who has not built barns sos or other struc
lures for storing crops and protecting live stock
exception. The live stock upon the small
ranches is of higher grade than that which was
produced by grazing upon the vacant public lands"
Within the thirty-one counties in which the kin
kaid law is applicable the Interior department
ficials find that the population which 1246OS in
1890 07 434 In 1900 had in 1910 an
increase OF nearly so cent in the population during
the last tenyear period six years which period the
$40 homestead law in orce.
But of stil greater interest to this section and by
reason thereof to the endorsement OF the bill which
Chairman Ferris of Oklahoma is the author II has
been ascertained by the experts of the department
that the land entered in Nebraska under the KIN
kad act that there is average one settler for
every 81 In the thirty-seven counties affected
by this law II appears that there 45S9,S7o acres
In the hands of the original entrymen, 6lsSs acres
In the hands OF small holders only SIs 453 acres
in the hands OF what might be termed large holders
that U.s. those possessing of 1900 acres
and then comes this endorsement the work OF ono
who knew the wants OF his district and who early
began in his congressional work for those
wants. Judge Kinkaid-the department says: The
department is Informed that practically a unanimous
sentiment OF the people in western Nebraska is that
the law has been benefit TO them TO the country
causing large increase In the population promoting
the development Of the lands advancing generally
the public welfare Surely this is praise from a
department not in political sympathy with the author
OF real constructive measure. SNYDER.