The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-01-11
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From the different nature of the trust in
volved, the principles proper in the disposal
of the school lands are not applicable to the
swamp lands. The primary interest OF the
State in the case of the latter is to procure
their improvement and settlement; and as
the proceeds are not necessary to go into
perpetual fund for specific purpose, they
may be sold to meet such exigencies OF our
social growth as are out of the ordinary line
of civil expenditures, in founding eleemo
synary and other institutions, and in ulti-
mately paying off our public debts. A
minimum of SIPS would accord with the
example of other States.
But the adoption of conservative policy in
the disposition of the State lands will fail OF
its objects unless carried out under proper
system of administration, and there are GER
tain principles to be observed in the organl-
zation of the system itself, which experience
has shown to be indispensable to its efficiency
and success. In the first place, the financial
and Typographical supervision over the pub
lie lands should be vested in central
department at the seat of Government,
under the immediate scrutiny of the Legis-
lature. In other States this has has been
found necessary, firstly, to the economical.
efficient, Ineligible and safe administration
of the various landed interests, and to pre-
vent sacrifice of the lands to local cOmbi-
nations, and secondly what is even more
important, TO the management of the re.
sulting funds with view to the security OF
the principal, and to its productiveness as a
certain and regular source of revenue, which
are the essential objects of the whole system.
The necessity for the Capitalization of the
land system, will appear, in sufficiently
strong light, from what has happened in
Iowa, which has ventured to depart from the
policy of the older States in this regard.
Under the laws of that State, the sale of the
school lands, and the investment and control
of the resulting funds, have been entrusted to
certain county officers, elected for the pur-
pose, and called School Fund Commissioners.
The results of this system have been pre-
cisely what might have been anticipated from
distributing duties, requiring for their prop
er discharge, a high order of financial ability
and prudence, among numerous irrespOnsl-
BILE local agents. Frequent defalcations for
large amounts, covered up under an inextri-
cable confusion of accounts countless blum
ders and discrepancies, arising from the inn
possibility of securing uniformity, or even
in the complex details of book
keeping among so many persons the
least of the evils which Iowa is suffering from
their system. The Encouragement of the
funds, the Investment, to large degree, as
loans to private persons, in false or made
quate securities, have produced an amount
of losses, the extent of which has not yet
been ascertained; but which 1 am informed
already amounts to over quarter of a mil
lion OF dollars. Add to this the total unre-
liability of the income of these investments,
and you have a category of evils incident to
the Iowa SYSTEM which are necessarily fatal
to all the objects of the school land grant.
The radical error of this system is, that the
officers entrusted with the control of the
lands and funds of the State, are not directly
responsible to the general authority of the
State, and that, if they were, they are too
numerous, and at too great remove from
the seat of government to be effectively scru-
tinized.
1 have commented thus freely on the evils
OF the Iowa system, because propositions for
its Introduction have heretofore been favOra-
bly, discussed in our Legislature. A central
land department on the other hand-having
supervision of all the various landed interests
OF the State, is we'll recommended by the sue
cessful example of other States, as well as by
the inherent simplicity and economy of that
administration. This plan gives unity and
efficiency to the land policy of the State, it
concentrates the responsibility of the agent
whose proceedings are thus open at all sides
to the scrutiny of the public, and surrounded
by effectual guarantees for fidelity and COM
potency.
As our land system becomes developed to
a self.sustaining point, it will doubtless be
found expedient to establish a State Land
Office as a separate department. similar in
it's plan to that of Michigan, combined per-
haps with some features of the Wisconsin sys-
tenn. The Land Commissioner should be en-
trusted with the entire superintendent and
disposal of the State lands, while the State
Treasurer should have the management of
the resulting funds and the distribution of
the income; while both should be under the
control, in specific cases involving important
discretionary powers, of a Directing Board,
composed of some of the Heads of Depart
ments, of which, in cases relating to the
school lands, the Superintendent of Public
Instruction might be One In the details of
the SYSTEM some of the errors of the older
States may be avoided.
When in the opinion of the Directory the
re-survey and further subdivision of the Gov
eminent lots shall be deemed eXpedient, con-
tracts for the survey should be made with the
Commissioner at established prices, each con-
tract to include several counties, and in the
case of swamp lands, full land district.
Accurate descriptions of each tract, the
quality of soil, timber, &c, with plats of the
same, should be filed in the Land Office The
lands should be classified in grades, with
minimum price affixed to each class They
should then be appraised, and not sold for
less than the appraised value. The terms of
sale should be as liberal as compatible with
the security of the principal and prompt pay
ment of the interest, nOn-payment of which
should work forfeiture. In the case of tim.
bered lands, the whole purchase money should
be required
Ali tracts of land, which upon appraisal.
shall be found to have reached or exceeded
the minimum value, shall then be offered at
public sale, unless the Directory should deem
it for the interest of the fund to withhold
them. If not then sold, the Commissioner
should be authorized to sell at private sale at
not less than the appraised value.
The Michigan plan of cOnveyancing seems
to embody all the necessary checks. Under
this system the moneys arising from sales, in.
stead of being entrusted to the caprice of
County agents to loan on real estate of doubt
full value or fallacious title, and subjected to
innumerable risks of Drincinal and intorost