Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-11-17
4 OFT OUR GRASS!
"A supplementary Report OF
y. .,Oi,siOuer Stephens to
''' tie Land Board
u. Made for the Benefit OF
F'u ',a Board in Regard to
texas Land Laws

ltA"
20 Protect the children's
'' ~ Lnnd-.A Most Important
poeument.
70 ihc 6aSe,tr,ssrtS TEX, Nov. Ii, lss5.
liable state Land Boaru' I ,,,,s ho
llsa sessary that our lahu la"s ~
ne submit in connection with
Y. ~ views and suggestions as
IQ'is, 1 % remedies. The school
! reeu ,,S more tnan S50,o0o,00O,
,re N.Y.. WV, Is one OF great impor-
Z saoi oeople and should be fully
% US Understood by all, and my
s.l au ,re made with that object in
,ot LAND DEPARTMENT.
s'iV ',tment. now under the man
, q M state land board, should
gs@ and distinct department
~, Commissioner elected by
- who should man
sss ~, and supervise the
's,' sale of all the public
.reb other business as may
~ connected with the school
~, Il,g..tsis OF the state under laws
wy w. control and management
Il y snartiuent, which should
scribe the duties performed
n ;lsment. This is rapidly be-
4 n the most important de-
q .soi the state government, and
I5atas only been in existence
E,.snd created as an experiment,
.slnts received annually from
w. and interest on school land
MI. amount to 100000, and
|es necessary school land laws
Issborlty and power to enforce
|@less than 100000 more can
n be added to the receipts of this
+Tept, and when placed under the
Dsweut Of a commissioner charged
N responsibility of the manage.
Tine office and all school land
(, then this department will re-
,rd nav into the state treasury
money annually than any other de-
mi Of the state government.
responsibility will rest with
Bool land commissioner than any
M duties of that Office will be all
Il nsn can attend to and no other
D,duiy should be required of him,
whole time and attention should
seted to the school-land business
{ management of that vast and
n interest. The commissioner of
neral land office now has all he can
( ard do justice to that depart
and to increase and burden the
.doner Of that Office with the sale
la Of the school lands viii be re-
more Of him than he can and will
Then department. officer is bur
with more work than he can find
to attend to, the interest OF the
Is sure TO suffer. If this business
he placed under the management
land Office nothing would be saved,
& the same number of men
|rployes will be required to handle
Isaess as ii under Il separate de-
lgrmd the result would be to less
npoBsibility. This school land
Ia,i If managed by a commissioner
clothed with authority TO con-
2ldlrect its affairs can be made al
] not quite, self-sustaining by
|lg certain fees fixed by law for all
doue by the department, for per
|alying business with that office.
aepresent system there is no law
ping the land board office to
lees for work done. All business
ping to school lands should be
ldlnctly under the school land de.
EFt. As ii now is it takes three de.
Puts TO manage It. Land books and
pls are kept by the treasurer, the
|oard and land Office. Two book.
are kept in the treasury depart.
p land matters at a salary of $l40C
Pa one assistant bookkeeper at d
Of $1,000 and three additional
ava salary Of $1,000 each. The lane
mas one bookkeeper and one assist
\ salary of $1,000 each and fiv,
Moat 5000 and three at Sl20C
Inc bookkeeper and clerk:
/ treasury should be place.
The school land department
business would be more satifac
Ina less expensive. As it is a
Nc business necessarily must b,
E9l ID this manner, hut the legisla
oald remedy it. The expenses o
lpolrd are paid out of money col
nom the school lands, and al
,na employees ON school matter
% PAID in the same way, and no
We general revenue. The commits
M this department should hay,
dictionary authority to proven
Y me absence Of law, because ii 4
g Wisdom of any legislature {,
f.ss mat viii cover all land ques
Prevent frauds.
LOCAL STATE AGENTS
\ appointed by the commission
! Shool land department and as
9faln districts and such district
. created by law for the loca
atlt Of the school land in thei
| WIN certain powers prescribed
4 = prevent frauds upon the state
regulate and adjust certain ques
', aaen the actual settler and tn
,Aey should protect the settler
- s.ookman from violence and in
III "" nom the wealthy, and see tina
In, are not blackmailed and i'm
,,a r'a ~ The actual settler or SINAI
me duties and powers give
'lt should be plainly an,
uelaed by law, the agent
y pald In fees of Office and tn
N ulu Prescribe the fees to b
I6oa',Is all kinds OF work done
NJ -'e nae access to or even cor
nm ny surveyors office and Shout
I. w sna plots OF all the land /
ffN'ctS and ahv,,.oct,, e.,