St. Landry democrat., 1886-07-24
The Governors Second Veto.
IherYille Democrat.

Ibervie Democrat.
Instead of another swallow, the
Governor has sent rs veritable snow
bird in his last veto, and as it is d sad
relapse from the promise OF the first
one, we may now bid final adieu to
any hopes of the redemption OF this
administration. The facts OF the case
are these. Upon a concurrent resolu-
ton committee of five was appointed
to confer with the Register and report
what legislation was needed for his
Office. The committee reported as fol-
lows: "We find many of the records
of the land office incomplete, mutilated
and worn out, and generally in need OF
d thorough overhauling and revision
by competent experts. In many in
stances entries appear in one book, on
q township plot, and do not appear ID
other records of the Office as they
should More than 100000 acres have
been sold and no records thereof APP
pear on the tract books. In some cases
lands have been sold and resold, the
first sale not appearing OF proper
record. The stub BOOKS in relation to
school and other land warrants are in
need OF revision and correction. The
State dispOses of many thousands of
acres each year under the homestead
and settlement and cultivation acts,
and it appears that the conditions i'm
posed by said acts are rarely complied
with and that hundreds OF acres of the
States domain are covered by tn, Sc
fraudulent claims" And in speaking
poses, the report says: As the un-
offered lands of the United States are
in many instances very valuable it will
be seen that the purchaser of the scrip
and not the school fund becomes the
chief beneficiary in the transaction"
The report then proceeds: The
Register under existing laws has no au
thority to remedy this evil, and we
suggest such legislation as will enable
him to prevent such fraudulent entries
and cancel those already made, so as to
place these lands upon the market, and
that the sale of these warrants be
stopped, and an appropriation be made
sufficient to pay the expenses OF select
ing and locating some of the valuable
and unoffered lands of the United
States
A bill in accordance with this report
was presented, which the Governor
vetoed, and his reason for so doing is,
that there is not that amount OF labor
renuired in the land office that would
prevent LiC SlVtlStti ioiSS III tit oIllSC
from performing the duties required
by this act" The reader must bear in
mind that this report was made by a
committee composed aof the personal
and political friends of the adminiStra-
tion and was of course as favorable in
that direction as conscientious men
could make it. The message, taken in
connection with the report, would re-
nnire no comment were it not that an
effort has been made to explain it by
facts outside the record. 1t is said
that in private conversation with the
Governor this committee admitted the
correctness of the veto. That CONVEX
Sation is not part of the record, nor do
we know what it was. But the state
ment that Hundreds of thousands Of
acres of land could be recovered To
the State is of record. Assuming then
that this veto is in line with a policy
of economy, it loses its force in face of
the fact that by an expenditure of
$500 this quantity OF land, worth at
least dollar an acre, could be recover
ed. As matter then OF economy 1T Is
a mistake: and as the State would
have been greatly benefited by the
bill, its veto is not easy OF explanation
Unfortunately for the Governor any
act Of his in relation to the land office
would be looked upon with suspicion,
and whyo Because first, for two years
past the press has openly made charges
of fraud in connection with public land
transactions, and which have never
been denied and now comes this com
mittee with the same charge. Second,
the names of some of the Governors
most particular friends have been men
toned in connection with these frauds
and third, his we'll known devotion to
his friends, whic' the public is disposed
to believe is not limited by considera-
tons Of State.
Under this state of facts, the public
yerv naturally look with suspicion
upon a veto which the ground of econo-
my upon which it is based, fails to sus-
! tain.