The Chickasaw messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1880-1900, 1888-08-23
THE PUBLic icLsNDs.


Gov. Low.y in hi. mc..agc E, ile .
OF 1854 says ~By act of
Congress approved September 2jth.
1850 the several states were granted
an the swamp land. within their
limits Under hi. act Mississippi
has received at various ines nearly
3,W1.Ca0 acres OF land. In the same
message be- te"s the Legislature. that
Commissioner Smylie went 10 Wash
ington , present tie claims OF the
State adj ,ional lands aud indem-
nifty, and that be succeeded "a estab-
fishing the Sta IS claim 70 10000
acres and the patents were Forwarded
by the general government smylie
expended ia this work SS25.00. which
amount was aNowed him
In the Governors message to the
Legislature of1SS6. he ir rorms that
body that under he provisions Of am
act approved by himself March H.
1884, relating ne adjustment of
the States claims for lands and in
denny SEA p against the general gov
ermnent, hc went on , Washington
at an expense % the State of $500,
employed DIR. C.issey d locate the
lands claimed by the State aud secur-
ed patents for same. for which he
agreed 10 pay a cent. per acre.
This service the Governor says was
most sa sfactorily performed by Dr.
Crissey lie has secured patents 70
about 200CC0 acres Of land and in
demr'ty scrip for 7,SSS,7S acres for
which he has been paid $ll4l0.25.'
IA addition 10 the amount eXpend-
ed hy the Cover lor for expense. and
in pay ng DR.. Crissey's fees, Cameron
was paid S6G0S2 for work he claimed
70 do ON the same line. lawyer fee of
Slj0CJ cash was also paid-out Of the
Treasury Hence the 2l7,SS9 acres Of
land located under GOV Lowrys brill
liant financial manageui cost the State
Sl2,52LO7 Commissioner Smyiie
secured 100000 acres at cost Of SS25
and that amount was regarded 10y some
memhers Of the LEGISLATURE q" 1854 a.
exorbitant \
But il was not the purpose Of thi.
ARTICLE to draw comparisons beeween
Mr.. Smyhe's services and GOV. Low
|Iy's Our object was 10 show from
the record the number of acres OF
public land- the Stair ought to hold
to-day, or the number of dollars she
ought 20 have in the treasm5 to rep
resent them. We believe it is safe IA
say, not a dolarIN CAsH Is now in the
treasury representing these lands
which under the constitution bcroIue
a part Of the common school fund. II
has all been expended in defray ,ng
the current expenses of the State gov.
ernment, including Of course the
amount paid in aid Of common
schools. But the most deplOrable
fact cor aected with this school land
business is the fact that the State
holds to-day or'y 4S,546acres of what
is known as swamp lands and l2,lSa
acres OF internal Improvement lands
a total Of only 26l, ,029 acres left the
poor children Of the State ont Of q
magnificent domain Of 3,350,O0O acre,
which formerly belonged to them
This 3,35O,0CO acres Of land ifheld u,
the STATE, instead of being sold tC
laHd 3 ldicaies and railroad col pora.
tions at normal prices, du many in,
stances not exceeding g cents pei
acre aud N some a. , cents per acre,
would be worth to the school fund o.
day. more than double the amount o
The entire State debt. But more than
100000 acres of it have been rccl,
lessly squandered, the people hav,
lost it, and are now compelled to pay
a direct tax Of 3 mills upon theil
prope, i valuation 10 order to hay,
four months free school IN . log cabil
taugla b a $50 ieaclnr.
From the fact that we have quoted
from GOV. Lowp's message in ordel
70 show the number Of acres Of pub
lie lands donated by the general gov
eInment % the State some Of oul
readers may infer ALL Of this lanC
robbery has been perpetrated undel
his administration. It is but justic,
to him 70 say such IS not the case
Other administrations must share will
his the odium attaching 10 this costly
mismanagement.