, 1889-08-08

o. yt.s q, recent Developments as e.
the management % public school sffairs
iu Spokane Falls, tbe following from
the Tacoma Ledger will be read with in
terrst here:
We think that tue arguments in favor
Of renting or leasing the school lands OF
this state are sc exploded that there is
little fear the convention will do any
thing but provide for their profitable
sale. The Minnesota constitution or
dered one-third to be sold within terms
of two, five and ten years. Nebraska
ordered that the minimum price should
be So an acre, and Kansas, with q cuss-
edness all its OVID, provided for their
lease OF rental and their sale, only by
the aporoI al of the people at a general
election.
Every section of laud withdrawn from
liability to be sold helps to give ficti-
tious marketable value to that which re-
mains. An hereditary state of landlord
ships becomes as great nuisance as that
derived from feudal times, and it is late
in the day to ask Americans to model
their institutions on the customs of the
middle ages. We do not want landlords;
We want our farmers to own their lands
and 10 increase and multiply our farm
ers we want to cheaper not increase the
cost Of land. The growth of this state
will for long time depend more on the
assistance we give farmers and settlers
on lads than on the efficiency of our ed
ucationa system, and there should be
none of this false economy, which is con.
tained in the idea OF holding over public
lands, either for the purpose of making
the state specuiatnr OF species of 9
landlord.
The coed sense of the delegates will
cause them to initiate the course Of those
progressive and enlightened states which
have soli their school lands and exPend.
ed tue proceeds for the benefit of educR-
ton Minnesota, Missouri, West Virginia
and one or two other states, Invested the
proceeds in United States bonds, while
the constitutions of the other states left
the investment aud the control of the
money to tho board of education or to
the legislature.
4 board OF education or the state ex-
ecutive can be entrusted with the invest
meDt of the school fund, and the legisla,
tura oop rafo;n ouparviuioD ova- that =,
vestment. This state requires a commits.
sion of agriculture. Through it money
could be loaned to farmers for clearing,
irrigating and improving their lands
1t is incaIculsble how beneficial such 8
commission would be. aud the state
school funds might be invested through
this commission most judiciously.
or course, this kind Of thing will be
objected to as tevoring the farmer at the
expense OF the city or OF public educs-
ton. But it is nothing of the kind. II
the farmer wants $1,000 TO clear and
drain and irrigste his land, and is will
ing to pay OFT per ceut. to the land
commission for that loan, the money Is
safely invested. or course the Ioaniug
of such funds will require several re-
sDonsible agents connected with the
commission, ard again there will be talk
of the dangers of patronage and corrup.
ton. We admit that, il the wretched
spoils system is to continue 10 disgrace
and dishonor American public life; but
as the spoils system is but a question OF
time, we do not dread the result OF we'll,
equipped boards or commits 9ions doing
the business OF the state