Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1890-01-10
ment and improvement of the country by

ment and Improvement of the country by
industrious law abiding citizens.
For a long time it has been the settled
public policy of all the states and
territories of the northwest to encourage
immigration and the early settlement of
all her school, swamp, university, internal
improvement and her public and private
lands.
The custom of occupancy and cultiva-
ton of school lands for farming purposes
has prevailed sc long and been so univer-
sal that settlers have looked upon it as the
unwritten or common law of the land.
Neither the states, territories or the gen.
eral government have enacted laws for
bidding it. Some states, especially Mime
sofa passed on assuming statehood, a law,
to-wit: ITO appraise and pay the owner
of said improvements the value thereof"
See section 4S, chapter SS, revised statutes
of Minnesota; thus recognizing settle
ments.
This should be done in North Dakota
and the amount added to the bid in cases
where the farmers lands are bid from I'M
de! him by a third or outside party at pub
lie sale, and the value of improvements
paid to the party that made them, as the
laws of Minnesota in substance further
provide.
When the low prices of farm products
and the damages by ~locusts, hail, frosts,
floods and drOuthS are considered. to-
gether with the expenses of roads, bitches,
fences, buildings and cultivation, the farm
er's disbursements have exceeded his re-
ceiptS on these school lands.
| take the ground that the benefits of Oc.
cupancy to the state exceed the damages,
and that the cultivated lands will rent or
sell for more thar the wild lands, Tue |
quote the following language in proof from
the state school land commissioner of
Minnesota, as to the school lands of that
state, tO.wit:
''The uniform experience in this state has
"been that where breaking, etc, have been
done on agricultural land, it is the more
sought after, and as a rule brings an en-
'hanced price over lands in their wild
estate"
(Signed.) w. w. BRADEN,
Auditor and State Land Commissioner.
lands by precedent and custom, and IN vio-
lation of no laws. They have neither
| claimed or gained adverse proprietary
rights. AS pioneer settlers they have devel-
oped a uew country, increased the value of
lands, swelled the volume OF taxes and in.
creased the public wealth.
/ The practical facts should be recognized
that they are among the best citizens OF
the state, that they were first on the
ground, have "bOrne the burden and heat
Of the day." have been in fact public bene-
factors n have just, reasonable and
equitable claims upon the favorable con-
sideratiOn of the state in this matter.
We urge the farmer members Of the
North Dakota legislature that this matter
involves millions of dollars and thousands
of their constituents and hope that in
justice to our brother farmers they will
endeayor to so amend the present bill as to
follow the presidents and laws of Mime
sofa and pay farmers for their improve.
ments on school lands by charging the
enhanced value to purchasers.
The proud young commonwealth of
North Dakota can be depended upon to
conserve every interest within her borders
and protect the rights and equities of all
her citizens.
Her hands are two white to take directly
or indirectly for herself or others the pro-
ceeds of the unreQ uited years OF toll of
thousands of her sons without recon-
pense.
l remain with great respect
Very truly yours,
OLIVER DALRYMPLE.
Casselton, n. D.. December IS, 1889.