The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-12-26
STATES FIRST RIGHT.
Selection of Granted Lands
Upon an Equitable Basis.
GREAT LOSS UNDER THE LAW.
0sv. MeGrsw and the Land Commits
sion Trying TO Get Favorable
Liquidation for tas state

draW ana the state i3nG COMMISSION 10
overcome the disadvantages the state IS
laboring under in making selections OF
granted lands under the enabling act.
which practically nullify the intent of the
present law. and TO place the selection OF
the public domain in this state on basis
that will preserve the parity OF rights be-
tween the state and bona fide settlers.
Gov. McGraw. having observed the diff
Guilty the state found in getting good lands
under the present acs, owing TO the fact
that In every township. surveyed nearly
all, or all, the really valuable lands had
been =qustted on by settlers whose good or
bad intentions il was almost impossible 10
ascertain or show, some time ago tele-
graphed TO Senator Squire and Congress
men Wilson and Doolitiie asking that they
make an effort 10 have tracts within this
state reserved Gu bloc, 70 Re surveyed only
on application of the state, which should
have the absolute preference right of
selection. Congressman Dooiittle and
Wilson replied that il would probably be
impossible 20 have that done. but that
they could get an extension OF sixty days
time for making the selections, thus Civ
ing the state four months. Gov. NcGraw
replied that this concession would avail
the state nothing; that the sixty-day
period was as good as twice that time, as the
difficulty lay in fact that the settlers were
practically given two years advantage
over the state prior to the .ixty-day period
now allowed for the selections. To this
Congressman Wilson sent the encourag-
ing reply that he hoped to be able to get
the committee having the matter in hand
to report favorably upon having the land
Withdrawn according TO Gov. McGraw's
idea. The matter, together with the cor
Responsiveness, was referred by the governor
to the state land commission, which
thereupon instructed its secretary. Mr.. Z.
u. cowan. 10 forward TO each member of
the Washington congressional delegation
a statement OF the situation and of the
relief desired, and TO also write TO the gov
ernors of the several new states, similarly
situated, asking their cooperation. The
first Of these letters has been prepared and
gives clear statement Of conditions and
proposed means of relief. 1t Is as follows:
"The governor having referred to the
board of state land commissioners the tele-
graphic correspondence opened with your
self and the other members of the con-
gressional delegation, with q view to
securing the passage of bill through
congress for the reservation of lands. from
which the state might make its selections
under the enabling act, and the board
having by resolution directed me to COM
municate with you on the subject, re-
spectfuliy submit the following:
las il Is desirable that every effort be
made to secure such legislation as will
place the state of Washington on an
equality with the settler in the manner Of
selecting its granted lands. the expedient
meansl to this end. in the opinion and
Judgment of the board of state land COM
missioners. would seem to be the passage
of an act setting aside or reserving certain
specified townships upon which the state
could settle, so to speak. and select therein
such lands as might be considered available
or valuable within the terms of the en-
aiding act
Section 10 of the enabling act provides
that all lands granted in quantity. or as
indemnity by this act shall be selected
under the direction of the secretary of the
interior from the surveyed. unreserved and
unappropriated public lands of the United
States
"By Federal enactment no other method
for the selection of the granted lands is
suggested, devised or provided tor In at
tempting TO avail Itself OF the generosity
of congress the state has been discounted
and discouraged at every turn. The legs
lature of 1891. in a memorial setting forth
the obstacles in the way of obtaining
granted lands. appealed 20 congress TO re-
serve 100000 acres from which the selec-
tons could be made en- bloc, for the several
grants; the residue to revert to the ma
tionai domain for settlement. Nothing
came of this petition and the embodied
bill. Meanwhile Montana. suffering SINH
lariy. persuaded the commissioners of the
general land office TO set aside certain
townships for the lands granted to that
state. This concession the secretary of
the interior subsequently annulied. The
same legislature OF Washington that me-
norialIzed congress for q reservation of
the consolidated grants passed a law pro-
vIdlng for the appointment of cruisers to
select state lands.
The process of selection, coming strictly
within the practice of the general land
Office, had been to the utter disadvantage
OF the state. until congress allowed it
sixty days prior to the time OF filing of
pats OF survey. in which to file upon
selections. Even this expressed intent to
AID the state IN securing, approximately,
the full measure and worth of its granted
lands, has proved incoHsequential and
aborttye. Months are consumed in adver-
tIsing. awarding and approving contracts.
From the time the survey of township is
completed and the plat Is forwarded 10 the
local land Office from the United States
surveyor general. at least twelve and often
eighteen months elapse. Every person
choosing to settle on the choice and
precious portions of a tract surveyed en-
Joy the advantage Of this lengthy period,
despite the fact that the state cruisers
may have inspected the township in an
uclpatlon OF Ming selections. Upon re-
celpt OF the plat at the local land office. a
date Is set for its filing, thirty days notice
of which - required 10 be given before
applications can be received. Here il 10
that the preference right of the state be-
gins, dating sixty days from the date of
the filing OF the plat
1t will be seen. therefore. that for
nearly two years previous 10 the exercise
OF the so-caIied preference right OF se.ec-
ton conferred upon the state. notice is vir-
tuaily given 20 the world by ths fact of
contract for survey having been entered
INTO, that each particular tosnshipis opea
Tor settlement 10 any qualified citizen.
Ana experience has demonstrated with
very rare exceptions. that between the
date Of the contract and the date of the re-
ce'pt Of the plat fer fling al the local land
Office, the most desirable parcels of land
IN the incoming townships are taken I'D
by houesteaderS TO the exclusion OF tie
state. Eveu land that IS unit for eaitiya-
ton aud valuable chiefly for timber 10
sqaaIteI upon aud claimed under the
homestead Aot VISA apparently bona tde
intent. As consequence o; this system
tot state can secure only isolated and I'M
sasea5,e patches Of land
lac quantity OF surveyed land dis
posed 81 oY las n ted States mas been IN
striking alspTopcrlIon OF excess 10 that of
sac land surveyed. In lsSs, for example.
tae total nnunaer Of scres surveyed aas
80 -, "a, While II the same year the total
bAaOSr OF acres disposed of was 4 SIS
lsAE4 taking another wear. THAI of tslI
- EaH BaE l.. r