The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-01-01

sold At public auction, 1t wsuld stimulate
an industry that in time gill become of
commercial importance. AZ present such
lands are non-productive.2 and without
cultivation the beds will 1deteriorate in
value.
careful reading of the l:s~ relating to
tide lands will disclose mana other incon-
sistencies and omissions Chat demand
remedial legislation. The Tshole law re-
lating to tide lands should II amended so
far as it can be without mtsesting vested
rights. There is no appare;t good reason
why tide lands should not bsappraised and
sold at public auction the ss9ne as school
lands.
SELECTION OF GRANTEE: LANDS.
The total grant of lands t.: the state for
all purposes, except indemnity school
lands and the grant for university pur-
poses, amounts to g.. 600 ceres. In the
absence of any appropriatios by the legis-
lature for that purpose, Governor Ferry
and State Auditor Reed lave provided
funds amounting to $4,000 fo> the payment
of filing fees on selections 5nade by the
state. A statement of the AMOUNT of lands
selected by the state land commission is
elsewhere shown in this repost. There are
at this time seven agents of Mne state who
are making examinations of public lands,
and filings have been made fSom their re-
ports as rapidly as possible.
The demand for government land is 50
great that settlement is invariably in adj
vance of public surveys, so Elat the most
desirable lands are occupied before the
state has an opportunity c. making Sc
lections.
The settlements made on .mbered por-
tons of unsurveyed lands gre in many
cases fraudulent, the occup&nts being IN
the employ of mill companieI or specula-
t0ro of ha al Ia
timbered lands thus occupie5 could be Sc
cured for the state if sucS fraudulent
claims were vigorously Contacted, but the
state land commission has Seen without
funds and with only lmpiiecfsauthority to
contest on behalf of the statS,. The state
land commission has made i;seffectuat at
tempts to secure reservationsof portions
of the public domain until selections could
be made by the state. Weha.e petitioned
the secretary of the interiOe to reserve
portions of the public lands n order that
the state might be enabled to- make selec-
tions therefrom. Such petition has been
denied, for the reason that tle secretary
has no authority to grant it. The legisla-
ture OF this state has 1cemorialiZed
congress to enact laws authorizing
such reservation, but tge desired
relief has not been grslited. Thus
hampered. the commission h;s been able
to do but little more than Iaake filings
claim. Such just demands saving been
denied, it is necessary to MAXI ample pro-
visions for selecting lands as e.peditiously
as is compatible with the best Interests of
the state. Agents for the exala inations of
granted lands, who were appointed more
than twelve months ago, have been COM
PEELED to bear their own expenses with
out the payment by stats Of any
portion of their fees. This is neces-
sary, for the reason that 20 part Of
their fees can be paid untiE selections
of lands examined by them h;Ese been ap-
proved by the secretary OF tse interior.
This places an unjust burdeiS upon the
agents, and has had tendency to delay
the work of making examinations and re-
ports. A portion of such necessary outlay
by agents might be borne bS the state
without risk. 1t is suggested az remedy
that provision be made Whereby certain
per cent. of their fees be paid when selec-
tons are approved by the loyal United
States land offices; provided, that upon
final settlement the amounts paid shall
not exceed the statutory fees as now al
lowed on selections approved By the secre-
tary OF the interior.
PROTECTION TO GRANTED L3NDs.
The state now has of school a:sd granted
lands q large amount Of valuable timber
lands, and this amount is being increased
from time to time as additional selections
are made. These lands are socated in
various parts of the state. and ARE liable
to be denuded Of their timber By trespass.
ers resulting in great loss to The state. I
again urge that such laws be enacted as
will provide the most ample protection to
the interests of the state in rs timber
lands.
IN CONCLUSION.
The lands of this state are nSw under
the control Of the following boards and
commissions: The state land commission,
the state school land commission, the
state board of equalization anJ appeal,
and the board of university zand and
building commissioners. The commits
sioner of public lands is . member of the
two commissions above nance. and the
records of the proceedings of said commits
sions are kept in this office. Ise is not
member of either of said board7 and no
part of the record of their proceedings is
kept in his office. The secretaizy of state
and the state auditor are Snembers
of both commissions and of the stste board
of equalization and appeal. These various
boards and commissions were evidently
created for the purpose of protecting the
interests of the state in its granted lands,
but this object would be as fullySattained
were the several boards and commissions
above enumerated consolidated i<ito one,
and that one authorized TO act orgy an
advisory board, with power to scar and
determine all controverted euestsns, and
to investigate and direct the work of the
commissioner of public lands whenever
they deem such action advisable.
A multiplicity of boards and commits
sions gives rise to divided responsibility
and consequent unsatisfactory results. 1t
also tends to confuse those haviEg BUSH
ness relating to state lands.
The commissioner of public la0ds has
but little more authority than ary other
member of the state land compassion.
He is required to do the clerical syork of
the several commissions entrusted with
the control and management of heSranted
lands. 4 great amount OF buslzess ac-
cumulates IN his office from time 20 time,
business that should he atterfsied 10
promptly, hut it is of such c4zaracter
that the commissioner of public la:3ds can
not alone dispose OF il. The law Eyoyides
that such business must be considered by
some commission.
Owing to the many and pressing duties
of the other members OF these CaDmis-
sions, it is impossible TO get any action on
such business until the delay has given
rise TO much annoyance 10 parties inter
ested and TO no small amount OF criticism
of the management of this depaG5 nent.
The provisions Of the law making such
delay necessary are unwlse, for the:actlon
OF the commission when taken IS, lsl most
cases, simply formal Endorsement of
recommendations made by the cemmis-
sioner of public lands, who, owinE TO his
As,rs - tom i1Sr k.,.T