The Helena independent., 1894-12-04
THEY HAVE A PLAN
LANDS THAT CAN BE SOLD FOR THAT.


TO have found an opening ana some plan
may eventually be formulated FOR rats
ing money from the lands given the
state by the government, 10 erect the
buildings FOR the Institutions to which
the gifts were made, The board met
In regular session yesterday afternoon.
There were present Gov. Rickards. pres
ident Of the board. Supt. OF Public In
struction r., A. Steere and Attorney
General Haskell, eX-onlcio members,
and j. E. Morse Dillon; DR.. Jas. u,
Reid, BoSeman; Prof Hamilton, Mis-
Roula; r. H. Collins. Great Falls John
f. Forbis. Butte; II. G. Young, Helena
and Clerk C. c. Wylie. who acted as
secretary. The members ot the board
not present were Nelson story OF Boze-
man; and Alfred Meyers. OF Livingston,
The former is m and sent his regrets
the latter sent HIS resignation, which
WAS accepted soon after the session
opened. The governor has not appoint
ed his successor.
One os the reports received was that
OF the executive committee OF the agri-
cultural college. which. after referring
10 the drawbacks imposed by the lack
or accommodations, says;
THE great state of Montana should
awaken to its responsibility I'm the mat
ter and should at least furnish ade-
quate quarters for a school that is
kept mp without the cost OF single dol
lar TO the state, so that the generous
appropriation OF the general govern
ment may be made TO count for as
much as possible.
I'VE have given the whole question
q great deal of consideration, and we
must confess, that the more we con-
slider II, the more puzzled we are as TO
the best manner OF procedure under the
restrictions of our constitution. An
appropriation is probably out OF the
question. The only hope would seem to
be In an Issue of bonds. but as any or
dinary bond issue would have 10 be
submitted TO the people at a regular
election that would mean delay OF two
years.
I'VE have therefore turned our atten-
tion TO the possibility OF using our land
grant as a basis for credit, on which to
raise money for buildings. You will
remember, that the commissioner of
the land office decides that $4,000 acres
OF this grant are subject to disposal in
any way the legislature may direct,
and no price is stipulated, at which il
must be sold. Now IL is probable, that
II bonds could be issued, secured on this
portion of our grant, without any guar
nntee by the state, IL would not be nee
essary to submit the question OF such
a bond issue TO the people; but while
there could be no question Of the secur-
ity for an Issue of say $780, 600 In bonds
with these $4,000 acres behind them,
there might be some difficulty in meet
ing the interest promptly for the first
few " rs. especially IL the minimum
price of the land is kept at ten dollars
per acre.
1--WE have therefore thought that the
legislature might he asked to pass
bill with features something like these: (:
First. A bond issue OF Sl00,0 900 at five
per cent 10 be authorized, secured on
$4,000 acres OF the college land grant.
Only $4,000 to be sold for at least two
years.
Second. The price at which these
lands should be sold 10 be left to the
discretion of the state board of land
commissioners
Third. IL should be lawful to invest
school and other public funds in said
bonds.
Fourth. An appropriation Of $500
per annum for two years should be
made To pay the interest on said bonds,
unless a sufficient income was derived
from the lands 10 meet such interest.
This may be crude scheme; but
we have been unable 10 devise any
thing better, and we submit IL to you
for consideration and should be glad
10 have an expression from you as 10
how II strikes you"
The report OF the special committee,
composed Of T. l.. Collins, John - For
bis and II, ]. HASKELL, To- whom WAS re-
ferH.d the question Of the constr lctlp1
q .T H.. t.,t
ting Montana as a state. says; "Tfat
after examination % said ac,, your COM
mlttee is OF the opinion that The grant
of lands made by said section II Of the
said act Is without restriction upon the
power OF the legislature to dispose of
the said lands and that II Is within
the power of the Legislature to dispose
OF any or all Of the said lands granted
by the said section for such price and
upon such terms as the legislature may
provide" The report was adopted
Section 16 Of the enabling act provides
"that all lands herein granted for cdu-
cational purposes shall be disposed Of
only at public sale, and at price not
less than so per acre. the proceeds 10
constitute a permanent school fund. the
interest Of which only shall be expended
in the support of said schools" The
section further provides that the lands
may be leased 10 renters.
In lieu OF the grant OF land for pur-
poses " internal improvement, made
10 new states, other grants We're made
as provided IN section II Of tho enabling
act. BY this section the agricultural
college receives 10000 acres in addition
10 the grant made IN section IL, and
the deaf and dumb asylum also receives
so 600 acres The other institutions re-
ceive in this section large grants addi-
tional to the one provided In section lG,
among these grants being one for l50,-
600 acres for public buildings at the
tate capital.
Section n reads "f0r the establish
ment and maintenance" of these lusti-
tutious are these additional grants
made, and I'm this NE committee be-
llevc lies the solution Of the problem
Heretofore IA has been cnngldcrcd that
section lG which prOVids that lands
granted Tor educational purposes can
not De sold for less than $40 per acre
and that only Che Interest on amounts
thus realized could be used fnr cducn-
tlonal purposes, applied 10 all grants,
but the committee, which has looked
into the matter has concluded that such
restrictions do not apply 20 the lands
granted I'm lieu of the grant for Internal
improvements as provided In section a.
The report was followed by a rrcom-
mcudntion from "a special committo
composed ~ Il. c. Young, r. H. Collins
and u. Morse, who returned the fol-
lowing resolutions looking to- the r,.iiri
Of tho agricultural college and the deaf
and dumb school, which were unanl-
mOusly adopted.
BE n resolved. That it Is the sense oi
the state board ~ education that tht
legislature should make some provision
whereby buildings FOR the agriculture
college and deaf ana dumb school MAJ
be erected from the sale or pledge o
the lands granted for thpt purpose b,
section " ~ the enabling act; that g.
view Ot tho necessities ~ these iuBti
tuti0us. we urge that action for thci
relief be- taken at the cnrlicst possihl