Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1894-12-27
A PINE LAND REPORT
TnE LE0isLaTryR COMMITTEE nE-
CITES WHAT ar HAS DONE.
~ says That Many Frauds Hnve
Eaen Discovered iH the sale of
Pine Lands - Many suggestfons
mad by the Cosbmftsee.

NNsFSA ~ ~
a most elaborate affair, and covers
more than 300 pages OF typewriting.
The committee FIRST cites the resoiu-
ton under which IL was appointed, the
organization OF the committee and
gives a statement Of the funds which
the committee had ar It's disposal.
The duties Of the committee lave
been arduous and exacting. and have
been OF a most unpleasant nature.
The report closes with the following
recommendation:
There shall be one surveyor general
Tor the state. WAC shall be appointed
by the governor, 20 be paid a salary,
and all fees turned into the state
treasury, and all necessary deputies
and employees be paid a reasonable
salary; that all deputy surveyor gen
erals shall be required 90 take oath
n give bond conditioned upon the
falttful performance OF their duties:
that the neglect OF the surveyor gen
eral 10 report the failure OF any par
Tie In complying with the provisions
Of the permit. or failure OF tn. state
auditor 10 report the same TO the at
torney general for prosecution, shall
~ iA'7hNA W INdFg DtAdttisEs
THAT the governor, treasurer and
land commissioner be required 10 meet
as a commission for the consideration
OF the approval Of estimates and ap-
pratsals Gnd recommendations Of sale:
that they shall keep a record OF such
meetings, and that no stumpages SHALL
be sold unless the same be recon-
mended by the governor and n 9th
er member OF said commission; that
the governor have a sufficient appro-
pFtation TO enable him properly 20 in
v~estigate the correctness OF such est
mates by sending an agent Of his own
10 examine any Of the lands proposed
10 be sold, when, In his discretion, ii
NAV be necessary to do so; that all
estimates now In the state auditors
office, upon which valid permits are
o now In force. be cancelled: that no
permit shall be given 10 cover more
than two logging seasons or more
than n description of land. and no
extension or cancellation thereof shall
be made. and a separate log mark
shall be used on each description.
worshIess Bonds.
"That in view Of the worthless char
acter Of many Of the bonds given as
surety for the fulfillment Of the con-
ditions OF the permit. careful lecisla-
ton shall be had regarding the SINE
"That no permit shall be issued ex-
cept 10 the party In whose name the
stumpace is purchased at the sale.
"rhat the state treasurer be required
TO enforce the provisions of the stat
ute In regard TO the collection OF
stnmpace drafts: that In the execution
Of all mineral leases the timber uDon
the land leased should be reserved 10
the state. and that pending action OF
the Legislature hereon. I'm order 70 pre-
vent the wholesale leasing Of land for
the purpose Of holding such timber.
the state auditor decline the issuance
OF any additional leases for mineral
purposes.
THAT the incoming Legislature PASS
d stringent law 10 prevent the kindling
OF fires where cuttings Of pine have
been made, even by the owner OF the
land. unless proper safeguards are es-
tablished TO prevent its spreading 10
adjoining property.
"'rhat the land commissioner shall
cause at permits ard the bonds &C
c~ounauvinC the same together with
any assignments thereof. TO be fled In
his office. and recorded In a book
kept for that purpose. That the land
commissioner shall keep a general In
deN Of all instruments. documents and
p8pevs flied or recorded In his office
showing the date OF filing. aud the
piece Of record"
The committee saws Of the state au-
ditor'S office: at is here we find the
most pslpahle neglect Of duties. the
least regard Of the states Interests,
the most careless aud ~unsvstematic
condition OF the states business and
the greatest display OF either unpar-
donahle Ignorance Of the duties of
the office under the law, or downright
official dishonesty"
a chapter Is devoted 20 Matt Clark,
the stumpace clerk, IN which il Is
shown that he receives a salary Of
$1,000, but paws q man named Rats
5000 a year 10 DO his work I'm the Of
Zee. while CLARK has m office down
town. where he conducts an office for
the sale OF pine land, presumably MS
ing the Information he gains in the
auditors Office 10 aid him In making
money on pine lands,
Fraud ,ud Deceit.
The report further saws; 1--WE hsve
found obstacles and INSTRUCTIONS IN
our path that at times seemed unsur-
m~auntahle. We have met frsud,
treachery and deceit st every turn"
states che committee I'm Returning 20
It's arduans lahHss. The COMMITTEE
further tenders the governor IT'S
thanks FOR the personal interest taken
IN the success OF the work,
Following Is a summary OF seine OF
the most ~interessiaE chapters OF the
report;
An the evidence given before this
committee so 10 establish the rrltci.
pie that these sales are, as q general
rule, conducted IN the interest &C buy
ers Of stumpage. and rarely On the tn
tercS. af The state. Some ot the iiis
or which we complain are attributable
90 the defects On che law, bat thiS faet
does net On any way relieve che state
officers from their cHipahls we he,ieve
we may trnthfalty say. criminal neS'i-
Sence during the last twenty Years In
the enforcement OF those provisions or
the law calcalsted % protect the IN.