Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1895-05-28
STATE LAND REFORM.
Agent T. w. Davenport Takes Ex-
ception to Our Remarks.

ED. JouRNAL.-THECAPITAL Jour
NAL of The 10th instant contains under
the caption estate DeAdhcading," a
rather caustic srraignment of the state
lard agent for requesting the newspa-
pers To publish an invitation to the peo
pile of the state to send to him lis,
OF such lands ~ they desire to pur-
chase, or such as should be selected NJ
lieu lands.
/ This the ed tor of The JOURNAL calls
deadheading, and with it AS text he
gives some excellent advice and makes
some very trenchant accusations as to
the state management of Its lands il
the past and extending up to the pres
ent time. Undoubtedly they have
been badly managed. and saying that
the socalled management has been Il
disgrace to the stat, is putting it very
mildly. Net many days ago register
of one of Uncle Sans land offices
said that if the state Of Oregon could
be tried In q criminal court like an in
dividusl, as to its management of the
peoples lands,7 there would be no
trouble in proving the state guilty of
perjury, bribery, embezzlement, lar
ceny, robbery, besides other minor
offences against the general welfare,
and nothing would save conviction
but the plea of insanity or idiocy.
such sweeping charge as the above
ought to satisfy anybody, and as it is
aimed at nobody no one need be fright
ened.
The editor of The JOURNAL says:
"The state lieu lands should be sell
''ected by the official appointed by
''Governor Lord for that purpose. He
twas not appointed because he was
" Republican, but because it was sup
"posed he would 60 to the bottom of
"this job and save the state the rest of
.its school lands. 1t cannot be done
"by asking donations of adve rtlsing |
from newspapers or gratuitous services
'by citizens. 1t must be done by the
Estate school land officials at the head |
''of which is Governor Lord and Mr..
'Tim Davenport. If these gentle
''men wish to earn the everlasting |
gratitude of the people, they will en-
''ter upon q vigorous policy of protect
ling Oregon's school lands.
at has come to pretty pass If the
estate has TO beg through the news
''papers and of private individuals for
that ought to be in it's
''own possion, or that it 1t has already
''paid for procuring, or that ought to
''be on the records of the general gov
''ernment. There is no sense in this
''sort of thing. 1t Is scandal upon
"the good name of our state that it's
"public lands are In such state of
Egyptian darkness that Mr.. Daven-
"port has to ask the newspapers and |
taxpayers TO come to his relief. They
"will not do it."
AS the state land agent l shall offer
no particular objection TO the foregoing
declarations except that they are eVi.
IDENTIFY made without thinking Of the
condition In which the last legislature
left the state land department, espec-
IalIy as concerns the work OF select
Ing and listing the school indemnity
ands. Look at 1t.
The last legislature did not Appropn
,te dollar 10 pay the salary of the
,tals land agent.
IL did not appropriate 10 pay his
sIpensesi nothing st all To
,eeure assistance In out Of the way
regions where assistance
s frequently aud absolutely necessary
Not cent TO pay the fees OF the u
:. land ofiiceT for llsilDg the selecilons
v bieh the state land agent might
make.
Not cent 20 pay for Publishing
iOtices in the newspapers
THE JOuRRAL editor says III has
some 20 9 pretty pass " the state has
o beg through the newspapers aud oi
private citizens ioF iDfoTmalion," ele'i
o which respectfully reply ny ass
ng ~ hO Is the sislsYn And ls not
be Legislative Assembly - much .
art 0f tho stats 80 the Chief EEsep'
igeY
But ihs Legislature abollshsd the old
sw, iastitulsd new mslb0d NJ fo'
sduTe, aud failed " provide means
I0T esIsylpg lls scheme Into sheel'
who is ~ blslhsY Ihs i.sglslsluffY
ADd was not ths edltaF ~ lnk
I0uRsAL one ~ ihe nisgbsIs " ibsi
Islipqpsni l,egislstulsf
HnoslAs lTosl sSI'eTlsnes, hos sac,
,nd DsiuTsi u 10 lof legislators ~ fall
4 d0lpg sbsi ought 10 30 d0ns, !
hell pel psnition ibs lssl lsKlslsligs
lsllnqasney - ~ ~ lay sag PARTON ~
/ upea ths hssa " lhs sf'1s'aslpsd
.all0T, bal slmply ssy lhsl unasi
lbs circumstances hs ought " slana
a ....a..sa taNlualalualu llln aha "a |