The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-01-18

Iavsssixasiex - Iss work Nsds By IFS
owa Reansas.


r.vsseaxsstos o. iss work sGsds BY It's
Own Resnsss.
f,,vmnss. Ian. E.--specsaf-etree the IN
<rs.fssetion OK the Dorr resolution calaug
<e.~ The appointment Of Joint committee
- fny.xtsgate the workings OF the state
land commission. more or less speculation
has been INDUCED In By the members as
"a the motive Of the resolution. especially
since tns publication Of the governor
u,exsaxe, in which the actions OF the hand
~eu, u,i,sson are 20 unreservesily approved
Ay the governor. The motive for the III
4roductsou OF the resolution beccmes APP
parent when the following quotation from
the report Of the board OF state lard com
u.sssloners 20 the governor - read ID
gage n or that report il says:
.sThe condition OF affairs In relation 10
the tide lands OF the state Is chaotic and
unsatisfactory In the extreme to the own
~rx ana wculd-bs owners OF tide iafsds. 10
thss board ard to the state. whose inter
ests are suffering daily. ard witAooe
further detali we recommend TO the ies-
is1ature fhs appointment of joint special
x.ommiftee to examine Into SssA report
upon the condition OF the tide iana sss1s
cr.ss and the relation Of the county BOARDS
tkoze OF the commissioner of public LANDS
and Of this board. with tie view OF ssrur-
ing some systematic legislation in place
OF the present laws. ose on which bas
been declared by tia supreme court To De
rambling, ard its provisions are dis
sosnled and souaewha; sHeongrssous. which
makes IL a difficult iaw 10 eonstrue.' while
another 10 said 20 contain q most eniDar-
raising non sequitsr.
Further than this the state auditor n
his report. referring 10 the county boards
of tide land appraisers. says II is "a sys--
TEN under which II costs more 70 measure
and appraise land than the land comes
>" ard ne recommends that that IF the
local boards should be abolished. ard the
whole land business of the state sncsnd
be conferred IN the commission OK public
hands or the board of state land commits
ssoners. $4,000 could be saved hienniaily
TO the state. and the state would have the
advantage OF concentrated responsibility.
The commissioner Of public lands In his
report says "a careful examination of
existing laws will develop the fact that
(f&G uat4E& Oh kHt pts&<G 1s% ttcA N%tN ~
nnsa.' Again he says: The duties OF
the board OF state land commissioners
and OF the commissioner Of public lands
are SO intimately connected that II Is diff
cult to determine the functions CT EACH.
1t Is noticeable that the report OF the
board OF state land commissioners recon-
memdlug TO the legislature an investiga-
aion Of the land department of the state,
OF which there are three IN number, OF An-
dependent but conflicting authority. Is
siguei by Erastus Brainerd. r. n. Reed.
sr., and D. J. Chadwick, but Is not signed
by w. r. Forrest, commissioner of public
lands. who h ex-ofticio chairman of the
board Mr.. Chadwick has been a member
Of the beard only a few weeks and II Is
currently reported that the boards report
was written by Commissioner Brainerd,
whom the post-InteiIigencer correspond
emit asked To make q statement covering
the reasons for the resolution. Mr.. Brain
ersi consented only TO give the following
statement.
Diffusion Of authority lessons respon-
ability. With divided responsibility there
Is an opportunity for hx administration.
ecssss corruption. ! am In favor of a con-
essatration OF authority and Of reTponsi-
bllity In state officials The reports OF the
state auditor. OF the commissioner OF pub
iio lands ard o< the board OF state land
commissioners should make as clear as
day to fhe members OF the legislature
that there exists an immediate and urgent
necessity for a thorough legislative in
vestsxatton OF tho management Of the
states lands. Personally I arm In favor
Of abolsshing any two Of the three present
state land departments. On not care
whicb two. ! am not depends upon the
etate for ability or opportunity 10 support
myself. IT were not In favor Of thor
ough. searching and complete legislative
investigation x the states land depart
n.ent I would not have Endorsed and
signed the report OF the hoard Of state
land commissioners In which the demand
for such an investigation Is hrs; made
public. / have some reason TO believe
sAAst there are persons Interested In land
legislation who are opposed 20 a thorough
investigation and there should be no star
chamber proceedings. There should BE no
(
laasd and shrewslly calculated 10 protect
certain persons or interests ard TO inJure
others. The Investigation should be cou-
e0cfea. In my orlUen. by ioiat special
committee consisting % members OF eli
parties and iarge enough 10 cast no
shadow u possibility OF making A
wAitewashea or blaekwashed report Ii
should be an Investigation thorough IN Its
organization and scope 50 that the people
OF rhs state will Tct What they need and
efscat have-a thorough and comrrehen-
ssve knowledge Ct what has been done in
tho past. what is being done now and
what should he done by way Of legislation
&C. foster ara fr1sctify the states vast
landed interest OK millions Of dolsars in
value