The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-04-22
1T is SATISFACTORY.
The Action OF the Governor In Naming
Comm ssioners.


Comm ssioners.
BUTTE, April 2i.-The appointment OF
three mineral land commissioners by Gov
ernor Richards, to act with the govern
ment land commissioners IS in line with
the suggestions of several members of the
Butte Chamber of Commerce as it was
the intention to call a meeting of tho
chamber TO take some such action, which,
however, is now obviated by the wise ac-
ton OF the governor n. In view OF the Tact
that the government commissioners are
generally unfamiliar with mineral lands
II was urged that the state should do
something to protect itself. Ii was sug-
gested, before the appointments were
made by the governor, that the cham be r
of commerce appoint a committee to look
into the classifications made by Cleve-
lands commissions and IL there were
found among them any mineral lands to
enter protest against their accept
ance. Tho act of congress creating the
mineral land commission provides that
the commissioners shall Immediately
upon their appointment proceed to exam
inc the land within. their respective dis
tricts and on or before the 9th of each
month to file report or the classifica-
tions made with the receiver OF the dis
trict, who shall publish such classfica-
tions in newspaper four weeks.
Protests may be made within CD days of
the first publication, and the protests will
have hearing before the register and
receiver. Appeals from the Inter may be
taken TO the commissioner of the general
land Office and to the secretary OF the
interior. IL was suggested that IL there
should be any just ground for protest that
a fight should be made along this line to
the last ditch. The law does not state
the exact time upon which the commits
sioners shall begin the work OF classifica-
tim hat IL Ia believed that it will be very
| soon.
Tho governors appointment of Thomas
| G. Merrill, George w. Irwin and Hon. w.
w. Dixon is guarantee that the states
interests will be we'll represented.
The governors appointees will meet in
| Butte probably within few days and dis
cuss what Is best to be done. Gov. Rick
| ards il quoted as saying that IL is very APP
parent that the people of Montana have
| not taken kindly TO Cleveland's appoint
/ ments for obvious reasons, and that 1t
seems to be the general impression that
the work OF Montana's represe,,nsatiyes
| congress has been "queered" by the APP
| pointment of commission, two of. the
members OF which are not residents OF
| the state aud who cannot be competent
| judges of the character of the lands.
The governor says that through the
Montana commission information re-
| specting much of this land could be OBJ
tanned and that IL would be practicable
| to collect such data as will establish the
mineral character of most OF the land:
| and when collected il could be laid before
1 the federal commission Tor their informa
ton and guidance. The state commits
sion could preserve duplicate copies o
| such Information and il n contest should
| arise IL would have in its possession evi
| dence that the United States commission
had beou correctly informed in respect Il
| the lands contested.