The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1896-10-02
THOSE II. & ID. LANDS.

The Popocrats would not be Popo-
tTats if they could not spring upon
she people some sort of wild cat
scheme in the vain hope of influence
ing if possible few voters in their
direction. Of course in doing this
they generally leave all consideration
for truth and facts out of the case.
These are minor matters which cut
NO figure in the deal. These things
are to be expected, and if they were
not sprung with their usual regular
5ty the campaign would be deprived
of much of it's usual interest. And so
as matter of form it has been sprung
and like it's predecessors in previous
campaigns amounts to nothing.
This time it is in regard to the
land grant of the Hastings and Da-
kota railroad. The matter is stirred
mp by letter by Gen. E. M. Pope, of
this city, secretary of the Democratic
statec ommittee. The substance of the
matter is this. The legislature of
1896 passed bill FORGETTING the rights
of the HI. & d. Ry. Co. to selecting or
acquiring any more public lands
through the lard grant made them by
congress, of which the state is trus-
see. This.bill passed the state senate
On March 25th and the house on
April 18th. Gen. Pope claims that
on April 18th, two days later Gov.
Clough signed deed transferring the
lands to the railroad company, thus
eircumventing the will of the people
and the act that had just been passed
by the legislature. The idea convey
ed by Gen. Pope is that Gov. Clough
by signing this deal conveyed all these
lands over to Russell Sage, trustee for
she old company. Whether this was
Intentional or not upon the part of
Mr.. Pope, or whether he neglected to
look the matter up, we do not know,
out the fact is that the lands convey
ed by the deed embraced only $3.50
acres of land, and there yet remain
1885, acres which the company
claims and which are subject to re-
hnquishment under the law passed by
the legislature of 1895. The original
grant contained 100000 acres of land,
and of these there had been conveyed
TO the road up to December 81, 1898,
s49, 49l acres, leaving 100, sos acres at
that time unconveyed. The state of
Minnesota is merely trustee of these
lands to aid in their conveyance. The
manner in which these lands are con-
yeyed is as follows: The company
first satisfies the secretary of the in
terror, or the commissioner of the
general land office at Washington.
that it has constructed it's line in
compliance with the provision of the
granting act. Then it proceeds to Sc
lect it's lands and files the lists at the
general land office at Washington.
These selection lists are there exam
ined, and if the lands have not been
previously disposed of the list is ap-
pofOu dhu ohO idhuo dlc CeIGIHcu UO
the governor of the state of Minneso-
ia for the benefit of the grantee. A
certified list is forwarded to the gov
ernor by the general land office, and
is tiled in the state land office with
the state auditor. The grantee then
preptres deed, which is given to the
state auditor, and the lists of lands
intended to be conveyed is compared
with the lands contained in the GER
5ified list. If found correct, the au-
ditor certifieS at the foot of the deed
TO that effect, and transmits the deed
30 the governor for execution. 1t is
held through court decisions that it is