The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-10-17

q Eepu clicAS ana De honest the man VINO
in his published utserances applied the
elegant epithets OF "pimps and prosti-
tutes' 10 the clergymen. the Judges and
the editors who do not accept his financial
doctrines as apostolic utterances- Need
less to say. refer TO Mr.. John R. Rogers.
the nominee Of the Peoples party for gov
ernor Of the state Of Washington
While do not expect ordinary civility
from such a boorish person. ! do expect
him TO be commonly honest since his own
professions are OF uncommon honesty:
but 1t appears that his moral honesty is
about as good as . shop-worn egg.
In his speech at spokane on October 10.
Mr.. Rogers repeated his false statement
about township = north. II west. though
he had read Register O'Too.es certificate
that every word he uttered about that
township was false. And he went further
and said that the state land commission
had sold certain lands to Thomas Prosch.
of Seattle. near the town Of Ballard. for
NI.s2s. that would have. under proper ap-
praisement and advertisement OF sale,
brought SIS 900. The advertisement that
the land was about to be sold was printed
IN an obscure paper. and the fact was
unknown to the people Of the vicinity"
This transaction was characterized by
Mr. Rogers as "a job" and his purpose
was TO make the people OF Eastern Wash
sion had entered into = corrupt ransac-
ton with q private person.
There Is not IN intelligent person in the
city OF Seattle who does not know from
reading the newspapers OF the day. and
Mr.. Rogers certainly knows, for he was
informed after first making his false
insinuatioa. that the land in question -
school and lieu land on Magnolia blun
and adjoining Ballard. and that 1t was
fxrN fr M inns cs
for the army post site committee Any
one who does not know this Is referred 10
the affidavit of Mr.. Progch below and the
accompanying statement by the president
Of the chamber OF commerce
Mr.. Rogers. IL he knows anything accur-
ately. knows that the land Law of this
state tact of March d. 1895, sec. ID reads:
Any person or company may make writ
ten application to the board of state land
commissioners for the appra.sement and
sale of any OF the granted lands OF this
state subject to sale Mr. Rogers knows
that the school lands of the state are sub
ject TO sale under the prohibition OF the
constitution CART. XVI. sec. % mot more
than half shall be sold prior to January
]. 1906" and Mr.. Rogers knows that half
the lands are not sold.
Mr.. Rogers knows tina, the land law,
section Is. provides that when in the
judgment OF the board sufficient number
OF applications lave been received for the
appraisement and sale OF any Of the lands
of the state. the said board shall cause
the said lands TO be personally inspected
and appraised" Mr. Rogers knows that
the law. section =. reads that immediate
iy upon the appraisement and inspection
provided for In this act the commits
sloner of public lands shall prepare GER
tificate OF appraisement," and shall
certify one copy and forward it
to the county auditor Of the coun-
ty in which the land Is situated. and
the said county auditor shall post II in a
conspicuous place in his Office" Mr.. Rog-
ers knows further that the law, sections
. and g. contain ample and elaborate pro-
vision that the sale shall be advertised
once a week for five weeks in a newspaper
OF general circulation, that proof of pub
licat!on shall be had by publishing affida-
Wit: that the county auditor shall post the
notice OF the sale for the same period;
that the sale shall be by auction 10 the
highest bidder: that the land shall bring
at least its appraised valuation; and that
the sale shall not be confirmed for thirty
days in order to give time for protest
against any fraud or collusion: and that
If any affidavit OF fraud or collision Is
presented 10 the board. the land shall be
resold. Mr.. Rogers knows all these pro-
visions of the law and knows that they
know that TO be the fact then the certi-
fed copy OF the record printed below will
inform him.
Mr.. Rogers knows that the law relative
10 school land sales is PROBABLY compul-
sorry upon the board; that is to say. that
when a person makes application TO pur-
chase the board must proceed TO a sale.
Many eminent lawyers agree on this. /
believe that ii Is the personal opinion of
pnCerc
might ask him. But the board desiring to
protect the state. as the point referred TO
had not been settled, took the opposite
view. as the fonowing certificate shows:
This is TO certify that al a meeting OF
the board OF state land commissioners.
held on the 4th day of October. 1885, the
following resolution was. on motion OF
Mr.. Brainerd, adopted:
Resolved. That in view OF the protests
against appraisals OF state lands as too
high. and that Ii Is the experience OF the
board that little or no competition exists
when the land is offered for sale q pub
lie auction. and further. In view of the
depressed values OF real estate, and that
the state is not obliged to sell at a mini
mum price, but should endeavor TO Sc
cure maximum price. In order that the
school ami other funds may profit to the
best advantage. It Is ordered by the board
that no further sales OF state. school or
granted lands be made untzi such an sd-
vance In real values occurs az 70 justify
This order shall not apply TO cases where
appralsais have already been ordered or In
which exceptional reasons exist. and In
the latter case such reasons shall be
stated in writing by the applicant and
spread upon the minutes OF the board, IL
they are approved.
Witness my hand and seal OF the board,
az Olympia, Washington. this sth day OF
tSeaL) NJ e. REED. Secretary.
In view of this resolution the board was
at first reluctant 10 grant Mr.. Prosch's
application, although IL was not with ths
resolution. but when the cnarnber OF COM
merce. a reputable body of representative
men. who stand as high In the state urged
that the war department of the United
States, that United States Senator Wat
son G Squire. and the people Of King
county OncIudlng some eminent fusion
isss) Insisted that this land must be had.
and when We considered that the land was
free grant from the United States and
Il would be unzrAc5ouS for the state OF
Washington 20 refuse 10 allow the land 10
sc sold and 10 be rctrooedea for federal
uses. and when we were faced hy the
douhtfulness q our resolution. we decided
20 allow The sale Mr.. Rogers knows this
The appralsesnert was FIRST mad. BY Mr.
Terrence o'BTssn. a e!;saen whose honesty
and competency has heretofore been un-
Questioned. a man who Is Democrat in
l~f+A@NS- ny - fsfEEz. APPRAISAL vas con-
rFme4t by the board after hearing tire
statement OF leading real estate experts.
one member voting 10 because the land
had once before been appraised a. high
CT rate. though values have fallen since
then. Lands similarly iocate1 car be
bought today ST TIE same prices Ccutsg-
noGs lands would bring less today under
tne &ucsionser's hammer Mr.. Rogers
knows Ehfz.
The obscure PAPER" BY. which Mr. Peg
sazsw.s -. 4r4s~srs rs~as