The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1897-01-21

newai OF leases unsolved. so far as any
legislation was concerned. However,
they assumed the responsibility thus
thrown upon them and proceeded with
their work. An appraisement OF all
lands upon which leases were about to
expire. save In few western counties,
also of all improvements on same. was
made and leases were renewed to leasees
at appraised values, unless some other
person offered more than appraised
value to pay lesees the appraised value
of their improvements. The operation
OF this regulation has, believe, been
generally satisfactory and mutually
beneficial both to the school land fund
and to the iessees. l therefore invite
your attention both to the theory and
actual results of this leasing.
The proceeds from leasing the school
lands of the territory for the two years
last past have been 81 79. .55l 60. while the
net cash proceeds of ell leases since the
beginning have been 19.5Ss.S6 OF
this. s274,714.43 has been received since
the beginning OF this administration.
These figures are certainly very remark
able and are. | believe, more than has
ever been realized by any other state or
territory out OF the amount of lands for
the same period. 1t must not be infer
| red that this has been obtained by op-
pressing lessees but has been realized
merely by ordinary business methods, as
Inc legitimate commercial rental values
OF the lands. The prices paid in the
| past have been in the main those fixed
! by applicants when the lands were Of
Tered for lease to the highest bidder.
Pursuant to act of the last legislative
assembly authorizing a, contract with ID.
a Harvey for securing indemnity lands
Tor the territory, lands have been select
ed by Mr. Harvey in the former Kicka-
poo indian reservation to the amount of
! lN ,lSS and 6S-100 acres. These lands
were Immediately leased and are now
yielding handsome revenue to the ter
| ritory
Pursuant to an act of the last legisla-
] tive assembly. all grazing lands in
| woodward county have been leased in
large bodies at S33 per section. This is
now yielding from this county alone six
! to eight thousand dollars per annum.
| Very few tracts in Beaver county have
been leased. though efforts have been
made to induce stockmen to lease the
| lands included within their ranges and
pastures An act giving authority to
collect rental from persons using lands
without leases and making such use a
| mlsdemeanor would probably have a
salutary effect.
Having been actively engaged in this
work as member OF the board for leas-
! ing school lands. beg leave to submit q
few general recommendations for the
consideration OF the legislative assem-
bly,.
No subject is of greater interest TO the
people or comes nearer their homes and
hresides than that of the public school,
and no subject with which your honored
body will have to deal will be more
eagerly watched by the people than this.
The school fund is the heritage Of the
whole people and no act will tend more
IN n thA - L.
forever dear to them than the passage
or just and equitable law preserving
and maintaining this beneficent trust
| conferred upon the territory by CON
eress Tor the education of the boys and
girls of Oklahoma.
l would respectfully recommend the
creation of the office of commissioner of
public lands. who should have the i'm
mediate supervision of the leasing of all
public lands of the territory and who
should be responsible in the first in
stance for the proper conduct of the
business. and whose acts should be sub
Ject TO review on appeal to a superior
| board of commissioners.
L would also recommend that all lands
upon which leases are about to expire
together with improvements thereon. be
| appraised by appraisers to be appointed
by the territorial officers having charge
OF the leasing, and that all appraise-
ments be subject to review and revision,
| and equalization by the territorial Office
mat All lands be then officially offered
for lease for not less than the appraised
rental value, with privilege on the part
or lessees to take the land at the highest
rental offered by any responsible bidder
or. II the tenant so elect, he may re.
quire the party applying to lease, to pay
the tenant the appraised value of the
| improvements or the lessee may remove
his improvements, and that all lands for
which no applications are received be
leased to the highest bidder, without re-
serve at not less than two-thlrds the ap-
praised rental value
1t would greatly facilitate the collection
OF rents due on school land leases II
rents wele made lien on improvements
and growing crops, and the school land
commissioner authorized to issue a rent
warrant to the sheriff of any county in
cases 81 delinquent payments.
l would respectfully rdecommend that
the proceeds from leasing the lands re-
served 70, puolic school buildings be in
vested in territorial or county bonds at
not greater than par value
More detailed recommendations may
be found in the report of the board for
leasing school lands. to which your at
tentioh is respectfully invited.
81 UPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC IN
STRUCTION.
| The report of the territorial superin-
tetident of public instruction is hereto
attached and marked Exhibit D." II
ail be seen therefrom that the educa-
tinnal Interests Of the territory for the
time covered by this report, has been a
| continuous and gratifying progress The
| school system of the territory is shown
TO be established on a sound basis and
with but slight alterations in law, will
| be second to none in any of the states or
territories of the Union. The total schol-
1 astic population of the territory for the
year 1895 is given at S5,636. an increase
over the preceding year of 1866 or about
ten per cent. For the year ending June
3O,1S96, the scholastic population is re-
ported al SS,507, an increase of 2.S71, OF
about three per cent over that for 1895
The superintendent estimates that the
increase from now on viii average about
five per cent per annum.
In the matter of attendance on the
public schools the data given indicates
thai much porgress has been made. Dur
ing the year 1895 57,674 pupils were en-
rolled in the public free schools this
number representing about 6S per cent Of
the scholastic population. During the
ysar.ending June 80. 1896, 63, $50 pupils
entered the public schools, representing
II per cent OF the number OF children OF
school age in the territory. During the
year 1893. 3S per cent were enrolled and
during 1894, 65 per cent These figures
speak for themselves and indicate very
4 clearly the progress that has been made
TERRITORIAL UNIVERSITY.
90