The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-01-13

! dizzy UIIlII
the settlers or occupants had filed their
/ applications and il was definitely deter
mined what state lands were actually set
/ tied or occupied. The second provision
/ gave settlers OF occupants of state lands
/ the preference right to purchase land in
any sized tract not exceeding 100 acres.
/ Until the preference rights We're deter
mind. II was lmDracticable 10 aDpraiSe
/ the lands for the reason that the ap-
4 praisements ought to be made in tracts
conforming TO the settlement or occupancy
and until the applications were made the
board could not determine how the quar-
ter sections would be subdiVided The
board proceeded with due diligence and
+ caused to be made necessary plats. which
We're filed in the Offices of the county
treasurers OF the respective counties. The
/ time has now elapsed within which the
settlers of most of the counties had to
file their preference rights. and will soon
elaDse in the other counties The board
is now proceeding TO hear and determine
the applications for preference rights and
causing the appraisements to be made
as last as possible 1T is believed that
during the spring months all Of the state
lands upon which a preference right OF
purchase exists viii be disposed OF. While
the appralSements have not proceeded far
enou-a TO make an exact estimate of
these lands. it is believed that the state
VIII, this year. realize upwards OF S50.l30
n interest and rentals of its public lands.
Inc BOARD has made d general inspec-
ton of the lands of the state. and has
the necessary information to make selec-
ions OF state lands promptly as the in
terest of the state may require.
As is well known. all of the agricultural
lands OF the state that are susceptible 10
irrigation from the present sources of
water supply, arc taken up. BY the con-
Struction OF expensive reservoirs. large
tracts OF lands may be brought under
cultivation. The state has a grant OF
100000 acres OF land for the establish
ment of permanent water reservoirs Tor
irrigation purposes. The lands included
in this grant may be sold and the pro-
ceedS thereof used in the construction of
reservoirs 1T such points as TO benefit
the lands selected for the state. To
realize on this fund in the usual course
{ or selection and sale of the grant would
/ require great many years. recon-
mend that this fund be anticipated by the
sale of bonds in such sum you ma y
deem best to be known as reservoir
bonds. to be secured by the proceeds of
all land selected under this grant; the
proceeds of the sale of such bonds to be
used in the construction of reservoirs TO
supply water To state lands. thereby in
creasing their value many fold and bring
ing them Immediately into market. This
plan. believe. will give the state an
opportunity of realizing on q part of its
lands within a brief period, and VIII
thereby reduce taxation. Under the grant
Of lands to this state the board of land
commissioners was. ana is of the opinion
that the grant includes mineral lands.
and made application 70 have the same
, set apart to the state under its grant
The application was rejected by the
register OF the land Office. but as the
board did not wish to see great pubic
interests sacrificed for light and tran
sient reasons. an appeal was taken to the
commissioner of the general land Office.
The commissioner of the general land
Office held that the state might select
lands chiefly valua bic for stone, but de-
MED its right to select lands contain
ing precious minerals or coal This de-
cision was recently rendered and the
board * now taking an appeal to the
secretary Of the interior.
The territory of Utah was not adj
mitted into the Union until after nearly
all of the available agricultural lands
were taken up by settlers. While the
grants Of land to the state by the parent
government seem generous, by reason of
the above fact they viii not prove as
valuable IS was generally supposed. The
only unsettled agricultural lands within
the state having present water supply
are contained in the Uintah Indian reser-
walton. | recommend that you memorial
ize congress to permit the state to have
60 days preference right to select agri-
cultural lands within that reservation
when the same is thrown omen. before
permitting settlers TO make entries. The
reDort OF the state board of land com
missioners. giving details of its work.
viii be submitted in due course.
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The education of the children of the
state IS a subject that invariably and
properly occupies large share of the
attention of eacil legislature. No subject
is of more vital Importance in determine
ing the future of the state, the influence
and character Of its people. and the posi-
ton Il shall occupy in the nation and
before the world. 1t should be the aim
TO increase constantly the efficiency of
the schools. yet there should ever be man
ifesf = wholesome regard for the rights
of the citizen, to see that the burdens of
taxation are not greater than he can
bear. and 10 spend his money with such
discrimination that the best possible re-
suits he attained The has
been generous to the common schools in
the recent past and believe they are
steadily becoming more efficient. but 1
ask you to investigate carefully the SyS-
TEN At present in effect. to ascertain if
some Improvement may not be had. with
out increasing the cost of maintenance.
The superintendent of public instruction.
in his report for the year. which is re-
plete with interest and contains many
valuable suggestions, to which | invite
your attention. points out some apparent
defects. both in the present system ard
in the administration of educational af-
fairs. and recommends radical changes.
The most important of these is his
recommendation that the present school
district organization of county schools be
consolidated into single district in each
county. to DC controlled by the county
board of education. If it shall be found
upon investigation. that the change if
made would increase the efficiency of the
district schools ard at the same time
diminish the aggregate expense, it should
be adopted
STATE OFFICERS.
Having come in direct and almost daily
contact with all Of the state officers
during the year. | am familiar with the
manner in which they have discharged
their responsible duties. and desire to
commend them for their efficiency. their
courtesy and untiring devotion TO the in
tcrests of the state In many cases their
duties have nCcessitated extra hours and
overwork through lack of sufficient
clerical HELM. | suggest that these cases
be investigated that loyalty may be
properly recognized and justice done.
REPORT OF OFFICERS.
The law 3rescribes that the governor
must. prior TO the meeting of the legis-
laturc. dclivC- to the secretary of state
for publication all reports OF officers and
are not required TO make reports until
within the first ten days of the session
OF the legislature so that all of the re-
ports have not yet been placed in my
hands. Such as have been received have
been delivered to the secretary of state
but as the law does not prescribe the
number of copies to be printed and no
appropriation is provided therefor. that
officer is holding them subject - your
further pleasure. I recommend tat these
provisions be reconciled. and
that the number OF copies of each re-
the secretary of state have authority
to cause them to be printed.
ATTORNEY GENERALS OPINIONS.
The state constitution makes the at
torney-general the legal adviser of all
state officers. and the law makes it his
duty to give his opinion in writing with
out fee TO the Legislature or either house
thereof. and to any state officer. board or
commission. when required. upon any
Question of law relating to their re-