The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1898-08-25

RUE ..........,.... ....,....,......S 1881 IL
| Appropriations made by the Leg
islature of 1897 for office of
| Commissioner OF Public Lands
| and Board OF State Land Com -
missioners for biennial term
ending March 81, 1899. under Fu-
elon rule........... ................S SS,SiO W
| Revenue From Public Lands
The State Land Commissioner, Robert
| Bridges. has by far the largest share of
| the states business committed to his care
as against any other one department and
| Is the center OF official industry at Olym-
| pia. He IL very ably assisted by the other
State Land Commissioners Secretary of
State Will d. Jenkins and Superintendent
| OF Public Instruction +. J. Browne. Fol-
| lowing is a statement OF the revenues de-
| rived from the administration of the de-
| partment from November l. 1896 to July
| ], 1898:
| Amount OF money received as
permanent school fund .sil5.5S0 81
| Amount Of money received as cur
| rent school fund ................. 23l, S56 So
Amount OF money received as tide
| land fund ..........................I 3,2T7 SO
| Total ............... ........... $3.50, slf AZ
| This is n magnificent showing. and
| places the work done by previous Repub-
| lcan Administrations so far in the rear as
to make a comparison OF figures redicu-
| lous.
Leasing Agricultural Lands.
The policy of leasing agricultural and
| grazing lands, as against selling under
| contract on the plan OF the Republicans.
| which realized nothing to the state, Is
original with the State Land Commissioner
and is one OF the best features OF tho
new Fusion policy of running the state
government Leasing was. to be sure. re-
sorted to by the Republicans at n mini
mum rental OF 80 cents per acre. The new
State Land Commission reduced the mini
mum to 10 cents per acre,
The old policy excluded all lands from
lease except those lying close In, or those
In the most fertile valleys, and even in
those cases rentals were not collected.
The state received no income from other
lands whatever. Nearly all lands are
now in use that were occupied under the
old regime and large number OF tracts
that were not, while all are yielding
revenue.
In many cases tho present State Land
Commissioner is exchanging contracts for
sale, for leases at the new rates, The
holders OF these contracts could not meet
their obligations 20 the state and tho Re-
publican Government did nothing 10
make their holdings pay rentals or rev.
enue of any sort. The receipts from this
source IL now more than three times what
It was under the old policy.
It appears that the Republicans adopted
enjoy and work the state lands free OF
charge as a tacitly understood SOP 20
them, in lieu Of the privilege of plundering
the taxes from other source5s
No speculation In the use 6f state lands
Ia permitted. The state seeks to deal di-
rectly with the user Of these lands in
happy contrast with tho old policy. which
permitted land sharks to sub-1easeL II
anyone sub-leases under the present Ad-
ministration the State Land Commissioner
reappraises the lands involved at 100 cents
on the dollar above the amount extorted
from the tenant
This IL a wholesome policy and tends 10
secure TO the actual toiler all the pro-
ducts OF his labor except the mere pittance
collected by the state. Following IL n
comparative statement OF the revenues de-
rived from this leasing business:
Money received In years, ending
November I. 1894 .ST.3lS AZ
Money received In years, ending
November 1, 1895 ................. a.90l 30
Money received in 20 months. end
ing July l. 1888. .................... b3.lSS 81
Current School Fund Appointments.
Nothing shows the success of the Fu-
sion Administration more than Its Inn
provement Of the school funds, both cur
rent and permanent, and the youth Of the
state are to be congratulated upon the
Improvement Of the common schools made
possible by the increase of revenues, and
the more equitable appointments from
the enlarged current school fund.
Following is a comparative statement
by periods or quarters of the apportlon-
ments Of the current school fund from
March 9. 1895. TO May IL. 1893:
Period ending March Q. 1895 ......$ 400 sc
Period ending July Q. 1895 ......... .,.......
Period ending April Q. 1895 ........ So,552 95
Period ending March 2. 1896 ...... sS,55 rs
Period ending April II, 1896. ....... 3oIN 81
I,tlv n
The above period constitutes six quar-
tiers. or eighteen months. II will he seen
| that no apportionment was made for tho
| quarter ending July o. 1895 but that in
some way. and probably for some dark
| purpose. the money was carried forward
| 20 the end Of the quarter terminating July
| II, 1895. when the amount apportl0ned IL
| more than four times great as II was
| for any of the preceding quarters. In any
| event some one had the use OF the money
| and the schools suffered In consequence.
| This. however. was a common practice in
| those days. But to continue the figures:
| Quarter ending October 8. 1895. IS 23,34i m
| Quarter ending January IL. 1887. 1889 ~
Total to date. or for 2 years. 1881. 526 60
The above shows the appointments
| during the last two years Of Republican
rule. Now let us see what was done dur
ing the following fifteen months OF Fu'
| sion Government:
| Quarter ending April %, 1897 .....s 1873 50
| Quarter ending July 20. 1897 ...... 1o9.36t ~
| Quarter ending October H. 1897 e. 231,767 s.
| Quarter ending January 81. 1893. 2i9,Ss2 70
| Quarter ending May II, is9S....... 26'o6O %
Total ... .................s9lO.s4 $40 %
This shows an excess for the fusion PEI
| Rod At fifteen months over the Republic
| an period of two years OF s379. 1922 60; or an
| excess of the fusion period OF fifteen
I months over the first named Republican
| period of eighteen months OF s5.2931l, or
| an excess OF the fusion period or fifteen
| months over the same period OF Republic
| an rule OF 1857 1859.
These figures are true and eloquent. and
| every teacher In the State Of Washington
and every person who has the education
~AA%A~~N
- ROASTED BY
| uTni