The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-10-22
THE PUBLIC LANDS
=, OF MINNESOTA
Enormous Losses to the State
From Republican Malad-
ministration.
AN APPALLING ARRAY OF FACTS

Show-WhaL's to Be DOM 9-chanse
saen and Methods-John Lind For the
sacred Trust. i
At the close of 40 years Of Republi.
can rule in Minnesota. q complete his.
tory of the dealings OF that party and
it's varied officials with the public
lands lying within the state, would
read like a romance. Unfortunately
mo such history has been written. II
never can DO written. Mucn Of it has
never seen the light of day, and what
lis official, or semi.offcial, is the record
lof bare results. We know what has
gone from us, but the arts used, the
tricks and stratagems employed, alasi
these are buried beneath the vast and
colossal fortunes to corporations and
individuals, which simply challenge
the admiration of the passer-by. For
vastness of enterprise, it is without
limit; for wealth, it is "beyond the
dreams OF avarice;" ana for the general
paralyzing effects upon the common
industries of the masses of the people.
1T stands without a parallel.
The public lands OF Minnesota have
been source Of immense revenue to
many Of her distinguished citizens.
They too have not been wholly un.
grateful for the favors so received.
They have at all times been conspicu.
ous in the council chambers Of the
grand old party. They have furnished
the suggestions as we'll as the means
by which for all this long period Re.
publican ascendancy has been main.
tanned. Meanwhile the meeker follow.
ers shouted Justify for the flag, aud
thanked God that no matter how other
states might revolt, Minnesota was
sure, and as steady as the needle to the
pole Can the game be continued
longer. is now the one great question
for the masses.
What the Railroads Have Received.
In round numbers the state of Min.
nesota contains about 100000 acres
of land. OF this amount there are to.
day about $4,000 acres under cult.
walton. by our farmers. Or tho entire
amount the railroads own or claim
about 20, 100000 acres. This is about
Itwo.6fths of the entire area, and about
three times as much as all our farms.
Of course most OF this came direct from
the general government, and at time
when congress was giving away every.
thing for the purpose of building rail-.
roads. and SO opening up the country.
But our legislatures followed the same
rule. The state receive from the gov.
Avn @f all
lands with Il view to their drainage
and reclamation. From 1861 to 1885
practically all of these were given
away to railroads by our various leg.s.,
natures. THEY NEVER DRAINED
IAN ACRE OF THEN EXCEPT AS
BECAME Me- ESSARY IN THE
BUILDING OF TIE LINE. A more
iwasteful disposition OF lands cannot
easily be imagined.
The Timber Lands.
In the northern half of this state
once grew the finest Of pine forests.
For over 80 years the one work has
been to first acquire the title. TINS has
been done by sales, by pre.emptions
and by homesteading. Careful explor..
ers estimated the timber. the next
thing was to secure the title. Practi-
,cally everything was taken as fast as
surveyed, and it may now be said that
the bulk has fallen into the hands Of
spectators, and at the minimum price
of $l.25 and $2.50 per acre. Ga lands
owned by the state and where tres.
passes were committed and detected,
the matters were adjusted as best they
could be. The saw and the axs have
been at work all these years and there
Is as much left us has been taken. Vast
corporations now control all that is
left. and both the general government
and tho state have been feeced att
every turn. /
The Mineral Lands.
The same may be SAID of the mineral
lands. Some 10 to Is years ago it be-.
gan to develop that iron ore in inn
mense quantities existed on the Yer. :
million aud Mesabi ranges. Then came
the day of the speculator, the explorer,
and later the millionaire. A sin gle IN.
stance will show some OF the ga ns and
losses In 1854 the state of Minnesota
had selected certain lands as indemnity
school lands. In 1877, however, these
selections were rellnquished. Two
private citizens claimed them as home.
steads although crow could not have
lived there. They ultimately turned
up in a company controlled by Rock
Teller. He in turn leased them to Gar.
negie for 5000, 900 in cash, and bonus
or royalty Of so cents per ton for so
years. The amount to be taken out
each year was at least 100000 tons.
This gave the Mountain Iron mine
value of fully s15,Ooo,0Oo. One of the
Merits placed the value at $40. 600, 900.
Meanwhile the state leases its mines
on royalty IS cents per ton.
E, OF the $500, 900 acres or thereabouts,
donated for our public school fund,
about 100000 acres have 80 far been
sold. The price averages less than SC
per acre. This, with receipts for
stumpage and royalties. makes the
school fund now about $4,000, 900.
THAT is TO SAY. ALL SUCH
SALES AND RECEIPTS ARE FAR
LESS THAN THEVALUE OF THAT
ONE MINE! Yet it once fairly be.
ionged to the school fund and was
afterwards lost. The legislature in
1897 took steps looking to its recovery.
The chances for success are infinitessi.
She Wanted Bare Facts.
The mayor of far western city once
received the following letter of inquiry:
KIND Respected Sir: l see in paper