The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-06
SCHOOL LAND LESSEES
in Delegate Convention in
Oklahoma City.
TO UNITE ON DEMANDS
For Presentation to the Com
ing Legislature

Oklahoma City, o. T, Jan. 5.-(Special.)
Delegates representing the several thou
sand school land lessees of the territory
met in convention here today for the pur-
pose of exchanging views and to agree,
| if possible, upon the salient needs of the
lessees in the way of legislation. The
| leasing and regulation of the vast acres
of school lands in a manner that is just
and fair to the lessee and equally fair and
| just to the interests Of the school fund,
/ is admittedly the most serious problem
confronting the legislature. On the one
/ hand are something like 1000 lessees of
school lands who are entitled TO the pro-
lection Of the law; on the other hand
are the 100000 school children land their
! tribe is increasingly, whose education is
/ largely based upon the money derived
4 from the school lands. The school land
lessees are fairly well organized and rep
| resent a solid political force, and the
| only reason that their efforts to secure
! legislation failed in the past has been a
lack Of uniformity in ideas. TOday's con-
vention developed that there is a decided
disposition among the lessees to demand
nothing but what is fair and just, but
there was also a diversity of opinion as
to what constitutes a fair and just
measure The convention was unanimous
ly and heartily in accord with School
Land Secretary Filson's recommendation
that competitive bidding be abolished, but
mere was some opposition to the recon-
mendation that a new appraisement be
made at the expiration OF the lease. Pres
ident Hennessy in an address urged a
greater unanimity of sentiment among
the lessees, and cited the failure to secure
IGoiSl3 Of ba
inharmony Of ideas as to what was want
ed. Representative J. W. Scott of Cliff
ton, himself a lessee, and representing
more school land than any other mem Der
OF the legislature, was present and brief
ly addressed the convention, pledging his
hearty support to any measure that would
be fair in its terms. He announced that
in anticipation of school land legislation
he had alreadey prepared a bill, the chief
features of which were the abrogation of
competitive bidding; continuing leases
without REIMBURSEMENT, and providing
for 81 school board on the present lines.
Senator Sidney Clarke followed Mr..
Scott and durged the necessity of intro
ducing bill looking toward school land
legislation at an early stage of the ses-
sion. He said there was a general dis
position to put the school funds in the
hands of bonded officer and to create
responsible board of school land COM
missioners, and in this connection he Sc
vereiy criticized what he termed the ex-
travagant disposition of the present
boardd in handling the school funds. The
following resolutions were adopted by the
convention: T.s,s.
1--WE, the lessees Of the school lands
of Oklahoma Territory. demand of the
legislature that they enact such laws as
will give the lessee preference right in
releasing without competition
I'VE demand that breaking, clearing
fencing. buildings, wells. ponds. shade
trees, fruit trees, vines, or any kind of
improvements necessary to work and get
benefit out of land be appraised at full
value A
I'VE demand that Is per cent of the
lease money now derived from the leasing
Of indemnity lands be returned TO the
various school districts in said lands TO
help maintain public schools, it being i'm
possible for them to keep schools longer
than three months under the present sys-
tenn 3"