The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-08-19

Il
sub-leasing ana Faek-renfing. It shows
too plainly what possibilities are IN the
land. A man rents a quarter from the
| for SO to SO or more. Is anything
more likely to send UP the rentals over
the whole district. These things cannot
help being common knowledge.
But, you say, such things cannot exist
for there Is Law forbidding one man to
lease more than one quarter section, and
q rule which prevents sub-rentIng. Quite
so. but the polite and artistic thing now
Is fr man simply to "cntroI'' several
pieces OF this land The name Is I'm
material and at 8 pinch a list Of names
OF friends back east or down south
vii lreaGily give one the desired "'eon-
troll" It Is thus a matter OF common
knowledge that In Cleveland county one
man controls" In his family or other
wise eight quarter sections Of school
land In the indemnity lands. as l am
credibly informed. this q common and
also very proper thing. see by the new
lettings the board follow strictly the
course thus already mapped out by itself.
feature giving promise OF much future
annoyance vii Ihave been quietly nipped
in the bud
The non-competitive feature IN the re-
letting as adopted by the present board
meets my cordial approval. qualified onsy
by my desire to see first the adoption Of
the reforms as outlined above. When
generally understood. It must meet tire
approval OF ALL Competitive leasing
must lead inevitably TO rack-renting and
to7iumerous questionable practices whose
purpose woulc be to dispossess the lessee
and to deprive him unfairly-of much Of
the value Of his improvements. 1t would
discourage OF chard planting. well digging.
substantial fencing and all forms Of per-
manent IMPROVEMENT. cause anxiety and
feeling Of insecurity everywhere II pre-
vail. and ruin the lands with grah-all.
thriftleSs tillage. The state Is indiifer-
ent who tills her lands provided a fair
equivalent be rendered for the advantage
thus conferred. The fair equivalent can
be secured by fair appraisement o: the
land without competition; and secu.ity.
thrift, contentment and stability will
prevail For these reasons q longer lease
period with proper provisos will best
serve the state and the lessee when stale
hood Is sacufsd, ard that pord0n Of oLT
constitution dealing with the school
lands must be the object of our most So
licitous care. Last winter in my talk be-
fore the legislature at Norman I charg-
the political parties of the territory,
without exception. with cowardice on this
question. and still affirm the charge. 1t
- 49,
years now and has grown to be the most |
question In our territorial life |
the question Of the ultimate disposition |
Of public land grant that will eventu-,
ally reach near two million acres-and |
I have yet to hear the first whisper Of |
suggestion of policy from any political |
party or party leader. Its manner OF So !
luton will affect the generations !
through all future time; beside IL immedi- |
ate statehood is insignificant and even |
free homes becomes an issue of lesser I'm
portance. predict an suspicious politi- I
cal future for any political party what
soever that can so far discern the ulti-
mate Judgment Of the people OF Okla
homa as to come out squarely on a plat
form and say without equivocation: a. |
1--WE shall oppose the sale OF the public
lands OF Oklahoma. C2) We shall oppose
speculation in these lands. go We shall
oppose the granting Of any perpetual
leases. 90 We shall oppose the rack
renting Of these lands. (0 We believe
the interests Of the state and Of the les
sees will be best conserved by the grant,
ng Of long leases, not to exceed fifty 90 !
years, to the present occupants OF these
ands, and pledge ourselves TO secure the
'ame. go We believe an equivalent, just
Ind fair to the lessee and to the state,
should be rendered to the state for the
lse OF these lands. 90 We stand for a
'eappraisal of these lands free from DO
itical control and based on the valua-
ion Of the land regardless OF improve
nents thereon. at intervals not to exceed
EN- % years apart. 80 We stand for an
Of these lands and their
unds that shall be free from all partisan
90 We pledge our party's aid
n securing the best possible constitu-
or the preservation of
his trust"
In all sincerity, believe me. sirs, most
ruly yours, F.S. ELDER.
University OF Oklahoma, Norman. o. T,
August IA, 1899.