The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-03-18
KILLS ANOTHER ONE
Governor Barnes VetOeS the
School Land Bill.
WARRANT BILL Is LAW
Secretary Jenkins Says, Till
the Courts Say No.

Guthrie, o. T, arch 1Z-Cspecial)-
Governor Barnes gives his reasons for re
fusing to approve the school land bill
passed by the legislature in the following
open letter addressed TO the respective
chairmen Of the public lands committees
Of both houses:
Hon. J. P. Candy. chairman committe on
public lands in the council, and Hon. W.
H. Ferten, chairman committee on pub
lie lands in the house.
Gentlemen-I have had under careful
consideration house bill No. 26. entitled,
IAN act TO create territorial land Office
and a commissioner thereof etc, and find
the same 50 full Of incongruiries and in
consistences, 50 short Of creating a good
system Of administration and control Of
our public lands, 50 backing IN the neces-
sary provisions to safeguard the funds
arising from the leases Of said lands and
so generally unsatisfactory that have
determined to withhold my signature
from the bin.
would be most happy to have signed
q
torial system Of management Of these
lands and funds and such a bill, / am in,
formed. was perfected after some weeks
OF careful. study and investigation Of the
various important questions involved by
your committees acting jointly, a bill
which met the approval of the secretary
Of the school land board and the president
Of the lessees association, but the house
and council in the hurry and meagre con-
sideration given this measure so riddIed
it with amendments that the bill as passed
bears no resemblance 10 the bill as per-
fected after so much careful labor by
your committees acting jointly.
have been informed bys ONE Of the
members of both houses that voted for
this bill that they did so 50 reluctantly
ard. advised by them that it would be
better to try again two years hence than
10 sign this one. I have also letters from
prominent gentlemmen in all parts of
the territory, including the secretary Of
the cattlemen's association and the presi-
dent Of the school land lessees associa-
ton, requesting men OF to sign the bill.
have felt it my duty TO yourselves and
others to give the reasons which actucte
me in this matter as above stated, to
which I viii add a few notes in regard
10 the provisions Of the biz for your in
formation and that of the people interes-
ted.
Section o denies TO non-residents the
right TO release school land. any citi-
Zens of other states are already Iesseec.
This is a practical confscation of the prop
erty aond a denial OF this constitutional
right that citizens "of each state shall
be entitled TO aal the privileges and i'm
munities Of citizens in the several states"
No provision whatever is made for the
payment Of the sum Of S1.56S demanded by
the commissioner of the general land office
for the fees OF registers and receivers of
the United States Offices for the selec-
tons OF indemnity lands in the Guthrie.
Woodward and Oklahoma land districts.
which is now pendinw on appeal before
the secretary Of the interior and. If the
secretary of the interior ahirms the de-
cision, these selections would be subject
10 cancellation. The territory has already
paid an agent over $4,000 To make the
selections. The secretary Of the school
land board, on page four of his report
called the attention of the legislature as
sembly 10 the fact tina thtis suit was
and the governor in his message urged
legislative action to secure a remission Of
these charges.
Sections and 2 create board Of trus-
tees. non-partisan in politics. does not fix