Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-04-07
THE LEASiN SYSTEM.

The discussion between Governor
| Smith and the Rocky Mountain Hus-
| bandman, relative to the leasing OF pub
lie lands. is one that greatly concerns the
public, for it deals with a question close
ly identified with the best interests OF
the state. The governor Is committed
to the leasing idea to such an extent that
during his administration a large pro-
portion of the federal land grant has
been wasted in the procurement of lands
that are good for grazing purposes alone.
The rentals from such lands may amount
to a goodly sum in the aggregate. though
the rental price per acre is merely nomi-
nal. If enough of such lands have been
taken up to ensure a fair income from
rentals. so much the worse for the grant,.
for it means that in some division of the
grant comparatively few acres yet stand
to the credit of the state.
Under the terms of the grant these
lands cannot be sold for less than ten
dollars per acre. yet they have a pres
ent value of perhaps less than s. per
acre, and a prospective va lie that may
never exceed that sum. This means their
perpetual ownership by the state-that
Montana will never go out of the land
lord business-and will enjoy a meagre
income from cheap rentals.
More than a year ago the Inter Mount
ain took issue with the present admins
@tration as to the propriety of this course
of procedure on the part of the land de-
partment of the state. Many Of our
public institutions are dependent for
their future growth and development
upon the income from the federal land
grant. and if the grant be exhausted
through the procurement of lands which
can never be sold for the minimum price
of SO per acre. and from which only a
nominal entail can be drawn. the institu.
lions must suffer unless the taxpayers
!. 70 down into their pockets for the neces-
sary funds to sustain them.
At the time these matters were first
j., taken up and discussed in these columns.
/ his excellency flew into a age over the
: criticism implied, and after venting his
: spleen through the press declared that it
y was necessary to take up these grazing
lands inasmuch as no more agricultural
! lands were available in the public do
main! Thereupon the Inter Muonta1n
5 showed that there We're at that tim
4 something like 10000 acres of unappropri-
e ated agricultural lands in one county
y alone, which required irrigation only to
e make them blossom as the rose, While
other counties contained more or less
:, land of a similar type. Next to lands
4 tive, and which are first sought by the
original settler, are those which can be
made irrigable at the minimum expense
u The H~usbandman, in common with the
= Inter Mountain, dwelt at some length or
3 the desirability of a different method ir
" the selection of state lands under thu
70 federal grant.
3 Recently the subject was reopened b!
Governor Smith, who invited views IN tn
l3 leasing system, that he might reflect pub
/! lie sentiment when he conferred with 9th
Is err governors as to recommendations t.
Is the congress. The Husbandman at one
requested it's readers to protest agains
IA the leasing system, the result being tn
= receipt of letters to that effect at the exc
cutive office. His excellercy seems to b
as much annoyed at the expression o
"a public opinion along this line as he wa
over the views expressed in the column
e of the Inter Mountain. referring to tn
q editor of the H~usbandman he said: "Tha
le man makes me tired" No doubt. Mon
tana's chief executive told the truth
te The argument against carrying the leas
: = ing system to an extreme, SO ably brough
out in the columns of the Husbandman, /
E. enough to make his excellency tired.
ID Insofar as it is possible the federal Ian
grant should lay the foundation for NOR
~ homes, thereby swelling the income of GU
te institutional funds, and adding immeas
urably. to the population n prosperit
is of the state.
.1HE APE n7ASTAc -