Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1901-01-19

POINTED PETITION
Some Suggestions to the Coming
Territorial Legislature,
Offered BY EDUCATIONAL ASSOCIATION

Al the recent meeting In 3aup W.
tho Terttorlai educational association
adopted the petition witch follows. 20
be presented TO the coming leEslaturs
Gentlemen " the Council AMI HOUSE
% Representatives % tho TNirty.
Fourth Legislative Assembly OF New
Mexico
The educational association ~ NV
Mexico respectfully asks your awful
consideration Of tho following petRoni
Since it b probable that New Msviso
will soon assume iia rightful and prop
er place az ono ~ the states in our
grand union. and since. on uuth an
event u IL customary for the general
government TO give g. the u 5omiuE
state grant Of land to ala ~ common
schools, colleges and o,her public Ia.
sthuti0ns, W., Therefore AJAX that yuu
Will unite In petitloning congress to DO
nate to our beloved comnnonweA IA
grant OF land commemorate vi. N oer
necessities.
At the present time the gpOa-il roV-
ernmeut - paying much attention O.
swing our distant. but recently aouuir-
cd island p1sscasi0us the advantages u
pVblic schools. New Mexico was ac-
Quircd over hair a century ago by the
the United States and Ga s1moth NIX the
same way AZ Puerto Rlao and the
Ph lippines. BH our territory received
scarcely any attention from the general
government IN educational matters. un-
til about three years ago she secured a
partial grant % school lands which are
iust beginning TO bring In an income
our need Of aid In uhcso matters has
been great az all times
II h well known to YOU that our t,cst
land Ia already included Ia the numcr.
Gus land and railroad grants Indln
and military reservations. and govern
ment entries. SO that very little sod
or even agricultural OF grazing land re-
mains. out OF which 10 scleot the land
which congress may give TO us.
by the grant OF 1855. the territory was
restricted from securing mineral land
Of any kind. Or from SELLING timber on
leased land. A. the future OF New
Mexico depends largely on the develop
meut Of our mineral resources. Il l. but
natural and right 90 expect that uhcsc
mineral resources should assist in ald
ms ana supporting our school system
and oshor pubiio institutions.
In making a Donation of land for our
common schools congress will probab-
iy give sections Of definite number
Ia each township throughout the ter
ritory II is apparent 90 each OF you
that the majority of these sections
Tor agricultural or grazing purposes,
although a very few may contain min
erals. Therefore 70 obtain reason
able and fair donation OF land. IN &C
tual value a much larger grant than
usual, at such times. should DE given.
also whatever minerals these lands
may contain should 80 with a. II II
doubtless well known TO you that she
funds now being raised for the main
tenance Of schools are insufficient,
Many districts having 100 school chill.
dren. are unable. for lack OF funds. TO
have more than three or four months
% school per year, Numerous small
settlements. containing from ten to-
thirty school children. have no school
facilities az all
Therefore we ask that you petition
congress that whenever statehood Il
acquired by New Mexico IN addition
20 what has already been given 20 her
there shall be granted sor the common
schools. four sections IA each township
or their equivalents. throughout the
state. and also Ave per cent OF the pro
ceeds OF the sales of public lsnds made
subsequent 10 this donation. for the
university. the agricultural college ana
the normal schools. 200 600 anres each.
for the school OF Mines. military insti-
tue, Reform school, Deaf and Dumb
asylum. and Institution for the Blind.
100 coo acres each. The school lands
given 20 the state OF Missouri were
sold at an average Of about ti7s per
acre. Thousands Of acres o. these very
lands would to-day, with ordinary i'm.
provements. bring an annual rental OF
from one 20 two times their original
cost.
The lowest price al witch Nebraska
sold her school land was 81 per acre.
After selling the larger part OF her
good land at this price or above n. Ne
braska discovered that Il was poor
policy 20 sell any OF her land oven
the poorest 30 she withdrew II all
from the market, keeping tho land It.
self a. an investment and renting Il.
Educational lands have been given By
congress 90 that the states might have
a permanent income for supporting a
liberal system OF public instruction
when the land has been sold. the pro-
eeds nave been Invested IN state. cuun-
y, or city bonds. or IN similar aecuri-
t.eH AZ the county grows older. the
rate OF interest on such securities IL
liable 20 decrease and good paying Sc
curities become hard % dnd, while
the rental value n land r. sure to IN
crease Among finanoiers OF All eoun-
tries. real estate has always been con
sldered az the best and safest invest
ment 70 be- found WHY then should
our educational lands be sold At sll'
Oklahoma has never sold any N the
educational lands given 70 her, but
adopted the system % leasing them
During The present year. up 20 Nov
s0th. she had raised by this system
over 1890 900. or more than half Of the
entire cost Of her public school sys'
TEN. and about x Of the entire amount
expended for public education IN New
Mexico. The state OF Texas last yeai
had an income Of tts5.0o0 from LEASING
land.
Two yeas ago the lsgislhtuc adopte'