The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1901-1901, 1901-05-18
SATURDAY, MAY IS, 1901.
THE STATE LANDS.

d VlCllIu " Tie lduu Teasing system
than Flathead, that is Choteau, whose
best lands, like ours, were included in
the selections for school and univer-
sity purposes. The leasing question
as applied to to public lands has been
agitating the western country for
three years past and the general gov
eminent has concluded after mil
lion protests, that leasing is not a
proper disposal of the public lands
The state is now up against similar
proposition with proportionate op-
position to the leasing plan and the
board, which is a count of last re-
sort as far as the project is concern
ed, seems to be nearly equally divid-
ed.
Lands which are leased may be i'm
proved. but the improvements are not
reckoned in when the lease expires
and another man shows up as bid
der for the privilege and compels the
first lessee to hypothecate the cost
of his own improvements and pay
usury for his own expenditures. There
is another proposition and that is the
timber land, which if sold even for
the timber alone, and denuded of
trees, is put in shape for farmer to
come along after it is abandoned and
get possession of it at a nominal
figure, burn out the stumps and nut
in crop. This is the only way the
Industrious but impecunious agricul-
turist is likely to obtain these lands
at present prices, but it is not bad
proposition for the timber buyer, who
wants the land only for the timber
The present value of nearly all the
land held by the state, excepting
timber is less than the price at
which it must be sold. Advocates of
leasing hold that the land will in
crease in value as time rolls on. Prob
ably it will. There are many differ
ent opinions in as many different To-
calities. Referring to the various
opinions promulgated upon this
question, the Muscular exploits both
sides and portion of very readable
and interesting article follows:
ION the other hand those who advo.
cate selling state lands, and especial
ly agricultural lands, hold that the
maintenance of the leasing system re-
tards immigration; that lands sold to
actual settlers would become more
valuable and that taxation of free
holders would put more money into
the school funds than the lease sys-
tenn does. Senator Paris Gibson as
serts that thousands of acres OF
bench lands in Northern Montana
which are classed as non-agricultur
al because of lack of water are really
arabic lands and that irrigation is not
needed; that splendid grain crops
can be raised without water artificial
ly applied. No man in Montana is
better posted on it's agricultural re
sources than Senator Gibson. Wha
he says has weight. There is M
doubt that in northern Montana there
are bench lands on which good grail
crops can be grown without irriga
ton, but dozen settlers would bu
land under ditch where one farme
could be found willing to buy lam
and to depend upon the elements t
produce his crops. The whole thin
in a nutshell is this: Crops can
raised without irrigation in norther
Montana but much better crops ca
be raised with water. This has
bearing but is not the whole thini
No doubt there are thousands
acres of valuable lands in norther
Montana now utilized for herdin
purposes which could be cut up in'
small farms and this should be don
Any man who tills land would rath'