The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-01-08
FAR. FL8lTTS REPORT
0kIahoma's School Land In
come Is Immense.
NEW LAWS SUGGESTED
To Meet Conditions Arising
Out of Future Openings,

Guthrie. O. T. Jan. THE operations
Of the school land leasing Board during
the past two years are exhibited in the
biennial report Of Secretary iFlson. or
the board. to the governor. The report,
besides showing receipts and expenditures
for the biennial period gives the history
Of legislation. congressional and terrific
rial, relating TO the territory's school
lands and in an appendix recites the acts
. by text, as also the rules and regulations
. Of the school land leasing board. Recon-
mendations for the future management
( of the school lands are made, the chief Of
which are to the effect that the present
rules and regulations adopted by the
board should be enacted into law, and
that a permanent public land system
should he established under commits
sioner Of public lands. Under this latter
head the report says in part:
"The rules adopted by the board May
@ 1890 have met the cordial approval Of
all persons interested in school land leg
islation and so well adopted to the bust
ness control of the trust that believe
that ] voice the general sentiment Of all
persons interested, however remotely, in
the administration Of school land matters.
when I urge that these rules, as nearly as
! possible. be enacted int claw; they are
reult of ten years experience in the man
+ aeoment Of these lands. and emb0dy in a
sary to protect the interests of the terri
tory and the lessees, and the people gen
orally are familiar with the procedure
and details governing the management
1 ana control Of the lands. The
costly failures Of many Of the states in
( dealing with their public lands makes It
more apparent that Oklahoma should at
once establish permanent public land
system on a strictly business basis. The
character Of the work to be done seems
to demand the creation of the Office Of
/ commissioner of public lands. who shall
be clothed in authority to lease the lands
under certain regulations, having how
ever discretionary powers jim matters suf-
0cient to prevent frauds and sharp prac-
tees under the gUisa OF technicalities."
Leeislatio mis- recommended for the
guarding of the territory's school lands
interests in the Kiowa and Commando
country when ct is opened Lands to be
selected in lieu Of allotments. it is esti-
mated VIII aggregate $1,000 acres. The
United States statutes ON the case allows
a fee Of IS Der quarter section on lands
So selected and there win he no other ex-
peuse on this point the report con-
tinues: "Tae Office is already in receipt
Of hundreds Of lSfte-s from persons who
arc DESTROYS Of leasing lands in the Kio-
wa and Comarche country, and as it now
seems certain that school lands VIII be IN
greater demand than there has ever been
known before, It is very essential that
the rights Of The territory as wen as the
interests of the lessees should be jealous
II guarded against the wiles of the spec
ulator and others who are seeking to OBJ
tain control of these lands and by prope
legislation make 1t possible and easy for
the lands ODE rented by residents and
settlers of the reservation who will de-
vel0p them and increase their value"
f The present powers Of the territorial leg
islature I'm the school land matter are
limited to prescribing rules and regula-
tons for a leasing system; it VIII take
statehood to effect any change t Ga sale
policy. but tin that event transpires the
territorial legislature has full power
within the leasing sphere. 1t has not
used it effectively, however, i'm any i'm
portant degree, and the matter Of admin
i=tration rests where congress placed it,
Ia the hands Of a board composed Of the
governor. secretary of the territory and
ia. g. b.,