Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1901-01-15

The provision OF the law permitting
those who have made entries in the
United States land Office 70 relinquish
the entries ana contract with the state
10 purchase the land az il25 per acre.
should be amended by requiring the en-
tryman to deposit with the state at
least 20 cents per acre as a condition
precedent To a contract tn buy the lana
after 1t has been selected by the state
and patented 10y the government A
larg percentage OF the cancellations OF
certificates OF sale Is Of relinquished
land. As no examination OF this land
is made by commissioner prior 10
selection, you Will readily understand
how the State can be imposed upon by
being made 10 become he owner OF
YalUeless tracts which have cost the
entrymen nothing beyond the govern
ment land office fees II deposit shall
be required, the entryman will either
not apply for a contract 0r he will make
payment for the land after PATENT
The field work of the slate board OF
land commissioners has been so les
sened by reason Of the adjustment OF
the preference night claims and the
advanced condition of the appraise-
ments Of school lands that ! suggest,
f. the interest OF economy. the reduc-
ton Of the membership 70 five instead
Of seven In my opinion this can be
done without injury 20 the service or
lessening the efficiency OF he board. II
Is apparent that 10 is only a matter OF
few years when the business viii
practically an be- conducted in the State
land office. meantime IL s our duty to
take such action as win De In the inter-
est OF economy without permitting the
service 20 suffer
In 1899 the Legislature re-enacted the
law creating and defining the powers
and duties Of The state board Of land
ee'am ssi0ners, which law appears In
the Revised Statutes as chapter one OF
title sixty-twO The repealing clause
OF the act of 1899 repeats an OF title six
ty-two Of the Revised statutes, which
includes chapter two, pIoyiiDe for the
acceptance of the conditions Of what Is
known as the Carey Act chapter three.
relating 20 the reservoir land grant
fund, and chapter four providing for
a REIMBURSEMENT OF the unsurveyed
school lands upon the condition that a
similar quantity of lands nay be Sc
lected from the surveyed ands. ] am
of the opinion that the repeal OF chap
tiers two, three and four Of the Re-
vised Statutes was an inadvertence,
and that there ought Go be legislation
upon each OF the subjects covered by
these chapters
The report by the secretary Of the
state board OF land commissioners for
the YEARS 1899 and 1890 show in de-
tail the operations OF the board for the
two wears, and the status q the busi-
ness to the end Of last year.
EDUCATION.
No more important duty nor one that
will be performed by you With greater
satisfaction. devolyes upon YOU than 10
provide for the education ot The children
OF the State The history Of modern
civilization teaches that IN The struggle
for supremacy the highest results are
attained not by the State most richly
endowed by nature but by the State
that best succeeds IN training Its citi-
zens for all the duties OF life. Our
school children constitute our richest
resource and the measure OF our future
greatness will be In comparison 10 the
educational advantages We Afford them.
II is a source Of pride 20 all our citizens
that the public schools OF this state
have attained their present hlgh stand
ard Of excellence and ! am confident
that the universal sentiment OF the tax
payer is that their efficiency must In no
manner be impaired but rather II pos
sible, increased.
The State superintendent OF public In
struction in her biennial report states
that there has been gradual improve
ment In the condition oi me schools
during the past two years that they
are more carefully graded more and
better teachers employed q lightly In
creased average salary pad md a much
larger number OF school p3rllation en-
rolled; also. that there seems TO be ar
the present widespread and intelll-
gent interest IN an departments OF edu-
cation throughout the state she re-
ports a total enrolment Of Ails school
children. and estimates he total
amount expended for their education,
from all sources. s. 49Gifo or $40 per
capita for the two years, or wy per cap
tia per annum. She directs attention TO
the improper use OF school money by
school boards IN that funds ap Poruone1
for maintenance OF the schools is fire.
quently diverted 90 the purchase OF ap-
paratus and supplies. and ne ASKS that
the law be amended by pu,tlng the
funds back into the hands " county
treasurers instead Of school poards. She
repeats also numerous rcc1mm endatlons
made by her predecessor To- ONCE for
improvements 10 the sChoo. law, the
most important of which Is mat the
present school district orgl tation OF
county schools b. cons1llia',u INTO a
single district In each county. 70 De con-
trolled by the county board oi educa-
ton. | commend these Questions TO
your favorable consideration
In this connection O. becomes my
painful duty 20 announce 70 you the
death. which occurred IN september
last. Of former State super ntendent
DR.. John r. Park. believe tnat his
valuable services 90 the ciuehional in
terests Of the State the c1nsalenuous
DISCHARGE OF his official duties and the
irreparable loss suffered oy me com
munity In his demise call t'f Y S9iuuons
OF respect 10 his memory, ana doubt
not there are those among you VINO have
been pupils Of his who viii lard II a
labor OF love 20 lndite them MI the
vacancy so occasloned / appointed Mrs.
Emma ]. McVicker. who Immediately
took possession OF the Office, clmpleted
the biennial report which Dr. FaFk had