Omaha daily bee., 1902-07-06
FREE HIGH SCHOOLS
hot . County in the ststs Votes in Favor Of
Them At Spring Elections.
PEOPLE misunderstood PROPOSITION
fudge Frost Decides that State Board
of Public Lands and Buildings
Has Direct Control of
Saline Lands.
tFrom a stan correspondent.l

LINCOLN, July ~5.-(special.) free
High school attendance proposition for
country schools has again been defeated
In nearly every county in the state-in fact,
no county has been heard from where 1t was
not defeated. Last year the proposition
was submitted in nearly all counties where
It could be adopted and defeated in all
but Douglas.
9TH school people Of the state will soon
begin to realize that although the cities and
VILLAGES Of the state are often too ambi-
tious to build up high schools with two,
three and four-year courses, the people OF
the rural communities, the farmers and
ranchmen, desire no lot or share in them, 4"
said Superintendent Fowler, commenting
upon the defeat Of the proposition. The
adjunct district proposition, however, is
still largely misunderstood. II carried In
Douglas county a year ago and no high
schools have been erected there, nor will
there be. The independent rural school dis
tricts are unaffected and will continue to
be. No bonds have been voted and none
are necessary. The adjunct district has no
officers, no organization, no school houses,
no bonds. It simply opens up the existing
high schools in the cities and villages to
the graduates Of the country schools and
their tuition is paid by a county levy Of
1 or 2 mills. The country school district
remain the same, each self governing, with
q board of three members, whether the
county has an adjunct district for high
school purposes or not"
Control of Saline Lands.
A decree was given in the district court
today sustaining the law which gives the
State Board OF Public Lands and Build
lH.. Al-.aS AA-N-.I - A.. -. Izl- "a
the state. The validity Of the act has long
been in dispute, but so far as known has
never before been passed upon in court.
The decision is by Judge Frost.
The enabling act Of congress, passed in
1863. provided that all salt springs in
the state, not exceeding twelve in mum
Der, with six sections Of and adjoining
OF as contiguous as may be to each, should
be granted to the state for its use and
when selected by the governor we're to be
used or disposed OF on such terms as the
legislature might direct, and that tho
Board OF Public Lands and Buildings should
have charge Of the leasing and sale Of the
lands. s. w. Burnham of this city held a con-
tract with the board for the sale OF one piece
Of land and the lease OF another
The Board of Educational Lands and Fund
declared the contract forfeited. The con.
hict was between the enabling act and
the constitution. The former provided thai
the lands should be disposed OF as directed
by the legislature and the constitution
provided that the permanent school fund
should be made up. among other things, Of
the proceeds of all lands that might b
granted to the state, where by the terms
and conditions of such grant they were no
otherwise appropriated. Judge Frost held
that the words not otherwise appropri'
ated,' made a distinction in favor Of tht
law in question and so held.
The nominees of the Lancaster county
republican convention this afternoon tool
the preliminary step Of their campaign
by e~lecting officers for the central commit
tee. Those chosen are: John II. Stewart
chairman; Walter P. Dawson. secretary
and Luther p. Ludden, treasurer. Mr.
Dawson was reelected, but the other
are new ~of1cials. Headquarters will 500
be opened. The first work will be in tn,
organization of the precinct workers.
AL the Offices at the etatehouse wer
closed by Acting Governor Steele this aft
ernoon in respect to the late H. c. Rus
sell, sx-commissioner OF public lands ant
buildings. whose funeral took place toda,
in Schuyler. A delegation Of Grand Arm,
men Of this city went to Schuyler thi
morning to attend the funeral.