The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1902-11-26
LESSEE ASSESSMENTS
CAUSING TROUBLE
Timber Waste Taxation Does
Not Sit Well With Those
Paying the Freight

watonea- Okla, Nov 26.-Much
dissatisfaction exis among lessees
who have received assessment notices
from the school land board The
Watonga Dispatch. one of the leading
Republican dailies of western oklaho-
ma. has taken up the fight in defense
of the lessees. In today's issue the
Dispatch thus answers the explana-
tions made by Governor Ferguson
and Secretary Houston,
A few days ago the Dispatch in re-
sponse to a request from some OF IL
le-seas alluded to the small assess
ment which the school land boards
s'special agent has levied upon les
sees for alleged timber wastes The
Dispatch simply asked for an explain
ion In reply the secretary Of the
l,oard gave out a two column explana-
ton of the powers and duties OF the
hoard Governor Ferguson, who Is
chairman of the beard, followed with
column against the Dispatch. The
ouestion raised was evaded entirely.
no time has the Dispatch question
I'd the powers of the board. 1t has
ALWAYS contended that the Republ can
marty has always dealt fairly and non
e.tlv with the lessees. But when
complaints come from some OF the
hest RepuDlican farmers in Blaine
county. It is the duty of an honest
Republican paper to act in their be
half. The Dispatch made no accusa-
tions. In Fastening to attack the Dis
patch the chairman did, as he has
of.en done before. accused himself
The Dispatch is not at all surprised
that the governors paper came 20 the
rescue Of the board rather than the
lessee In the campaign just closed II
was no one but Governor Ferguson
who defended ring of political trick
sters which. in this old Republican
stronghold, was defeated by 400 votes
The people take little notice of the
governors paper They have lost all
confidence in It. When it took it's
stand It the last campaign it eliminat-
ed itself as political factor in Okla
homa. The people are honest aid
they admire an honest paper
Now as to the a sessmeuts. The
explanation" says that if the lessee
is no guilty he may appear before the
board and make complaint In most
cases the assessment Is about SO. Is
II int and right that a lessee shall be
compelled to go to an expense OF $50
in going to Guthrie in order to keep
from paying a SO asse sment which a
special agent" has seen Mt to levy?
Furthermore. coupled with the 'ex-
pIanation" is threat to cancel Tease
Is It good Republicanism TO use such
a manner of coercion in order TO eX-
tract small assessment from the
lessee? Again, the Dispatch would
like to ask the governor of this terri
tory how much waste II would require
10 amount to 81 One walnut tree
would he worth ten times SO. There
isn't a tree grows thar would be worth
SO. The humor of assessing lease
SO for waste is enough TO amuse even
a school child. How accurate is th'
special agent who can go over q
quarter section of land and determine
a SO waste
The making of this special assess
ment Is certainly a humorous pro
ceeding Search Blackstone iron
Genesis to Revelation and We hn'
nothing to justify a law which make
one man q plaintiff and defendant a
the same time, II the school lan'
board has case against lie see VIII
doesn't IT bring il according to law
According to the explanation tn
lessee has the privilege of paying thi
assessment or having hi lease can
celled Such a proceeding certainl,
may be regarded as pure coercion. Tn
Dispatch has the names of lessees ii