The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-10-03
j. j. HOUSTON
TALKS ABOUT
SCH00LE LAND
Tells Col. Seward That DEM
ocratic Talk Is BunCOmbe.
CITES SECTION OF LAW
Letter Which Throws Light on
the Matter.

Guthrie, o. T, Oct. Numerous in
uuiries have been made at the school
land Office relative to the provisions in
the FLYNN statehood bill relative TO the
disposition Of the territorial school and
when Oklahoma gets an enabling act
II response TO a letter from Colonel Tom
=. saward of Perry, Secretary James J.
Houston gives the sections in the bhi
referring to the school land and explains
their meaning. The letter is as follows;
Dear Colonel: You ask me concerning
the provisions in the Flynn statehood
bill for the disposition Of the sehooi
lands and other lands when the state OF
Oklahoma secures title thereto.
THE bin as published in the news
rapers and which have reason 10 be-
leve is correct, contains four sections
touching this matter, numbered Z, 8
and 10. Section Z grants to the state
sections 16 and S6 in every township for
the support Of common schools; section
s grants sections 13 and 30 for charitable.
educational and penal institutions and
capitol buildings, and provides that pro-
ceeds Of lands reserved for educational
institutions shall constitute a permanent
fund. the income Of which shall be used
for the support of such institutions IN
Ger state control; section 9 provides for
the disposition of lands in sections l6
and Sc reserved for the benefit Of the
common schools of Oklahoma, and sec
tion - provides for the disposition of
lands in sections 13 and 30, and are as
follows:
Sec. 9. That said sections IS and
Se, and lands taken in lieu thereof, here
in granted for the support of the COM
mon schools. shall be disposed of only
at public sale. preference right to pur-
chase being given to the lessee at the
time Of such sale. the proceeds to con
stitute a permanent school fund. the in
terest Of which only shall be expended
in the support Of such schools. But said
lands may under such regulations as The
legislature may prescribe, be leased for
periods not to. exceed five years; and
such lands shall not be subject to home
stead entry under the land laws Of the
United States. whether surveyed or un-
surveyed, but shall be reserved for school
purposes only.
Sec 1o.-That said sections 13 and SS
aforesaid when sold shall be disposed of.
a public sale as the legislature Of said
state may prescribe pueference right to
purchase being given TO the lessee at the
time Of such SALE but the SANE may he
leased for periods Of not more than five
years. under such rules and regulations
as the legislature shall prescribe and
shan not be subject TO homestead entry
under the land laws Of the United States.
whether surveyed or Gnsurveyed. but
shall be reserved for designated purposes
only. and until such time as the legisla-
tuTe- shall prescribe the same shall be
leased under existing rules
In Sections and 10 of the bill the gen
eral provisions are the same, neither
section forbids the sale Il the respentive
lands and each section implies that the
lands may be sold and recites that If
sold they shah be disposed of at public
sale. and both provide that the prefer
ence right to purchase the land shall be
given to The person who is the lessee at
the time of sale. Both sections further
provide that if the lands are not sold
that they shall be leased in periods OF
rot less than FIVE years. and that they
SHAH not be subject to homestead entry.
but shall be disposed of for the purposes
for which they are designated.
The general wording Of the sections -
the same. and it is very evident that TIE
intent of both sections is the same The
only distinct difference in the provisions
IS that Section 9 provides that the pro-
ceeds Of The school land shall constitute
q permanent fund. only the interest Of
which may be used: Section 10 does not
contain this provision although Section