The Rich Hill tribune. (Rich Hill, Mo.) 1903-1911, 1903-12-03
UP IN ARMS
SCHOOL LAND LEssEEe PRO-
TESTING AGAINST RAISE.
MANY FARMERS GATHER N GUTHRIE
School Land Board Holding . week'e
Session Thefe-covsrnoF Ferguson
Declares That Rents Are Not Yet
Up q the Real Value Of the Lard
ms That mors Could ss Secured.

GUTHRIE, o. Especially School
lessees from every county Ia Okia-
homa are IN Guthrie 10 protest against
the advance IN rental OF school lands
that was made al the last meeting OF
the board, which Is composed Of five
disinterested men named BY the gov
ernor, auditor and secretary. These
five men reappraised the school lands
At that time and made advances on
rental prices ranging from $50 to si00
on q school tract.
The board has met In special ses-
sion and will sit for six days. Lessees
who are able to show that their rental
has been fixed too high viii be heard.
Il need only a visit 70 the territorial
offices 10 realize that there are plenty
OF Indignant iessees here to protest
against the raises that have been or
dered on their tracts.
The school land l~essees, about 1000
In number, are thoroughly organized
IN every county for political purposes
and the present gathering here n
their ialtiai movement IN Oklahoma
Politics. The school land lessee pro-
position has grown to be a political
Issue In Oklahoma that promises to
figure extensively Ia the political fn-
ture OF the territory. Ry making a
public demonstration here at this ume.
Is they are seeking 10 do. It viii ma
turaiIy serve 10 align them against
land owners and tax payers.
The incorporation Of a clause In
Delegate McGuire's statehood bill 70
ferring to school land lesees prefer
entail right Of purchase when the
school lands are placed on ale has
already stirred up a great deal Of talk
ana comment. Il is argued b. many
tax payers and iand holders that Tho
disposition oI school lands Is not a
preIogAsiye OF congress and that the
matter ought to be left Ia the hands
OF territorial citizens aione.
School iasd lessees are farmers
who are renting the land reserved By
the government for school purposes.
Sections is and &c we're reserved In
every township Of these counties. I0-
gan. Payne. Klnefisher. Oklahoma.
Cleveland. Canadian. Blaine. Dewey,
Day, Roger Mills. wSshita, Custer.
On each section are four .~ieasecs, who
pay an annual rental 10 Tho territory
for the use of The lands for farming
purposes. Ia other ccunt!es. four Sec
tioas ara reserved In each sosuship,
sections Is. -. ~ aud SO.
In talking Of the school land lessee
proposition Ferguson said;
III every school land lesaec In the
territory should to-day refuse % ac-
cept biz lease Tor the ensuing term.
AZ the figures designated By Tho
equalization board. ne would place the
land on the market. secure a good
bonus Tor the privilege of renting IL.
and IN addition get just a. much reut
for tbs lands as that filed By me
board.
For instance. a man from Woods
county. a lessee. called on nc regard
ms this very question. He said; I
have q ~neighbor. a Lessee. who de-
ciares that. unless the board VII re-
duoe the ses rental value annually
placed on his school quarter BY the
equalization board. he will refuse 10
take the lease Tor another term. n
that lessee does not take bis lease az
SIS per aunam. I wfi pay The terri
tory $3.50 Tor the same tract ef land.
Out Of the 100 acres there arc l9g
acres Of Il In wheat every year. yield
ing a bis average