The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-12-08
GOVERNOR ON
SCHOOL LANDS
1t Does Not Belong to the
LesSeeS.
THEIR RIGHTS LIMITED
Land Must Be Held in Trust
for School Funds.

Watonga, o. T., Dec. I'm an editorial
in the Watonga Repub.can, Gov. Fer
guson thus outlines his policy in refer
ence to school land leases:
The school lands in Oklahoma Go not
belong to the lessees Not by any means.
The lessees are renters. They have none
of the rights OF ownership in the land.
The improvements are theirs, but not the
land. Congress set apart these lands for
the use of the children OF Oklahoma. sub
1ect to disposition by the future state.
Until the state takes action the lands be-
long TO the government, to be held in
trust by the territory for the benefit OF
the school fund and for the other pur-
poses indicated in the various acts of con-
gress-public buildings, educational insti
tutions. etc The lessee should, and will,
be protected in his Improvements. When
ever Il lessee cannot see his way clear 10
release, his improvements will be apprais-
ed and the lessee who succeeds him should
be required to pay for all improvements
before his lease is executed. That WI
protect the lessee in every dollars worth
Of improvements which he puts on the
lease. That is all that he can consistent
" ask. When these lands were set apart
by the government no right other than n
renters right was contemplated for the
lessee. The policy of the school land
board land board has gone further than
congress in protecting the lessee in his
improvements at the expiration Of his
lease. The school land board has gone
further than this and proposes to protect
the lessee in his improvements-to see
that he is paid for breaking. orchards and
such other improvements that cannot be
moved.
We are all more or less selfish. The les
see wants the land at very low rate of
rental. in fact, in the main, he wants it
at about one-fourtn of the price for which
the farmer just across the road from him
rents a piece of similar land with about
the same improvements. This. would be
wroneing the school children of Oklaho-
ma. 1t is true that the school land oce
could play politics and pet the lessees
for political advantage but it would be
wrong and dishonorable. The lessee
should be treated right. His interests
should be carefully guarded and care
taken that no injustice is done him, but
on the other hand he mus, and will not
be favored at the expense of the school
children of Oklahoma. He must pay
rentals in proportion to the prices paid to
individuals fer improved lands.
At this point the lessee comes in with
the claim that the improvements are his
True. but ne will get paid for them when
he ceases TO rent the land and when II
is rented to- another. His successor on
the land viii! !sbe required to pay an equit-
ablep rice for the improvements put on
by the retiring lessee. Leases have been
sent over the territory all the way from
800 to $500 per quarter section. Yet tho
lessee in some instances wants to rent
lands for prices away below prices paid
to inCividuals for similar lands or even
below the amounts PAID for taxes by in
dividuals One lessee sold a lease for
$500. yet ne had paid $50 annual rental,
ard 10 taxes on the land.
Recently the board of school land ap-
praisers raised the rentals in certain por-
tions of the territory. In some instances
mistakes may have been made BY the
viewers who reported on these lands and
wherever the fact can be ascertained that
such has been done the matter will be
adjusted and the rental lowered Again
the viewers have reported other pieces
of land in a mannr which has resulted
in rental that is too low. II such Is dis
covered to be the case the rental will
be raised Presuming that there are some
inequalities in assessing rentals, in the
main the prices fixed arc not nearly so
high as the prices paid 10 individuals
for land OF about the same quality and
about the same improvement. Suppose
that every lessee whose lease viii expire
next January should refuse TO lease again.
there are thousands OF persons in Okla
homa who would gladly pay for the i'm
provements and take the leases at the
prices set 10y the board Of appraisers.
in some instances would-be lessees have
offered to double the rental upon some Of
the quarters where the lessee IS now pro-
testing against the raise. These lands
would find ready renters even at prices
away in advance OF any which have ever
been assessed in the territory. Why is It
that these school lands have been in sucl
great demand? Why IS il that leases read
ily sell all the way from 500 10 5000?
SIMPLY because there HaS VceH snap
in itf or the renter. The lessee knows that
they have been getting these lsnts ot
prices awav below their rental prices
There IS nod ispositioH on the part Of the
board To DO an injustice % the lessee. and
on the other hand the board viii rot rob
the school children OF Oklahoma simply
to hold the Iessees politically. Protection
10 the school children and fairness 10 the
lessee IS the policy. regardless or political
consequences. Justice - 1ll and special
privileges to none Is the slogan OF the
present board.
CIHET To L EiAISA