The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-07-12
EDITORS
PROBLEM
FOR LAND
Lahoma Sun Suggests Method
of Procedure
THINKS IT A SOLUTION
Would Yield a Fund Equal to
Desired Amount

/ Lahoma. O. T., July 1.-THE sun offers
the following solution OF the schosl laaa
problem:
As safe and equitable solutien az
the school land problem We oeer the fol-
lowing:
Ascertain what sum Il is desired That
the future state OF Oklahoma sl0aad
have as permanent fund from tlss sale
OF its public lands; double that sarss. thea
have each and every quarter appraised
as 10 its value compared 10 ali other
quarters. so that the aggregate vii
amount TO the sum above mentioned
Give 10 each holder OF q school quarter
a deed in fee simple. conditioned upon
his payment forever OF ) per cent an
nually upon the appraised value OF tbs
land he holds. In other words. let the
as a perpetual loan at per cent, calliag
it interest or a tax. as you prefer.
The Improvements on the land would
be assessable for taxes as at present.
and With the assurance that he has a
firm hold on his farm as long ga he
pays the tax or interest. each hol6sr %
school lands will be encouraged TO plant
trees. build houses and barns and Ia
fact make al te improvements that .
homesteader would make. and the AS
sessabIe property in each township xeslld
be greatly increased. instead OF sexts~n
renters in every township there would
be sixteen additional frechoiders. With
all the home interests. prosperity and
permanence OF homesteaders.
Under this plan the 5 per cent tax
could be paid directly 20 the county treas
urer at the same time and IN the sasne
manner that other taxes are paid. and
the expensive public lands commission az
Guthrie could be abolished. The psr-
manent school fund would never be paid.
IN money. AMI there would DE no posnl-
bic chance for its manipueiiou ~ boob
lers or by officials with itching pa inns.
II would be safe In the lands tust rs u
is now. II would already DC loaned. sud
loaned permanently
IF these lands are held for cuatlnucd
rental there must always be- four seq
tons IN every township occupied by
renters with no incentive % make ini-
provements. and the public land cors-
mission would 90 on drawing their sal
aries forever. ~ they are sold and tass
money paid in 10 De loaned again. who
knows how much of u VIII be nndabHs
In twenty years7
1--WE do net claim authorship ~ me
above plan. II was suggested O. 80 ~ J
MIR. W n. Rogers. n man Of consiter-
able wealth and financial ability. who 10
himself greatly interested in the achool \
ands. as he and his family hold CO.'S
siderable tracts Of &C. lie has put IN
much tifne and study on the subject. ana
assures US that The permanent safety
n the school fund mas always been nrst
m hts calculations The foregoing %
MS own plan. and he believes 81 ths
most equitable 50 the safest and ths
most economical yet suggested Ills
Ian contemplates assessing the land for
tate and county taxes the same ~ other
ands. in addition 10 the per cent tar.
,ut that seems % uH an unfair burien
o the school lard SETTLER. Otherwise
se soc no Gaw in his proposition and
re submit II o. the people snd press Il
oklahoma fer thein comment and ap-
'roval. or their criticism and rejection