The state herald., 1903-06-05
Sale of School Lands.

In reply to criticisms against the al
legged general or indiscriminate sale OF
state school lands by the State Land
Board, Governor Peabody has issued
the following signed statement:
"The majority membership of the
present board is not at all worried by
the attacks against it during the past
week. We are acting in our judgment
for the best interests of the state. OF
which each county and every local
school district is n part, and these
questions must be decided more or less
from a judicial standpoint, having all
these interests in view.
I'VE have not established a policy
of selling state lands.
I'VE have recently ordered several
small lots of land sold. usually in for
ty, eighty and l60-acre tracts. where
the applicants have established homes
and for years have been the tenants OF
the state, having invested all their saw
ings in improvements on state lands,
and where TO have compelled them to
follow the leasing system would have
been rank injustice. These lands will
and school district taxation far in eX-
cess of the pro rata division of the rev.
enue derived from leasing them At the
same time, 1t puts the owners home
on foundation secured by deed to
the land. and does away with the
shaky title secured by a lease, under
which the improvements on state lands
come TO the market every time the
f- .,s 60. -
that any person is at liberty to enter a
bid for the land. Our action secures
for these purchasers and their families
permanent residence in our state
which their Improvement of the land
sold shows they were striving to win.
"A few counties are overloaded with
state lands. The continued rental OF
these lands, If the narrow policy of not
selling anything was adopted. would
retard the development and progress OF
their school districts as well as tn,
counties themselves.
"The land board which Immediately
preceded us appears to have held the
same views. 1t sold in 1902 9,4S0
acres of state lands, and in most in
stances the sales appear to have been
ordered by unanimous vote of the
board The average price was about
IS per acre. The records show that In
addition to the above the board unani-
morsly voted to order a sale Of 400
acres in Otero county on September II
1902, at which time it appears to have
established policy of requiring the
very limited period OF residence on the
land TO six years
The presen. ..and board has unani-
mously ordered the sale OF about l,20O
acres to the Mormon settlement in
Conejos county. the land being situated
largely in the alkali belt at an average
Of So per acre: about 500 acres in 9TH
cr parts Of the state. several reservoir
cites, and has unanimously rejected ap-
plications for sale of about 1000 acres.
AT its last meeting the Republican
majority of the board ordered several
sales TO be made. one OF them receiv-
ing the unanimous vote of all the mem
bers, Some OF them are In Otero cOun-
ty. and minimum prices were fixed at
SIS and $50 per acre. Another was to
the Sugar Land and Irrigation Com
pany. This company was allowed TO
purchase one-half of a section for the
erection OF a beet sugar factory and
trackage IN Adams county. In addition
TO paying IS per acre for the land. they
have contracted to furnish water for
irTigating other state lands TO the
value OF $1,000. ana which will easily
make the balance of the section sell for
$3.50 per acre.
Perhaps this is injurious to the
school fund. II II Is we want also TO be
blamed for bringing the state land Of
fee up TO date in its work. We found
chaos when we took office. To-day II II
In order, working smoothly. and the
work is not tagging behind in any de-
partment.
I'VE are constantly increasing the
acreage rented.
we are making uniform raises In
rentals of from twenty-five to fifty per
cent Where the old board was salts
fed TO receive 20 cents ah acre for
farming lands we are securing In no
case less than 30 cents. and In some
cases as high as 70 cents per acre
Prices now will average about iC
cents.
I'VE found s9i 900 due the state on
old certificates Of purchase which
could have been collected by former
boards had their interest been as keen
In school fund matters as II Is at this
time. We will collect large part OF
this money but In n number OF in.
stances the lands will revert to the
state
We found the Office full Of disputes
and contests that have hung fire for
years ald probably should be censured
for bringing about n settlement Of the
controversy between the North and
Middle Park cattlcmen. whereby the
state school funds will derive a reyc-
nuo of $500 per year. For eight
yenrs previous 10 this time those lands
have not brought cent OF revenue 10
the school funds.
THE majority Of the board expect
criticism. but we concede To none n
greater interest In ColoradOs schools
or institutions than We possess There
will probably be sales of state lands or
derod In the future when the showing
made before the board justlAes such
action. We promised the people OF this
state a business administration and
they are going to get H.
JAMES II, PEABODY"
The board Of pardons at lts bl.
monthly meeting. May 9th. granted
only one pnfdOu The fpgluiant ia N