The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-12-27
ANOTHER IDEA
ON LAND LEASES
What Is Best for the School
Fund His Standpoint.
REASONABLE NET INCOME
Studied the Matter in Other
Sections of the Country.

County Republican C. OF Felt discusses
the school land question as follows
IN view of the fact that the school land
question is agitating the public mind.
thought it might be we'll TO discuss the
subject through your paper.
To my mind there is but one question to
decide and that is. what is best for the
school fund?
When the question is properly solved
all other questions connected with il Is
properly adjusted.
The public school fund of Oklahoma.
whether in land or converted into money,
amounts to many million dollars. II is a
perpetual fund. to continue for ages
throughout the existence of the United
States, therefore the question should be
considered as to the magnitude of the
fund and duration of time. / think all
will agree that the state should receive a
reasonable net income on the cash value
of the land. or one the money should the
lands be sold.
Now the question presents itself, what
is a reasonable net income? AS the
school fund is now in land. / will first
consider the rent or lease question. If
they should be under such rules and
regulations that they woGld retain their
present productiveness. otherwise, they
would become comparatively worthless.
In different states where land is being
held as a safe investment, leased for an
income. sixty to one hundred and twenty
five dollar land. rent from three TO six
dollars per acre. To illustrate, 500 land
rents for AS to $500.
On this land houses barns, orchards.
good fences, most hog tight. wagon sheds.
granaries. cribs. poultry houses. small
fruits. convenient waited privileges and
many other items.
The land owners pay the taxes and the
insurance, keeps up the improvements or
builds new ones.
When the expenses is deducted from the
rent there is but or 4 per cent net left
to the owners of the land on his invest
ment.
l spent five weeks in Iowa this fall and
learned from land owners there that they
were glad TO get 10 to per cent net
on their land
l was also in Illinois not long since and
the same conditions existed there. Okla
homa having no improvements on her
school lands pays no take. no in surance
or any on land, therefore all she receives
is net. The lessee puts on all improve
ments at his own expense, pays the tax
and insurance on the improvements, and
keeps up the improvements.
The best tenant for the territory is the
man that lives on the land improves il
and keeps stock and other taxable prop
erty on the land. The tenant who is
transient or temporary and has no stock
or other property on his land to tax is
not the best tenant. For the territory 10
retain good tenants it should make 1t an
object for the tenants TO stay long terms
The man who lives adjoining school
land and is bile TO do the work, can give
a greater rent while this surplus lasts
than the man who lives on the land. Now
which is the better tenant? The man who
does not live on the land and offers the
highe rent. he is a temporary tenant only
lasting while he controls the surplus
labor above mentioned. and has no prop
erty to tax. The man who lives upon the
land invariably wants il for a home and
improves and takes care OF it as his own.
The other man seldom does. The man
who lives on the land. pays taxes on the
Improvements. his stock, machinery and
other property.
The half section west of me. held by
father and son. their school district tax is
SO besides the township. county and ter
ritorial tax. all OF which is ,l3o This.
too. is kept on the school land held by
them.
Money is seeking investment in gov
eminent bonds at three per cent
Railroad. state. county and city bonds
at from four TO six per cent. All but
government bonds are taxable and sub
jet To depreciation. The average net is
not to exceed four per cent and gener-
ally three and one-half per cent. some
times less. There is government land on
two sizes Of a tract on Oak creek. Woods
county, that the rent IS fixed al 500. The
present high prices set by the board viii
drive the tenant of the land. thereby los
Ing the taxable property that is nov on
the land This high rental Il insisted on
VIII retard immigration and stimulate
migration.
In my opinion this high rent on school
land IS the hardest blow Oklahoma ever
got During the last ten days have seen
several hundred lessees. also examined
the records and the reports Of viewers.
who vert through the country the pas,
summer From these sources / and that
the rent Is set az from six 10 ten par cent
c the cash value Of the land. and Ia some
cases much higher.
II view Of the facts. why should the
zen; be above four per cent uet 70 the
territory A long as these lands are
HE'D by the state and rented there viii
be an everlasting turmoil. the cancer pro
duced viii penetrate every fiber II the
body polite why not eel these lands
az actual valUeon long terms. az -four
Per cent interest. forty. nifty or hun
dred years That would b a permanent
investment wfth the best Of security.
Thess lands comprise one-ninfh % The
territory II sold they would a; once b.
come taxable and pay one-niufh of ths
school 6ss-r1ct tai besides the county
and state TAX
The best citizen II the one who loves
home. and h<z. or IL try4zg n get
ssor7e The vicious are those who care
nothing Tor horne. tramp through ;he
country ard rzlse disturbance =; every
tlrn-
GIVE those Who desire 70 occgpy lard
resemble chance ara re e4tlzs1sraP q
.hs state nj ~ b@1e1fs1- Ezs n
Texas seE weeks zgo ard iszrnst shs
ssld her sesosl ards ard rsosives sEr~e
per ceat ! have RAD 80 Go with b'ath
Iowa ana Kansas scteol fznds- Sss;aer
state received four PIT cert let On ih-9r
school funds.
an sure kansas h2s Eos reoesv-d ;hrse
F pr cert
CUSTER cITys PROGRESS.