The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1904-01-09
School Lands

Political Effects.
This brings me to the final objec
tion that state ownership would in
liect the question of the administra-
tion of the trust permanently in5o
politics" I fairly admit that | de-
ferred the answering Of this objection
until now because in my opinion it
constitutes he only argument of real
ly serious merit that can be brought
against the policy ! propose. There
is no question but that the lessees are
strongly organized today and. as their
resolutions indicate. are expecting to
bring about the sale Of these lands to
present occupan without permitting
any serious feature of competition to
enter into the plan Of sale 1t may
be that the lessees did not dictate
he school land provisions OF the
pending statehood bill but II / were
a lessee and wanted to get my lands at
rock bottom figures Il would meet my
approval and / would moi know where
TO turn TO pick a PROPOSE ion more
likely to be a winner
venture to affirm that If the lessee
expected TO be called upon to pay fun
value for his lands not ono in fifty
would exchange his present lease hold
i"cinch" for any such proposi ion The
lessee willing to pay full value for
the sake of owning q home can 10
much better by taking the 5000 round
bonus he can get for his lease and inn
lprovements ard buying the private
lands of his neighbor
therefore maintain that the real
spirit behind this movement for sale
is spirit Of speculation. doubt
not that for years some Of them have
been looking forward to the passage
of some new measure that would an
swer as a free homes bill" for them.
Certain politicians and newspapers
that could name have fairly prom
ised them as much. A saloon keeper
at Norman years ago leased a school
quarter near that town because. as
he put It, =. will put a kink of 81 600
into the ba y Of the man that holds
II when statehood is obtained"
The point IS this: We are confront
ing today not only a crisis in the hist
ory of Oklahoma but a crisis in the
affairs of the lessees and instead of
; regarding It in its true light as spas
modic effort on their part to win out
on the only opportunity that may
q
conceive this to be a condition that
will permanently endure. But such
+ | am confident is not the case. With
y the leaders of both parties afraid of
r. either horn of this delimma and anx-
!, ious TO shift the decision to a non.
. partisan vote of the people. the time
u VIII never be more favorable. after
g we have first secured a fair provision
In tlr
meet this spasm with the firmness of
honest non-partisan conviction and by
+ constitutional enac ment place out of
t. the reach of legislative juggling this
e great trust which for the moment has
q been committed into our guardianship
for the benefit Of the generations OF
g the i4hnite years TO come; ana future
d administrations encouraged by the
e precedent established by the present
one will come to know that the only
safe recipe for the management OF
this trust Is a handful of nerve mixed
with a hatful of conviction and com
e mon sense.
n Majorities ere things which, politl-
clans respect more than they do God
or mis- adversary and a good round
non-partisan majority at this crucial
this question be removed from the do
d main of partisan politics and placel
3. on a commercial business basis where
s II properly belongs viii be the most
,. effective notice that can be given 10
!, politicians present and future that
u the state Is alive to its interests in
this matter, that the safe is an insi-
tuition bigger han any organization of
hn tsfa hs,, a ..F1
and will put her mark for political
- Oblivion on any individual or party
e. that proposes to jeopardize these in
lterests of the state
Nebraskas politicians dare not lay
a finger on the interests Of her lands
and schools. With 5000 lessees.
n with leases running for 25 years. with
IS provisions for fair re-appraisement
every ffth year. Nebraska has no re
" sulting social or political problem
N and our lessees with prospect Of sale
pr denied them by constitutional prOvi
e Son, and with lease period similarly
: extended. .woul1 bear far less menac
ing front With increase of income
~ the interests Of the state IN this ques
a tion VIII steadily grow and with the
OF growth of population the per centags
H.. of lessees win be an ever decreasing
"a minority. though a minority that nees
~ never have anything to fear at ths
ne hands OF The majority, These are IN,
he reasons that give me assurance tina
or however great the political dinicul
h. ties that may beset the immediate
future. ard l admit their gravity. w
vo are not justified IN asserting that th'
III possible difficulties that may be me
IN in The more distant future are SUI
ro icient cause 10 warrant us IN adopt
- ing the policy OF sales
~ Whether then we attain 10 state
'ai hood this congress or the next. see q
all ID when the time comes that the me-
sent to the constitutional conveniol
are such AS viii NOT be susceptible &
lessee influence" Demand of ever