The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-12-30

tion Of their disposition would be left
to the duly authoriz I authorities OF
these institutions
erhe proper disposition. however. OF
the twelve hundred thousand acres re-
served for the common schools Is one
OF the most important questions which
win come before the new state II Is
important because OF The mere money
value OF the land involved. which IS not
less than fifteen or twenty million doll
lars. II is more Important however be-
cause Il tests the sount Judgment and
dircreton of the people OF The proposed
state in tho administration q sacred
t~ust, ThAe lands have been reserved
ana viii he granted 20 the STAGE -'or the
use and benefit OF the sehoi childrn.
lThe state IS mere trustee in the mat
ter. The benchciaries OF the trust arc.
tho school children OF ths state. and
not only those now living bit those OF
ali the future generations
I'm reaching a wise conclusion on 80
4 important a question much depends up
determined whether IA. erests Of the
school children ~ ntf Il and future
generations sho- mt be matter. or
whether the Interests ,ose now leas-
7.
/ part am firmly convinced that the par
amount interest TO be served is the
school fund, an dthrough t the school
children Of the state. and that that
course should be pHsucd which Is con-
/ duclve Of their best interests irrespec-
tive Of the effect II may have upon any
OF the interests which might conflict
4 herewith
Viewed from this standpoint, the on
ly question involved is whether slfer
and larger revenue WIN be derived from
holding the lands or by ceiling them
'ghG first reason TO be urged Cor retain
/ ing the lands and continuing to lease
them ~ that the Investment under these
circumstances is safe. As long as the
stase keeps the lands there Is no danger
OF losing the principal 0f the invest-
ment, for the land cannot be lost ell
/ ther by the contr,vances oi bad men or
the poor Judgment Of good men. Il is
I beyond the reach Of embezzlers or bad
/ investment, or failing banks and Of the
many causes which result IN the loss
OF large sums IN the hands OF state OFF
/ hciais.
III the land itself Is retained by The
state. II Is also certain 70 increaee in
value Is the state IS 10 lgrow II the
land should be sold nq matter how
wisely the money nigh ~ invested the
principal OF the fund would not increase
tho corpus OF the state would not be
more preserved on the contrary II tho
lands are retained. the growth OF the
state the increase In ir population and
| the development OF its resources an con-
tribute TO an increased market value
and rental value Of the lands and IN
/ this way the value OF the fund during
the next twenty five years ought to be
increase at least two-fod, which ia In
Itself a gain for the common school of
fifteen or twenty minot dollars, made
4 by the Withholding Of ne lands from
the sale This ia a cor Iteration which
should not be lightly Ntaemed, and De-
a promise which no ont viii contradict
Lands now worth forut dollars an acre
III twenty-five years frtn now are rea-
sonably sure 20 be wddh from eighty
10 a hundred dollars an acre AMI bands
now worth FIVE dollars ~ acro are rea-
sonably certain 70 be worth ten 90 hf-
teen dollars AN acre II these lands
are sold. the funds derived therefrom
cannot Increase, and pfoperty worth an
average income Of one dollar and TWEEN
ty-hve cents and in twenty-five years
the hest that we can Iope IS that they
VIII not have been 10 or dlssipated.
1T therefore occurs Ito mo TO be abb
solutely demonstrated hat even though
ultimately these laias are going to be
sold, that they shN be reserved "a
the state until thef aluo has oppron-
matcly reached its 2 iuriiy"