The Weiser semi-weekly signal. (Weiser, Washington Co., Idaho) 1904-1911, 1905-05-24
0Uh OWN LITTLE
IDAHO LAID SCANDAL
POSSIBLE Investigations Of Why
pufunsd Office Clerks dot
Fh5t pid Of Land.
Capital Newsl

No amount of explaining will sat-
isfy the public, with reference to the
land board graft of the Emmett bench
Carey lands. A prominent republi-
can in speaking of the matter to the
Capital News said: "lt's disgrace
full showing to say the least
"There is no merit in the claim
made by Governor Gooding that the
law cannot be invoked to prevent
members of the state land board from
grating. If the boards version of
the law be correct, then the Carey
act becomes a mere tool, for graf
ers and speculators, and is not the
assistant to actual settlers as had all
along been supposed. - The forego-
ing opinion seems to be shared by the
public generally. A feature, however,
that specially condemns the board,
T is that of establishing stringent rules
tc govern the action of the public in
making filings, etc., which the mem
bers of the board ignore, in an effort
to secure an undue advantage over
the actual settler.
From one who was. on the inside
of the deal, the Capital News learns
that the determination to graft was
agreed to with part of the officials,
several days previous to the opening
of the lands. The plan then was to
accept priority of filing on the land,
as the real test, and it was arranged
that one or two persons should be
armed with proxies or powers OF at
torney for the members of the lane
hoard and officers and friends of the
canal company. These men we're tt
secure places as near the head OF th'
column as possible, by staying vi
all night if necessary, and when the.
rendered their filings, Register Nc
Connell was to see to it that they go
the desired land.
The plan was discussed in the pres
ence of one of the members of th
hoard. and he remarked that he wa
f afraid that method would be littl
t too rank. He was afraid it would re
sult in public scandal, and he state
that he believed one proxy would
enough for each applicant. Thl
oniniou interfered with the graft an
: a hustle was made to find some oth'
l. nlan. The attorney general WI
called upon. To a reporter for tl
: Capital News he stated that he ns
! NOT rendered a written opinion, b'
d after looking the matter up Govern'
u Gooding had asked him about IT., al
ba said under the contract with tl
4 CANYON Canal company. 1t was d
It onioion that the board could not e
u force a drawing Of lands by lot as "
le don. at Twin Falls. The Cany'
- Canal company officials had pre'
ously been urging this theory Of {
1. law upon the attorney general Wh
J. ne came 10 that conclusion II did o
re take the land grabbers long 10 ma
a division Of every foot Of choice Ia
NJ on tae tract. and out Of the wb'
er bunch II there b. au aetuei bona q
soiaee the Capital Nees would
eloi 10 leorp hls pane
I. Whon ihe day Of opepine wli'
q, tae dooolt which hee beep plaf'''
I'D al along ny the Representatives
M land board, gaF kep pp n'
NJ inieaied aoiua sotllep found
.dsllg f,glng 40 aoeruo land, ihpi a.
~ M, Mono leli ppe inai a hae
.n h,en ialen pellopg Az lpe ee'''''
iag W opening
qle fQlleppow NJ ln' 'gn'p'N, q
M lsllNopl llqu Nhnl ie0pl''7' iN'
p ...n. .i4anao anyone Hould aIlN