Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-08-02
Insinuations About Former Land
Board Have Been Fast
And Loose.
IGNORANCE OF LAW AND FACTS
ri.her Harris Explains some Of the
REGULATIONS Under Which the State
Lands We're Opened Tor Entry.


statements twisted into the most weird
,Herts. the executive officers Of the
state land board have refused to be
further interviewed
Secretary Byron Groo says that he
Will give all The information he has
when summoned as a witness. or as
,ure1 that statements Of fact win be
rrlnted IN the spirit On which they are
,yrressed while the statements ~
farmer Governor Heber NJ. Wells have
been so twisted and mistreated In red
editorial rooms that he too. has seen
N o. protect himself in a refusal TO be
further msquoted
Fisher Harris. a member OF the land
hoard which has been SO much at
lacked has however. come forward 10
iou those about whom more things
pera said by people ignorant OF both
The land law and the methods of the
Land boards procedure IN "A signed
statement he explains something Of the
transactions of the former board. and
IN giving the News permission Ia use
& this morning, be said that D.. had
prepared his statement because BE- did
not want 10 sec the executive officers
o. the board stand responsible for acts
which they undertook mon the orders
Of the board and under its specific n-
sirIt'onS. Most Of The other menu
hers are out Of town he said hut
know In a thousand WAYS that the ser
we " these two executive officers
through a period tina; was yer, trying
vas faithful 20 an extreme. \ great
deal of utter foolishness has been at.
tered about their work. and IL ought
MT longer n 90 ahead creating its
false Impressions, without being brand.
a for what Il is
The written statement of Mr. Harris
Is as follows
The amount Of misformation con-
tsrning the methods Of the state land
board that has recently been turned
loose IN the public is something appal-
Ing A man reading what has been
written I'm this connection would natu-
rally conclude that the commissioners
had not only been grossly careless In
me administration Of their duties, but
lad played fast and loose with the I'm
rortant interests conhded TO their care
The easily aScertained facts IN the
case, however, prove conclusively that
Tho board followed the law. both state
and national with the most scrupulous
care, and watched the Interests OF the
state Of Utah with intelligence and A.
deity. In fact the record OF the land
board 10 one Of which every citizen
should be justly proud
Under the terms Of the enabling act
BY which Utah became a state she re-
csived from the general government
an immensely generous grant Of lands
tor the use and benefit OF the various
public institutions II was the duty
u the board. which the legislature had
wisely made bipartisan, To see that
this grant was utilized 10 the best ad-
vantage OF the state with due regards
for The rights and privileges OF all
concerned.
A Rig TASK.
The task confronting the old board.
- ! now recall H. was a tremendou.
ouA II had 20 literally bring order
out Of what was chaos to interpret
and put into practice a new and prac-
tically untrIed law. 10 make rules.
for ne guidance, In conformity 81 that
lsW, 20 prepare plats: 10 lnaugurate A
system ~ Office work, "a select ap-
praise. sceregate and sell, many mil
hon acres n land and 10 do innum-
cradle other things, IN order that the
state should reap the proper benefit
from the governments generosity. The
records show beyond the question 81
an honest doubt that all this work was
well and faithfully executed.
MIR. GRoos WORK.
Gov Wells. ex-ofiicio chairman Of
The board has been criticised for APP
10ujug Byron Groo secretary. Gov,
Wells ala not appoint Mr.. Groo secre-
Nry. Mr.. Groo was maze secretary by
he unanimous vote OF the board; a
majority OF whose members were Re
ruhlicans. not because be was Demo-
l-at. but because OF his exceptional
Qualifications for the position. He has
served with marked ability as register
~ the United States land office IN this
city and the board. laying aside what
ever partisan bias II may have had
and being anxious 70 secure the best
service possible for the people, made
him ms secretary.
THE executive officers OF the board
aye been criticised for the manner IN
which they made application 10 the
government for the selection Of lands
iU part satisfaction Of the grants, With
particular reference to the nOn-mlneral
afidavit accompanying such applica-
tons As a matter OF fact this form
N application had been prepared for
the use OF The board by the attorney
general 81 the state and with the sd-
wise and consent OF the United states
land officials, and was then and IL now
IN use by the government To say
mat these officials ala not know and
approve 81 this method 81 obtaining
land from the government is a grossly
insulting impeachment OF their intelli.
gence The executive officers of the
STATE board had back Of them the OFF,
rial Instructions 81 that board. the
opinion Of the attorney general, the
approval Of the United States land Of
n,ers and the non-mlneral aiiidaNits
90 the individual applicant
THE METHODS EMPLOYED.
further. Il Is fair to presume that
he government when Il made It's grant |
o. land 10 the state intended that the |
sia-e should derive some benefit from /
lv gift. That being true II Is interest
INC 70 note the fact that had the board 1
pursued the method Of investigating the /
c1aracter Of the land applied for which 1
some uniformed gentlemen now say /
should have been done. the govern /
melrs grant would have been a costly /
sift 10 US yeritahle white elephant
On the hands 81 the state. In other
ords the cost OF selecting the lands
To- question would have more than eat
.n up the receipts from the sales
hereof. and the state o. Utah, instead
~ being q beneficiary Of the govern
ntnts generosity would have greatly
'unered thereby.
Again. wheniyer application was
made for the purchase OF land from
ne state and q was found that the
and applied for vas within six miles ~
ny known mineral land, the board
idveriised the tact for 50 days ia the
leUspspe published nearest tho tract
nvalved The Advertising bills fire.
l9ently amounted 90 800 and s4e9 per
Month. Doubtless alse affidAylts were
- J.. T.. i