East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-08-16

The Twin Falls News exposes an
alleged graft in the management of
the branch of the Idaho state land
boards work located at that place.
II Is copied into the East Oregonian
not beacuse the charges therein made
are endorsed or from any desire TO
give any person mentioned undesira-
BILE notoriety outside the range of his
constituency, but because many Uma-
tilla county people are directly inter-
ested in the Twin Falls project and on
that account will take especial and
personal interest IN the subject. The
news article is as follows:
C. d. Thomas receives a salary of
$500 year from the state as repre-
sentative of the land board. He has
received several hundred entries and
taken evidence in approximately 1000
final proofs. This is what he is paid
for doing. Rule IT of the rules and
regulations of the state board of land
commissioners reads as follows;
Rule 1.-THE following is list of
fees to be paid to the state board of
land commissioners under the pro-
visions of this (Carey) act:
For filing each application for en-
try OF land, 81.
For making certified copies of pa
pers or records, the same fee as pro-
vided for to be charged by the sec
retary OF state for like services.
For taking evidence of annual
proof OF cultivation, $3.50.
First payment of land at the rate
OF 25 cents per acre.
Final payment of land at the rate
of % cents per acre. q"
Now, Mr.. Entryman, how much did
the price of your land when you made
your filing? Figure It out and see.
How much did you pay him when you
proved up? If you made final proof
on 40 acres you received a final re-
ceipt for $40, but you paid Mr.
Thomas SIC, did you not? If you in
quired whit the additional Sc charge
was for you were told that the fee
FOR taking the evidence in final proof
was 50, the cost of your patent was
50 and the remaining So represented
the notary fees" Do you see any
provision in the rules for notary
fees?" What does Mr.. Thomas re-
ceive $500 a year for? He may claim
that the papers had to be sworn tC
before notary, and II not before him
self. before some other notary and
the expense would be the same. How
is II. then, that Mr.. Thomas can del
egate his clerk. Miss Kiersted, to tax,
evidence in final proofs? Not late
than saturday, July 2S, Miss Kiers
ted took the evidence in large mum
ber Of final proofs and, from all ac
counts, took 1t we'll.
Mr.. Price, erstwhhc democrats
committeeman for Cassa county ant
the associate of Mr.. Thomas i'm tn
Cassia County Abstract company. ha
also worn the mantle of Mr.. Thoma
when the latter was absent. Incl
ng n
torney for several parties who file
contests against entrymen on the Twi
Falls tract. 1t hass been noted tina
he seemed to possess n vast fund o
inside information. Did Mr.. Thoma
turn in the SO notary fees to the stat
land board? Governor Gooding ca
best answer the question.
The board has been particularly fai
in its dealings with the Twin Fall
entrymen and will undoubtedly prob
the "fee" question to bedrock. It wi
not permit its representative in Twi
at the expense of the Twin Falls far
mers. every one of whom is entitle
to a refund OF 50 on every final proc
and perhaps so cents on every filing.
William E. Smythe, the gifte
writer and talker, who is perhap
more nearly responsible than an
other one man for the organization G
the National Irrigation congress q
Salt Lake in 1891, while acting q
editor of the Irrigation Age OF Der
ver is again bringing his pen to bea
upon the need of such an organization
emphasizing the good that It has don
in the past, and the immensely create
good that 1t is possible for It to ac
complish in the future.
"The father of the irrigation cor
gress," as he is frequently called.
Mt present making his home at Sa
Diego Cal, but he had an editori;
article in the Nevada State Journi
OF Reno, under the caption, 1.-THE Il
rigation Congress-" in which he sale
The National Irrigation congre'
began It's history-making career
Salt Lake City in September 1891. !
fourteenth annual session Gone ye.
having been skinned In the ear