The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-04-08
WOULD REDUCE
PRICE OF LAND
Representatives of Nineteen Counties
Protest Against Action of
State Board.
THEY URGE $1.5O PER ACRE
SAY HIGHER FIGURE IS UNJUST
TO POOR MEN.

A meeting of county commissioners and
Others from nineteen counties of the state
met in the hail Of the house of repre-
Sentatives at the city and county build
ing yesterday afternoon for the purpose
or discussing the raise in the minimum
price of state lands from $50 to s. so
per acre.
An invitation to attend had been ex-
tended to all county commissioners. COM
the state
George McCune Of JUab county and John
evans OF Utah county was elected chair
After order was called a motion was
MADE and carried to appoint committee
OF three TO wait on the State Land board
anu eXIend an invitation TO its members
70 attend the convention On extending
this invitation Mr.. Tolton of Beaver
county made the statement TO the men,
hers of the land board that the reason
tnelr presence was requested was that
things seemed to be altogether too one
sided and that the commissioners desired
their opinions on the subject
Have Lively Discussion.
President w. J. Lynch and Messrs. w.
ID y; Candla9d; IL n. Hayes, John De Gray
DIXON and w A Thayne of the State
Land board put in their appearances and
lively discussion ensued. Mr.. Candland
sad ne believed their predecessors in Of
nee dld what they thought was for the
best interests OF the state when they
placed the price of these lands at 81 so
per acre and that the present members
were acting in equally as good faith when
they raised the price to 81. SO.
been selected about 5000 acres sie of tbe se
lands. or, on an average Of s 900 acres
per month, and that the state has real
lied on the increase approximately $50
900 in the ten months since that date
During this time he stated. there has
account of the price being too high and
that large proportion of the land bought
for less than SO per acre
The fact that some of these lands are
proGuciing large crops and are held at a
much higher figure than that at which
they were purchased, Mr.. Candand said
justified the board in it's action, as it is
its duty to look out for the interest of
the state as well as for the interest of
the individual
Dixon Defends Board.
John De Gray Dixon. secretary of the
board. said: "Out of all the government
mains about one and one-baIf millions of
acres to be divided among twelve state
institutions The board thinks it acted in
good faith when il raised the price of this
land IN the interests of these institutions
we are here to protect the interests of
and you are here on the other side The
state can easily get from $3.50 to IS per
acre 1or TINS land and selling ii for any
less would be like putting our hands in
the peoples pockets and taking that
Idaho government grant lands sell at
a minimum price of so per acre. Gov
eminent grant lands i'm Utah are at the
present time, limited to comparatively a
few acres and must be divided for the
maintenance of twelve different state in
stitutions. The demand for this land. the
state board says, is increasing.
Argument of Opposition.
The main argument of the county com
missiOners seemed to be that poor people
could not afford to pay more than 81 80
per acre, and not that. the land was not
worth a higher minimum price Their.
Cry is that If a lower price is put on
the land ii viii be sold more readily and
hence be a source of revenue to the state
in taxes. But the members of the board
higher price and yield taxes to the state
as well.
A motion was made to let the price re-
main at $50 per acre. to which an amend
ment was offered TO reduce il to 81 so.
The motion rs amended was carried by
formally request the State Land board
to reduce the price TO $1-50. but the board
expressed a Willingness TO take the mat
ter under consideration without being
formally. requested to do SO \ copy of
the minutes OF the meeting will be for
waTded to the governor.
The counties and representative were:
N J Valentino, j, =. HOlrnETeen, Box
Elder county; J. +. T0itOn, G. A. Muir
dock. Beaver county; z. W. Crockett
Carbon county. William Frue. JenS Mel
son. James I4arket. Davis county: Andrew
d H. Leonard, Emery county: L. Hey
wood, Garfield county; l.. y. MarSden
Joseph s Berry s. T. TODpam /. w
Jones, NJ. y. Highly. Lehigh Thorley.
II w Lund Iron county: George Nc
Cune !. w. PaNman. r. @. VIM. John
Juab county.