The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1907-02-22


the bilrdcnsome tax on Tie state. Us,
the lands for which they were granted
to the state.
There are 3.toO.OO r Of .esers
ed land In Oklahoma and have n val
uation OF about $780, 0O. 900. The neI
proceeds from this vast amount Of
land for the year ending June 80
1905. We're S~5l3,930.62. Now suppose
the lands were sold for 100000. O0o and
this amount drawing four per cent in.
terest This would bring in an income
OF Sl,200.000. But Nith the land sold
there would be created 1885 quar-
ter sections OF taxable land. Consider
an average tax of $50 on each or ,hese
quarter-sections and IL would amouni
TO 1897, 500. Add this to lie interest
income and It would give a total in.
come of $3.50. 500. or n gain OF over
$1,000, 600 more than the income UNI
der the lease system in one year.
Whereas under Che lease system the
total net proceeds from all leased
lands since 1891 up to June 80. 1906,
tl5 yearsl amounts to only SS,O74..
560.2S.
Now consider the common school
and common school Indemnity lands
separate from the. other preserved
lands. These are the best improved
and cultivated of the different lands
granted 20 the state and hence have a
greater value They are vained by
he school land leasing board Al
s2l 600 900. The revenue from these
lands goes direct to the support % the
common schools. FfteeneBer cent OF
The indemnity fund goes direct to the
lchool district where collected and
The remaining e~ightyiive per cent
goes in to the general fund where
It is proportional per capita OF the to-
tai numb0S of school children. The
net income for the G a ending June
20. 1906. for these lands was S343,
1851 and the total income since 1891
s. S~2,132.221.S3. But II the land Is
forth S21 900. 600, then forr per cent
IN this amount would bring In $40.
200 and added 10 this a tax OF 500 on
ach OF the S.S36 Cuarter-aections Of.
1872 makes g total OF s1,01G,72
Dr. the "evenre obtained in one yea
~ selling would be nearly one-half Of
ne revenue for fifteen years collec ed
rom the lease system and about three
inns the amount collected last year.
Kiowa county has 113.702 aces OF
cserved land And with 81 tlis the
county Is benefited directs with so,
i69.G0 as = common school fund. But
consider how much the reserved land
# this county are capable Of produc
ng. The ia. 102 acres are easily
worth s1.113.0O0 and four per cent or
his amount would bring IN s45.4sCl
md added TO this the tax on the ~
intersections. of 500 per quarter
ection. of S14,2 200 makes S59, $50. /.
he land Is capable of producing this
arge evenre then the 80. 1863. go IL
lot enough for the common school ap
Dortionment. AS the common schoo'
and Is to benefit the common schools
hen let us see how much the schools
VI Kiowa county get from the lands
% reserved within it's borders. It has
5,197 acres of omIno school and
ommon school indemnity land. This
mount is worth today s551.970 and
our per cent interest on this woulc
i've $22.OTS. besides a tax Of ahou
20 on 345 cliarter-section5 Of 5000
making q total of s2S.97S. While nm
Ter the lease system il received las
ear 80 5000. With all this large
creage reserved yet some of the dis
riots have to levy a tax Ct 20 mill;
q order 10 have a term of only three
months.
This article IS not written fos thu
pecial interests OF any one concerned
'ut to try and show TOW the sale O
he land would benefit all. Tho views
ct forth show shat the schools woult
re greatly benefited. taxation would
g more equal and must recognize tho
net thet the lcssees Of these land
ave certain rights and In CREST
which should be protected.