The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1908-09-24
SCHOOL LAND APPRAIsEmENT.

sent ont from Guthrie. indicates as
much
Guthrie. Okla. Sept 22.-Np less
an authority than one of the ap- F.
rointees Of Governor Haskell In the /
state school land department is re-
sponsblc for the statement recently |
that 1T will cost half of what the |
school lands Of western Oklahoma ,
are worth to appraisc them This |
appointce was referring to the ap-
pointmcnt Of the l02 additional ap-
praisors who will be busy until
January at S. per day and ox-
pcnscs appraising the lands. And
the data they are securing was OBJ
tanned during the former territorial
regimes and is now ON file In the
school land Office. The 1902 apprais
4 ors were named simply TO give more
places at the pie counter at the
school funds expense
The Okahomau has no knowledge
as TO the Identity OF the appointee
who declares. as alleged, that at
will cost half Of what the school
| lands of Oklahoma are worth 10 APP
praise them" but It does know that
such a statement Is absurdly false
II will not cost one one-hundredth
part Of what they are worth to APP
praise them. a. must be patent to
any rational mind Just why, there
fore. such fodder Is dished out to
the public for consumption Is
scarcely clear. in view Of the fact
that we have reasonably intelli.
gent people here in oklahoma.
As to the advisability of apprais-
ing these lands. in which work,
lii is alleged. that l02 appointees
are now engaged. the Oklahoman
is In hearty accord This work is
being done pursuant TO an act OF
the late legislature, which provides,
among other things:
1T shall be the duty of the com
missioncrs Of the land office 10
cause an appraiscmcnt 10 be made
as soon as practicable of all lands
granted To the state for educational
and public building purposes. Said
, appraisomcnt to contain complete
+ description Of said land, showing
, the number Of acres In cultivation
& ON each qua ter section, the amount
of cotton. corn and other farm
products raised on said land for
, the year 1907 and 1908, the actual
5 cash value of said land with the i'm
I provcmcnts thereon the value oI
q the improvements, giving descrip
a tion and kind of said improvements
4 the cash value of the same, the
numb r of years said improvements
have been on said land. the nam,
{ OF the lessee occupying the same
- and II the land leased is not occu
q ped by the lessee, and the same
D. has NOT been suh-l,ased by the les
+ see. givc the price which said sub
mcnt to contain list Of all LAND
suitable for townsitc purposes, an,
] state whether or not any of sale
land Is now being used for town
site purposes. ana If SO, the kind
nd character ~ the bu ldiaps tn re
ON. said appraisemcnt 10 contain ,
it
al report by counties aud such ad
ditional information as may he re-
quircd by the commissioners OF
the land office
This appraiscmcut is absolutely
necessary in order that the legis
laurc may know what the state
has iu the way of school lands. The
value OF the same. their location,
etc, In order To properly handle
this important subject. The infor.
nation thus ELECTED viii be worth
many times what il costs.
In the Judgment Of the Oklaho.
man. no question confronting sc
people OF he new state Is OF half
the importance today as the school
land question Millions and millions
OF dollars are involved in IT,
CLEARLY the legislature will bee In
no position 10 act intclligontly there.
ON unless It is possessed OF data
concerning the eNtout and character
OF the lands, how they have been
handled iu tho past, how they are
being handled at this time, etc, and
so ON. And We know of no other
way OF obtaining this information
except through such am appralse.
mont as The late legislature proyId.
. ed for and in pursuance of which
Z the school land comm 'ssion is now
] employing men 10 do the appraising
IA