The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1908-09-04
PAID ADVERTISEMENTS
ROSS FOR LAND Commissioner
Stands on His Record, Which is an Open
Book


lie Lands, is a candidate for reelection,
but, down to date, he has been con-
Quoting campaignless campaign.
Never in its history has the state land
department been as busy as it is now
and as a result Commissioner Ross is
giving to his official knitting, his whole
time.
AT the same time his splendid record
as administrator of the states land
affairs is out and working for him every
minute and there is every evidence
that it will bring him close to the
heaviest vote polled by any candidate
on the republican ticket.
Mr.. Ross administration has been
no less than remarkable. In the three
years and half of his incumbency he
has made of what was formerly an inn
potent machine, a perfected financial
institution and brought the department
to what it should always have been, the
bulwark of the common schools of the
state OF Washington. Ross has handled
the schools vast heritage like an estate
in probate and so we'll known is this
fact that he is not finding it necessary
to go up and down the state telling
the voters that it is SO.
One of Mr.. Ross first reforms in the
state land system was in the leasing
department. Immediately upon tax
ing over the office he discontinued the
unlawful practice of leasing the unen-
numbered lands by private arrangement
between the Commissioner and the ap-
plicant. Instead he instituted the
system by which all lands leased in the
first instance are first inspected, min
imum rental fixed and the lease sold
at public auction, after due notice, to
the highest bidder.
He also put an end to the disastrous
custom of leasing state timber lands
and then selling the timber standing
thereon 'trespass," without appraise-
ment and by private arrangement"
by which practice hundred of thous-
ands of feet of the best timber was lost
to the state at merely nominal price.
Timber lands are not now leased at all
nor is the land itself sold for agricul-
tural or other purposes until the timber
is first sold at public auction and then
actually removed from the land.
Commissioner Ross also put an end
to the leasing of school sections near
large cities, by which practice such
lands were fast becoming encountered
with unsightly and ungainly improve
ments, whereby competition at the
subsequent sale of such lots and blocks
was stihed and the interests OF the state
injuriously affected. Since applying
this reform such lots and blocks have
sold at an increase of from 100 to 700
per cent. over prices that previously
obtained.
Commissioner Ross system for es-
tablishing agricultural leases has also
come in for general commentator.
His effort has been to fix rentals upon
the basis OF a just division of the crops
the land will produce between the
landlord and the tenant, in all instances
following the custom of the community
in which the land is situated. 1t is
Mr.. Ross belief that the best interests
of the state demand the sale of all lands
belonging to the state at fair market
value at the time a demand is mani
tested for the property.
The Commissioner now has on hand
a controversy with the Department of
the Interior at Washington which bids
fair to gain for the state the restoration
Of nearly three quarters of million of
acres of lands of which the common
school fund is now deprived through
the rigid administration Of certain
national policies. Washington is slow
to move but it has acknowledged the
honesty and justice of Mr.. Ross de-
mands and contentious and success is
promised if the Commissioner is per-
mitted to continue his efforts.
Mr.. Ross has established no poll
cies' in the land department. The
legislature only has power to establish
policies. The policy Of the law must
ha ,ha rol;cu If the da1o.+,,,a,,t ood