The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-12-25
By G. z. ARNEY.

~ 49, ~-t"i'L
Special TO The Tribune
BOISE, Ida. Dec. 2i-Thc Marble
Creek lands matter was argued before
the supreme court Of tl!e state Wednes-
day
This question has many peculiar
phases. IL has been So interviewer with
pohtiCS that The arguments before the
disnihed court created the natural in
quiry as 10 what cNpanati ton the in
yolvcd officials would DE pleased TO Of
for TO the interested public. when cN-
planations become necessary.
In brief review. il will hu Iemcm-
pered that the state undertook 10 select
these lands Tor the benefit OF tho state
school fund and the university fund. and
that somewhere during the progress ol
the selection paralysis overlook The
transaction, and TO date no lee has been
paid fur The cutry OF the lands and no
request has been issued Tor the clear
lists 10 the property from the general
land office although the commissioners
has long since held the state to be en-
titled TO the land withdrawn and the
Secretary OF thc interior has confirmed
\ IaNpaycr-WiIiam Balderson by
name--prcscnt register OF the United
States land office in the Boise district
age which draw public money former
editor OF tho Idaho Daily Statesman, and
appointcc OF senator Eorah, filed the
petition in The supreme court asking Tor
Inc writ to prevent the state land board
from confirming the report of the special
commission provided Tor by the last leg
lslaturc.
This commission was not created hy
statute il WAS the result Of a. concur
rent resolution oi th@ last legislature.
During the session when this matter
was before The legislature for consider
alton. one Showalicr from NrZ Fcrcc
county. was much in evidence FOR his
activity in The resolution.
He worked aS OIL" Who had more tban
q passing interest in The iate Of the re
suit ot lhc issue in both houses, us
activities created suspicion IN me
1t Instituted an investigation, as Il re
suit OF which il published 4 statement
TO the effect that ShoWJlter held Nalua-
bic contracts with some sixty or moi"
OF thcso settlers To- pay. him 500 cacla
Tor getting the state out of their way. :"
thcY could get clear titles "a this land
which they had entered after She state
had selected IT, and in the FACE OF th"
fact that tic government. aS aboN" EuC-
gcstcc, had ruled against them and In
favor of The settlers wnen the matter
had bccn brought before them some Years
AGO. This Showutcr deal has never
bcan questioned.
This fund amounts 10 some S'5."oo and
al once carries win il the thought of
irreCnlarliy. since these contracts wrr"
signed. both state conventions incornor-
ated into tho.r resnoci,%n PLATFORMS
uIauIis promising aid TO these settlers.
This was clearly q bid for their votes.
paIlu,rs attorneys for ih' settlers cam"
10 Boisc and insisted tlrat there Wcrc
moro than 100 settlers on these lands,
each of whom represented - least Ten
votes for the man OF men VINO WpuIu
stand bv them for tho release oi thos"
lands valuable for tnc timber growing
ON them.
This was during the preceding state
administration
The legislature named this commits
sion. consisting oC two Of its members
and the state land Scioctor. one ~ tho
Marble Creek settlers was a mcmoer oi
tho legislature.
Whom tho commission met in In" Mar
hlc Creek country go make its lnN"shrH-
tIon nf these lands, Mir. Sh"wdicr MS
ihr onn man continually present AT al
OF rh.ir hearings, So Tar as known he
Is not lawyer. lTis appearances, I" date
dore not reach beyond IN" scope OF
Nor. lobbyist. a paid manipulation. work