The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-09-09
STATE BOARD AS
LAND GRABBERS
Governor Brady Says There
Should Be a Statute to
Stop Them.
BUT THERE is LAW NOW:
1T SHOULD BE ENFORCED
The Fact Seems to Be That
Brady Was Merely BIuffing
When lie Talked.
BY G. E. ARNEY.

BOISE. Idaho, Sept. s.-Thero has
been great deal Of discussion over
Idaho as to the right of members of the
state land board to indulge themselves
in the purchase of lands within Carey
act projects. This for the reason that
officially they sit in judgment in de-
termination of prices fixed for water;
terms Of payments, and contracts for
the works to be used in the irrigation
of these lands.
There is little if any disposition to
wreak vengeance on those who have re-
Gently reyeled in these illegal transac-
lions upon which ''noar great" men
have differed; such as Ex-Governor
Gooding and Governor Brady. So far
as the Idaho correspondent for the Salt
Lake Tribune is concerned the aim is
merely to pursue a discussion of the
subject to that extent that the ends of
supreme JustiVe may obtain.
If law has been violated I shall write
of it, leaving the governor, the grand
and trial lurics and the courts to per-
form or 'tduck" duty as they may
choose, The publication of pertinent
facts, names of persons involved and
the law become of more than passing in
terest even though the statutes of Idaho
have mitigated the punishment of some
of the offenders. \
Governor Brady has condemned and
Governor Gooding complimcnted the
practice on the part of members and |
attaches of present and previous state
land boards. This serves TO raise this |
issue:
It is alleged that several state land
board members under Governor Gooding
have taken Carey act lands in violation |
of the law; but that these crimes have
been outlawed -
1t has been admitted by all three of
Governor Brady's associate members on
the state land board that they acquired
lands under Carey act projects. These
three officials are only used as object
lessons for suggestion in that they H.
lustrate examples which the people
should study for the purpose Of clearly.
ing the public atmosphere of this state.
In detail, Mr.. Lansdon is no longer an
issue because of his voluntary refusal
to aspire for third term while Miss
Chamberlain and Mr.. McDougall failed
of their official conduct,
when exposed to public scrutiny.
Brady Is supine.
Governor Brady has not invested in
Carey act lands since his election as
lays, weeks, and months and permitted
his associates to do so, obiccting only
when confronted with conditions of eX-
oosurc of the ncfarlous system. And
hen what? Then this statement by
Governor Brady:
Without rejecting on previous mem
oers Of the land board. either Demo
ratio or Republican, who, within their
egal rights and under established prec.
al
Jarcy act system, I urge the necessity
If absolutely protecting the right and
interest of settlers by passing nm act
hat will make it unlawful for any men,
If this Carey act land commission or
he land board. to be interested direct
y or indirectly in Carey act Iands'
Why this necessity when the present
members Of Governor Brady S state land
,oard (not 'prevlous members') have
,leadod guilty and the governor re-
uses to turn them over in atoncment
o existing law?
The governor is lawyer and tho at ,
orncy general is a lawyer. hence we
ubmit TO them-and incidentally to an
Interested publlc-a few quotations from
he Idaho statutes;
Section 1926 of the revised code
tatcs that "the board shall dispose of
II lands accepted by the state under
he provisions of this chapter at n uni j.,
orm price of fifty cents per acre, half :
o be paid at the time of entry, and 7
he remainder at the time of making a
nal proof. {
(Bear in mind this law refers to Ca. 5
cy act lands.)
Again, section 256 reads as follows: ""
State. county district, precinct and
ity officers must not be purchasers at
ny sale nor vendors Mt any purchase 4
iado by them in their official capa- s
ity' 2
Pretty clear English and strikingly :
propos to the governor s proposition 3
tatcd above as a needed remedy for ',
xisting evils in his present official
ousehold whose burdens he must aid :,
n carrying, -
The Remedy. t,
Is there IA penalty7 To the Idaho n
tatutes for n third time for reply. we q
,ok at section 63S4, which runs like q
his; Ia
"Every officer or person prohibited b
y the laws of this state from becoming b
purchaser at sales or from purchasing n
Grip OF other evidence of Indebtedness. Is
tho violates any OF the provisions of c'
nch laws, is punishable by fine Of not
lore than $1,000 or by Imprisonment in a.