The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-09-23

and calmly permit all these unlawful
acts to be performed. thereby making
themselves accessories both before aud
after the act.
Much Tangled Records.
II may well be that with the books
and records of this state board of land
commissioners so tangled in every way,
frequently mutilated by erasures, al
ways q matter and reason for suspicion.
dotted hither and yon by notes and cx-
plantations that do not explain much less
correct the errors therein confessed !;
with the funds frequently comming ed
with each other. that as far as can be
learned there has never been made II
critical audit Of the accounts of this Of
fec. Two months ago the state auditor
called upon the board for a statement
OF the securities and investments made
and outstanding by the board from time
10 time. To date there has been uosre-
turn in answer to the request. Why9
Because many Of the investments will
not stand the light of the slightest in
vestIgatlon. Because the books are in
such condition that it would take
months to so tear things up that any
head or tail could be made of them.
The records Of investment of the
funds of the state as they appear in
what should be a book of original en-.
try have not been posted for two
months. The entries are not in regular
rotation as transactions Of such char
acter should be. The excuse offered that
there was so much unoccupied space in
book that after the completion Of
book b the board IN spasm Of econ
omy ordered entries to be made in book
A, then doubled up on book B, so that
entries follow each other that as a mat
ter OF fact were years apart as regards
the date Of the respective transactions.
There is no regular record kept Of the
Investments on behalf Of the separate
funds. They are all jumbled togel her
in these books save rs appears for the
reservoirs funds which are now
treated as open ledger accounts and
have been exploited bv some person or
persons not much for the benefit of the
state rs would appear from the pay rolls
of the Piute project
Not Accessible,
Again. tho securities themselves are
mot accessible; they a-e not kept in any
~" ou,"-. uh"v :rs not in the bands
OF any public officer; they arc deposited
in bank where il is not possible to
check them against the book entries,
some Of which arc open to grave sus.
plcion.
On page $40 of the record of 'Appli-
cations 10 Lease. - w. u. Candland, pres
idcut Of this state board Of land com
mIssioners. appears as applicant and
lessee of go acres in sections 20 and > ,
in township II south, range cast dat
ed January /, 1909 and 10 run five years
from date, On page $40 of the same
record is another lease s,nilar in char
actcr covering $50 acres IN section Fl
IN the same township and range. and
ON the next page. SJl a further lease Of
I60 acres in sections - and 2S Of the
same township and range. in all 1910
acres AT 6 cents per acre, total rental
Of $73. 40. The law sets forth as fol
lows;
2SG9X3-Ncmbers Of board prohibited
from acquiring state lands. The mem
bcrs OF the state board of land commits
.loncrs and tic employees Of the board
arc hereby prohibited from acquiring.
either directly or indirectly, any state
lands or interest therein; provided that
the provisions hereof shall not Interf"r"
! with any pending application or any
contract 10 purchase any state lands
or with the renewal OF any existing lease
made prior TO the passage Of this section.
81 r, 2G,.
Whatever The force of the special pro
,ieo. which can only he considered as
eprcial legislation for the benefit of
| CandIand and Thnin Of he board. the
lease of tho $50 acres under application
raumbcr $50 is absolutely without color