The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-09-06
PERIL IN STATE CONTROL.

On the question of whether the pub.
lie interests and public utilities and
resources would be better conserved
under the policy which would transfer
the control of the public domain to
the States rather than leave it with
the Federal Government, where it now
is, The Tribune has pointed out the dan
ger of such change That danger is
primarily in iobbery and favoritism.
and in the Cobbllng of the rights and
privileges of the community property
by combines and clIques of politicians.
Unfortunately, the history of The man
agement by the States of such lands
as have been granted to them, either
directly or indirectly, lends too much
support TO the proposition that the pub"
lic interests would be frittered away
by politicians rather than conserved
for the community benefit, This view
is fully shared by the Logan Journal,
on this question which we copy, as
follows.
While we believe that the residents of
the several states should not be deprived
of any contiguous natural opportunity
that may be enjoyed without infringing
upon the rights OF others. we cannot see
that their natural rights I'm this direction
may not be as well conserved by the gen
eral, as by the state government In
deed, results seem to indicate much bet
ter
These results almost invariably indicate
that the states have frittered away their
patrlmonv In lands. have reserved no
rights for the general public, but upon
the other hand have held them for graft
sold them at a ridlcuously low Valua-
them as rewards TO the officers OF the
state who have made both the awards
and division; bat held them for the great
unwashed proletariat. never! Perish the
thought
Is Utah exempt?
Well, not by several.
Look at the state land boards iniqui-
tous record In the sale of Carbon county
coal lands
See how II has favored big corporations
In the sale to them OF immense areas of
land Of which the sold corporations no
sooner gain possession than they advance
prices from two or three hundred TO
thousand per cent.
Witness how It has neglected its spe-
ciic duty TO protect the rights. interests
and investments under the Carey land
act OF settlers in the southern part Of
the state. and allowed them TO be loot
ed by private corporations.
Note the loose methods OF its account
Ing in the Piute reclamation project, as
exposed In The Tribune for the spending
OF the states money. OF the matters un-
covered by n careful search OF the various
records We will cite but the account OF
one man, a purported laborinE man at
that-one Sias Munson, who, according
TO the record. drew for one month.
twenty-five and n half days pay for him
self and team at $3.50 per day; thirty-one
days as miner, ar $3.50. and four days
n xf,GN li1x
ance Of s6.75 for grain and hay. totals
S2fT,
This project estimated in the first
place to cost 100000, has already cost
amount, and will In all probability over
run the original total estimate once more
before il Is complete.
To view IT from It's mildest aspect and
pass upon II the most moderate judg
mcnt. positions upon this. as upon 9TH
er boards having important functions and
charged with various important none
tary interests of the people, have. been
behalf Of The Republican party in the
state, and all officials so appointed are
subject to n periodical shaking down for
funds 10 onabte the party to perpetuate
itself In power. How can efficiency be
demanded?
In this state, as in every other where
there are any natural resources unap-
propriated by special favorites to be used
III inc eNpIpllallpn Oh lHc HldSScSt lncrS
are scores OF private interests trying to
tear loose from those resources the pro-
tccting hand OF the government. The
sheep and cattle kings want the unre-
strcted use of the range, Big corpora
tions are on hand to monopolize the coal,
the timber. the power sites, the water;
to seize the lands
Too much has already been taken; but
II Is nearly a cinch that If the govern
mcnt abandons Its conservation policy
and turns the reserve resources over to
the states. all will be gone In short or
der, and the people generally be nothing
the gamer.