The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1910-06-03
P. J. Russell Of Bemidji Startles the
Development Convention by His
Declaration.
TOLD OF EVILS OF PRESENT
LAND POLICY. REMEDIES
Northern Minnesota Will Be Great
Dairying Region, Says Danish
Professor in Speech.

Northern Minnesota will get re.
apportionment at the next session OF
the state legislature or will secure
just representation, if reapportion,
ment is refused, by division of the
state, according to the plea of P. ].
Russell of Bemidji, member of the
state forestry board, who addressed
the development congress late yes.
day on Swamp Lands"
Mr.. Russell dwelt at length on
evils of the present land system and
the injuries it works upon the settlers
as well as the retardation of the
development of northern Minnesota,
which is caused by the present policy
of the state land laws.
In concluding his remarkable
address Mr.. Russell said, Let me
urge you, each delegate in this
convention, each citizen of Northern
Minnesota, to support no man for
the legislature who will not pledge
himself to work for reapportionment.
If we get just representation we
shall have reformation in our
public land law without which
Northern Minnesota, in my opinion,
can never become the splendid en-
pire which Nature and Natures God
intended it to be. But should we
be denied a fair 4and-equal repre-
sentation, if we are to be recognized
only when the tax gatherer comes,
then we will reconvene in a mighty
convention and demand an ammend
ment to the constitution providing
for the division of the state on
the forty-sixth parallel"
Mr.. Russell told Of the acts of
congress by which the so-called
swamp lands were granted to the
state of Minnesota, in which the
following provision was made. The
profit of said lands, whether from
sale or direct appropriation in kind,
shall be applied exclusively as far as
is necessary to retaining of said
lands by means of levees and dit
ches."
No honest effort has been made
by the state of Minnesota to carry
out the letter or spirit of the con-
ditions subsequently written to this
law, viz: that the profit of sale there
of should be applied exclusively as
far as necessary to retaining the
land until 1901, period of Al years
from the passage of the act of con
gress."
The speaker told of the donation
of three million acres of these
lands to the railroads many
of which were paper railroads., .
like the Little Falls & Dakota
on which a steel rail was neve,
laid while it owned and still owns
large tracts of swamp lands in cen.
trail and northern Minnesota, granted
to it by the state. Other donations
were made of the swamp lands by
the legislature to be used as income
for the state prison at Saltwater, fol
the three normal schools, for thu
institution for the education of tn.
deaf, dumb and blind, and for an
insane asylum.
Mr.. Russell criticised the presen
system of reserving the title te
mineral in state lands, of selling
the timber separately, and Of
assessing the cost of drainage work
to the state lambs benefited or
which men have settled. The
speaker not only criticised the state
policy but suggested the following
remedies:
First. Repeal the act providing
for the sale OF the timber upor
swamp lands separate from the
land. The settler needs it to helr
pay for clearing the land and main
tanning himself while he is trying t,
open up farm.
Second. Modify the minera
reservations so that the state ma,
receive a royalty of rs cents pc