Arizona republican., 1910-11-27

| rate appralsement of the land and the ! improvements on school and univer- l sity lands which have been held un- der lease prior to the adoption of this constitution. and reimbursement to
 the lessee of such lands upon which the improvements are situated as pre- scribed by title 65, civil code of Ari-
 zona, 1901, and in the cases as only permit reimbursement to lessees in said title 65 aforesaid;' and providing further, nothing herein. contained shall be so construed as to permit the sale i of any other of the state lands at any ] time before the expiration of twenty i five years from the date when this constitution is admitted into the
 Union"
 { This was section g. All the preVi-
 ous sections were taken from the en- abling act prescribing how the lands were to be disposed of, if at all, by ! sale.
 on the reading of section 9, Mir.
 Jones of Yavapai addressed the con vention in behalf of adoption of the section, and moved that it be adopted. Mr Roberts moved to change "twen- ty-five" to forty MT. Webb then
 moved to substitute for the beginning of section an amendment throwing all lands open to sale, and now the fight was clear cut There was no longer any hope of compromise. Mir Cunniff met this hostile move with an amendment prohibiting the
 sale of any lands at any time. MT. Cunningham deplored the insane mo- ton of some of the members of the convention to get rid at once of lands which would quickly double in value. MT Ellinwood spoke of the purpose
 of the government in granting the lands to the territory for the sup port of the schools and the institu- tions of the new state. How was this purpose to be served by retaining the lands? MT. Kingan added that the proceeds of their sale were needed for the payment of bonds. On the other hand, MT. Wood made a calcu- lation showing that in a short time the bonds might be paid from the rentals of the lands which would still be the property of the state.
 MT Orme pointed out that the ty- ing up of the lands as was proposed I by the Cunniff amendment would ef- feet a paralysis upon the holders of old improved school lands.
 Though it was not alluded to by the advocates of the sale of the lands in the course of the debate, one of the most frequently heard arguments against the tying up of the lands was that the project was in the interest
 of the Santa Feerailroad. which did
 not desire q competitor in the land market of the new state.
 MT. Parsons, who was opposed to
 the sale of the lands, referred to what he called the Santa Fe bogie, and he added: ''I fear the Santa Fe as a purchaser of lands rather than as a vendor" He concluded by urging
 that it was not the business of the convention to provide for the dispo- sitiou of the lands: that was mat ter that should be left to the legisla- ture.
 After an hour and a half of argu- meut. the Cunniff amendment went to a vote and was lost. Then the Webb amendment was adopted by a vote of 33 to 12 As finished. the
 provision for the disposition of the
 lands. in addition to the requirements
 of the enabling act, is as follows: How It May Be Done.
 "Section g. All lands expressly transferred and confirmed to this state by the provisions of the en- abling act approved June goth, lslO' and including all lands granted to 1 this state and all the lands hereto | fore granted to the territory Of Arl- 1 zona. and all lands otherwise ac-
 auired by the state, may be sold by the state in the manner and on the conditions and with the limitations
 prescribed by the enabling act and ! this constitution. Provided, the legis. lature may provide for the separate appraisement of the land and the i'm | movements on school and university lands which have been held under | lease prior to the adoption of this constitution, and reimbursement to the lessee of such lands upon which such improvements are situated as pre- scribed by title 65. civil code of Ari- zona. 1901. and in the cases only as permit reimbursements to lessees in
 said title 65 aforesaid.
 "Section 10. The legislature shall
 provide by proper laws for the lease of all state land for terms not longer
 than five years and shall further pro-