, 1911-03-23
University Land Matter Cleared Up
Governor Carey's Caustic Criticism Of The University Trustees
During His Campaign Entirely Disproved By The
Board Of Regents Statement
Laramie Republican,

During the campaign last fall Governor Carey made the following
concrete statement relating 10 the disposition of certain lands belong
ing to the university and the agricultural college:
IL want you to think of another chapter that L propose to tell you
with reference to this university. l propose in this campaign, as |
have said, to tell the truth. Two great irrigation companies asked
for the segregation of lands under the Carey act, one in the Big Horn
Basin and one in the Platte valley. After all the arrangements were
made for the segregation these mel discovered that the university
had some lands under their irrigation systems. They discovered
agricultural college lands under their bitches. y " When the
promoters of these enterprises saw these lands they determined to
have them. They went and asked the land board to relinquish these
lands to the United States SO they could be segregated. They were
asking thity-fve dolare per acre for water for these lands, and if they
could get these lands for nothing it would be inst that much gain.
4 y n A member of the board of university trustees of the Wyom-
ing university took exception to it. He said, "We have nc right to
release those lands. The title to them a vested in the Wyoming
University. Those lands were chosen for the Wyoming university
and for the agricultural college. We'll. there "a a great deal of
controversy about it. And they finally took opinions OF lawyers
Mr.. Arnold of this city gave a u opinion that the title had vested In
the university; Mr. bennett, the commissioner of the general land
Office, said, "We will not take the lands back and permit the release
unless the Wyoming University deeds those lands back to the United
States Mr.. Mullen, be it said to his credit, Joined In the same OPP
iniop. but the land board was determined that these irrigation COM
nanies shouId have those lands. Why they were so interested in it
hay. never known. There were men and women in that univer-
siy board who protested. Timothy Burke was opposed MISS
knight was opposed, Mrs. Stone of Evanston was opposed, Mr Jones
of This ctv opposed it. There wasa majority against it, They
got Timothy Burke out of the state and Mrs. Stone was absent from
the state, which left the board in such a shape that there would D a
ma;,ri,y to commit this crime. They passed this resolution, but
they did not pass it until b b. Brooks, came to TINS city, the governor
who had appointed these very trustees for the university. he ar
gued with them. Mr.. Fuller came and argued. Mr. Crawford
changed about aud he argued in favor OF deciding these LANDS oack
They decided them back and lands elsewhere OF d 'aiaee Acep III
nominal ualue of five cents a acre per annum for rental purposes
were selected in place OF them. There were $4,000 acres OF THESE
lands. Multiply by thirtyfve dollars an acre If you please. rake
ten dollars from that to pay for the water-you have twenty-five oi
lpuso -, .ou. fu q OOO acreso of land. How much does 1t amount tol
make it ss5OOOo. Or even if the state had demanded ten dollars
Al acre the minimum price. They robbed the state university
and the agricultural college at one stroke OF TN pen Q
$4,000. You say 1 am not making an appeal 10 M people 0