The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1911-01-05

l shall discuss department of state
lands, a department Of forestry, de.
partment Of geology and mines, de.
partment of game and fish, a depart.
ment of waterways, department OF
agriculture and immigration and de.
| partment Of public highways; within
hthe bureau Of public health and safety,
"a department ofspublic health. de.
I partment OF dairies and foods and q
department of labor; within the bu.
reau of education department of edu.
cation, and department of state in
sstitution, /. and Within the bureau !, OF
revenue and accounting a tax com,
mission, railway and warehouse com.
missions a public examiner, a depart,
s:ment Eof. banks and department Of
insurance.
It is not essential that the various
subdivisions should be arranged as
herein suggested, or that the depart
ments sthereunder should be so de-
nominated, nor it lis essential that the
officer in charge should be known as a
commissioner. These are only means of
gnationand other termscan be used
as conveniently and effectively, but the
classific atian's herein suggested is only
Onessof the many that might be ar
ranged, and one that would seem to
be the most logical. The working out
of such a. scheme is one for the tlegis.
lature, andzsmy. only purpose in sub
uniting this plan is to secure greater
administrative efficiency by fixing re-
sponsibility and securing cooperation.
THE STATE 7UREAuoF
/. PUBLIC DOMAIN.
In the organic act establishing our
state boundaries the general govern
sments assigned, to Minnesota 54,196, 480
acres of the national domain. The
government survey describes 2,447 $50
acres Of this as water surface, leaving
a land surface of 1,749, 12O acres I'm
der the homestead, timber culture and
timber and stone acts actual settlers
have received from the general gov
eminent about As per cent of Mime
sofas total domain, or approximately
23,4O0,O 900 acres. Grants to railroads.
including both state and congressional
grants, aggregate, something over 49,
900 1000 acres, which is fraction more
than, rs per cent of the total land area.
About 5000, O00 acres have been sold
or otherwise transferred - to lumber
and mining companies, spectators,
soldiers and settlers by cash sales or
Various kinds of scrip and the remain
der represents public land belonging
to the general government and to the
state of Minnesota.
The amount of unappropriated lands
belonging to the general government
open to settlement in Minnesota, as
shown by the land Office report of
1909, is 1,450,955 acres, OF which 1S7,-
900 acres are unsurveyed. In national
forest reserve. Minnesota has approx
smately 1904, 486 acres. The total un-
surveyed acreage of the general gov
eminent in Minnesota, including lands
in reservations, is estimated at g..
100000 acres, which, with 100000
acres surveyed and open to- settle
ment, bring the total Minnesota hold
ings of the general government up to
$3.50, 900 acres.
LANDS BELONGING TO
,s..-A- STATE OF. MINNESOTA.
Under the various acts of congress
granting lands to the several states
Minnesota is entitled to $500, 119.47
acres. Up to July 81, 1910, patents
had been received from the general
government for the several classes OF
state lands aggregating S,1S1, 1O2.72
acres. This leaves a balance of 1,419,
O15.75 acres. according to the record
of the state, yet to be approved and
patented.
Approximately 100000 acres OF
school, university, agricultural, col
lege, internal improvement, swamp
and salt spring lands have been sold
and the proceeds invested for the va
rious educational and other permanent
trust funds, which on July 81, 1910
are reported by the auditor as aggre
eating $27,O77,223.41.
The auditor, as ex-oficio state land
commissioner, reports on hand unsold
in the possession of the state and its
institutions at this time 2,486,4O5
acres. a.;
3 !. In addition Ito the. above holdings
the, auditor, estimates that there is
still due from the general government
100000 acres of selected swamp and
indemnity school lands, bringing the
total up to approximately 100000
acres as the total public domain to
be administered in the interest of our
public" schools and other state insti
tutions, as we'll as the general public
pEPARTMENTfoF
:sTATE@LAhDs= NECESSARY
The necessity of amending our pres
ent laws and methods "a of handling
state lands, with the organization tc
that endsof separate state land de-
partment, is now. generally admitted
Our present exsofheio land commission:
er, State. Auditor sfyerson, advocated
ouch change In his, report of two years
ago, reiterating his position at this
time, and a bill. to that .end=Swas intro
duced in the last Legislature, but
/ failed Of passage because aof certain
Il