The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-01-21

Preliminary steps for an investigation
into the affairs of the state land board
were taken Friday afternoon in the
state senate when the resolution at the
head Of this article was introduced by
Senator Benner y. Smith calling for
report of the secretary of the state
land board was passed unanimously
The resolution asks for detailed re.
port on certain land east of Mt.
Pleasant, leased by the state to W, D.
Candland of Mt. Pleasant, who is
member of the state land board The
report describes property which has
been leased for some years by Mr..
Candland for grazing purposes.
Immediately after its introduction
Senator Smith moved that the rules be
suspended and that the resolution be
placed on its final passage. Senator
Booth asked the purpose of the reso.
luton and Mr.. Smith said that it was
n request for information. He said that
the first part was with reference to the
history Of a certain tract of public
land. He wanted its leases traced from
the time It came into possession of the
state in order that he might know to
whom it was leased at present and un-
der what authority it was leased
Senator Hyde suggested that the res
oution be amended to include "a report
on all loans OF the state land board,
Mr.. Smith said he would be pleased to
see such resolution introduced but
that at present the information he
wanted was with reference to loans TO
members of the board. Senator Kelly
said he understood complete report of
all the loans made by the board was
being prepared by the secretary.
The senate unanimously voted for the
suspension of the rules and also for the
passage Of the resolution. The resolu
tion was Immediately transmitted to
the secretary OF the land board
Purpose of Resolution.
Concerning the introduction of the
resolution. Senator Smith said: 1'The
land referred to is in the southern part
OF the state, and ] have been informed
has been leased to a member or mem
bers of the state land board. l under
stand it is claimed that The lease was
made prior to the passage OF law
by the legislature forbidding the leas-
ing of land to member of the state
land board This, | believe. has been
denied by others, and the resolution is
merely for the purpose of getting at
the truth of the matter.
The other part of the resolution is
self-explanatory, | do not know of
any law on the statute books forbid
ding the loaning of public money by
the board to its own members, but If
1t has been done, | think that the SEN
ate is entitled to know under what
provisions such loans were made. That
is the only purpose of the resolution,
and until we get the information asked
for. it will be impossible to say what
action the senate may desire to take
with reference to the matter contained
In the resolution
Personnel of Board.
The land board at present is com
posed of w d. Candland, president;
William j. Lynch, secretary; William
II. Thain, NJ. NJ. Steele and A. G..
Giaque. Candland and Thain have
been members of the board for several
years. They were reappointed two
Years ago by Governor Spry and the
senate refused to confirm these ap.
pointments. However, immediately
after the adjournment Of the legisla-
ture the governor named them as re-
cess appointees. As q result, a bill
is now before the senate providing that
any appointee not confirmed by the
senate shall be Ineligible as a recess
aprointee.
One of the purposes of the present
investigation, it is said, is to place the