The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1911-05-12

Seattle, Wash. Nav S. 1871,

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Seattle, Wash, May 5, 1911
Editor, Islander,
AS a citizen and a taxpayer /
raise my voice in protest against the
unjust and reckless legislation pass
ed by the last legislature as it affects
owners Of tide lands, particularly
IN our county. Ihave gone through
an experience which has removed
the last vestige Of respect / enter
tanned for that legislature and my
regard for the State of which | am
a citizen has fallen considerably.
Since 1906 have been the owner
of certain tide lands at West Sound.
where my fanny make their home.
| have been in Alaska nearly every
season for the past "a years and out
of touch with the tinkering with
laws which seems to be a favorite
biennial pastime here.
| A few days ago | learned, quite
by accident, that the last legislature
passed a law whereby the state took
to itself title to all tide lands be-
tween mean low tide and extreme
low tide. With the why and where
fore Of this law l have no particular
concern, although when | bought
my tide lands from the state in
1906 / supposed the matter was
settled.
The iniquitous part Of this law is
that it makes the owner of tide lands
a preferred purchaser Of the strip
between mean and extreme low tide,
but this preference only extends to
June s. After that date any person
may step in and buy this strip and
ONCE having secured title from the
state, the purchaser may then black
mail the real tide land owner.
Take my case for illustration:
The strip of land between mean and
extreme low tide in front of my tide
land property is of use to me. Had
| not by accident learned of the
danger that threatened me, June 8
any person could have bought that
strip. From then on | would have
been bottled up. l would not be
allowed to build even a wharf that
touched that strip. | could not
paddle skiff over it. The man who
bought it from the state for few
dollars could force me to pay almost
any price for it, for without that
strip would be cut off entirely from
the water.
And bear in mind that / only
learned of my danger by accident.
The great state of Washington, to
which / pay taxes for protection
gave me no notice Of the passage
of this law; no one received any
NOTICE except those in whose interest
the law was passed. When heard
the rumor Of the law, i made in
quiries but could not learn anything
definite. / finally went to Olympia.
There bought the strip. The cost
was not great. care nothing for the
few dollars | was forced to spend
to protect my home for my family.
but do object to the devil-may- care
enactment of such a law without
any warning to the persons affected.
And now to recite the most con-
temptible feature Of the whole
pettyfogging business. After I had
bought the strip from the state |
had to sign an agreement, or make
note q have forgotten which)
which provided that in case the
states title to the strip was ever
disproved that would not make
any effort to get my money back.
Think Of state a sovereign state,
doing a petty larceny trick that
would bring the blush Of shame to
the cheeks Of the most grasping
pawnbroker! The great state fore
ing me to purchase property which
the state ism It certain that it owns,
and then making me agree not to
ask for any money should it be de-
termined that the state had no right
to sell! What would be thought of
an individual or private corporation
that would stoop to such a penny
snatching scheme? | don't care for
the few miserable dollars it cost me:
even the trouble Of going back and
forth to Olympia / am willing to
forget, but / cannot reconcile my
notion Of the dignity Of state to
such microscopic avarice.
It may be that ID the twenty-four
years / have lived in Alaska common
honesty and common decency have
changed here and it would seem
that even common sense had deterio-
rated. That need for such a law as
the one am discussing as calmly Is
can may be apparent to the keen
eye Of the legislator. But need Or