The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1913-12-18
THOSE BEn11Dy1 RESOLUTIONS.

THOSEBEMHDJIR ESOLUTIONs.
To those conversant with the his
tory Of the swamp land grant by the
United States to the State Of Mime
sofa, the resolutions adopted by the
Northern Minnesota Development as
sociation at Bemidji are far from
satisfactory. If it was the purpose
of the gentlemen who drafted the
resolutions to make recommended
tions of practical benefit to northern
Minnesota, and at the same time not
to reflect on the ill-advised action of
the president and secretary of the
association in protesting to the sec
Rotary of the interior against the
patenting of any more swamp lands
to the state until certain impossible
conditions had been complied with,
it seems to us that the resolutions
could have been more happily
worded. We are surprised that some
level-headed delegate to the conven-
tion did not offer resolutions that
recited facts and contained practical
recommendations, like the following
for instance: 49,
Whereas, under an act of congress
dated March IL, 1860, all of the
swamp and over-fowed lands within
the state, not reserved or previously
disposed of, and which were unfit for
cultivation without artificial drain
age, were granted Ito the State of |
Minnesota: and NJ
Whereas, in the year 1861, the
governor and the legislature of the
state decided to abide by the field
notes of the surveys made, and to be
made, by the u. S. surveyors, and
that the secretary of the interior
should select for the state those
lands which were shown by the field
notes of the surveys to be swamp
within the meaning of the act, of |
congress-; and
Whereas, the secretary of the in
terror has selected for the State. of |
Minnesota $685. CTS acres of swamp
lands, of which 4, 7Ol, 1929 acres have
been patented to the state, leaving
upwards of 1000, 900 acres still to be
adjusted, and after deducting there
from the acreage lost by contestssand
otherwise, there will remain about
500, 600 acres due the State of Mime
sofa: and 1T
Whereas, the State of Minnesota
has expended upwards of one million
dollars in draining and reclaiming
the swamp lands that have been Bat
ented to it, and proposes to continue |
to make liberal provision for THE
drainage and reclamation of HE |
same; and isN
Whereas, the United States MAS
long since completed the surveyssof |
all the townships in Minnesota, and |
the secretary of the interior is ins a
position to determine, designate and |
patent to the state those swamp
lands, as shown by the field notes fof !
survey, to which it is rightfully en-
titled. Therefore be it s
Resolved, that there is no valid |
reason why the United States should
not, without further delay, patent |
to the State of Minnesota the re-
mainder of the lands, shown by Che
field notes to be Of swampy char
acter, in accordance with the pro-
visions of the act of congress above
referred to-, to the end that the
state may know exactly what lands
belong to it, and proceed to drain |
and reclaim the same as contem-
plated by the granting act.
Resolved, that our senators and |
representatives in congress be and |
are hereby requested to urge the sec
rotary of the interior to at once
patent to the state the swamp lands |
still due it, as shown by the field |
notes. y
Resolved, that the legislature of
the State Of Minnesota is hereby re-
quested to continue to make liberal |
provision for the drainage and rec
lamation of the swamp lands in |
question.
Resolved, that copy of these res
olutions be forwarded to the Score.
tary of the Interior, to the Commits
sioner of the General Land Office, Ito
each of:our senator's and representa-
tives in congress and to the Governor
and State Auditor of the State OF
Minnesota. i M
| It seems to Us that resoluti5pa
somewhat similar to tHe above w ), ri