The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-10-28

dreamed, Underneath large tracts of
these timber lands lay deposits Of
iron ore, all undiscovered. Had the
usual policy Of d~isposing OF the land
this great source of wealth would
have gone into the hands Of individ-
uals. AS it was. 1t has been reserved
for the state.
Even So. Minnesota. owes, much to
the refusal Of State Auditor Braden to
sell lands in the iron range at the
minimum price fixed in 1863. Believ-
SO as to retain all mineral rights for
the state, he stopped the sales Of such
lands, and in the end the legislature
passed o law providing for the leas-
ing OF ore areas, and naming a royal
ty Of rs cents a ton OF ore mined uno
der these leases, 1t has been since
felt that this sum is too small, and
the law has. been repealed, with the
result that leasing OF ore lands has
ended. The state believes that there
Is no need Of haste, and that a suit
able royalty can be fixed when the
demand for these lands becomes IN
slstent. It would be a mistake to
s~olutely faultless in her administra-
ton Of public lands. One exception
was made to tho policy of a perma-
nent fund, when some salt spring
LANDS were turned I've to the state
university. to supply. by their sale,
money for a geological and natural
history survey of the state. Over
$4,000 of principal went in this
way. Another loss was of the pro-
ceeds from the sale of 500, 900 acres Of
land which the people, by direct vote,
took out Of the permanent fund and
devoted to payment of bonds that an
carly Legislature had repudiated.
With oil dod,rfSanr bouuo.-o, 49,
record Of the state Is unique. News
paper readers are becoming accus-
toned to incredible estimates of the
income Of Minnesota n the Univer-
sity Of Minnesota from these ore
lands so fortunately reserved. But
conservative figures are wonderful
enough. To be appreciated. they must
be placed beside those of other states.
Iowa has sold all but 200 acres of the
5000, 900 granted her. Never having
had a. minimum price limit, she has
as a fund from the proceeds Of their
sale somewhat less than $4,000, 900.
Wisconsin is in much the same class.
Michigan. with 5000, 900 acres, all
gone, has nearly $4,000, 900 from them.
Illinois. with about as many acres to
dispose Of as Iowa, and none left, has
a paltry $1,000, 900 from them in her
treasury. Turn to Minnesota. OF the
imperial domain Of more than $780,
VOV acres granted TO Hef, Sne Stlll mas
over 100000 acres, and those of the
richest; and what she has sold has
yielded her the sum of $50, 900, 900 In
the form OF a permanent fund, upon
which she receives an average Of 4
per cent interest. Equally interesting
is the record of the states which have
been wise enough to profit by her ex-
ample. North Dakota, with a total
acreage of 100000, of which more
than half remains unsold, has IS, 000,-
600 in her treasury-over twice as
much as Iowa or Wisconsin, which
have stripped themselves baAa Of a
far larger heritage. South Dakota has
lone even better, for with 5000, 900
acres left Of her original $500, 900, she
has q fund of $12, 900, 900. Minnesota
expects $1,000,0 900 this year, merely
from her ore royalties on lands leased
before the repeal of the royalty law.
Auditors estimates Of her ultimate re-
ceipts from the sale of all lands have
steadily mounted, until now the figure
Is $500, 900, 900. Each of the Dakotas
looks forward to a total fund Of $780,
600, 900.
The flower Of the family has long
$500