The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-03-31

and il Representative Sproat of Grand
Rapids can get away with bill NJ
| proposes introducing The bin pend
! ing provides for the abolition of the
land commissioner Once and the
turning over of the work of that Of
fee 10 the public domain commission
The bill Mr.. Sproat Is preparing pro-
vides for the abolition Of the public
domain commission as useless and
constituting only a triplication of the
work of the auditor generals depart
ment.
No Good Land for Sale.
The bill abolishing the land COM
missioner's office was drafted by A. q.
Carton, the present land commissioner
and provides for turning over the
business Of that office 10 the public
domain commission OF which Mr.. Car
ton was secretary until January !.
Since then il has had no secretary.
Now the work of the land commits
sioners office, according To the brief
sent in by Mr.. Carton with the bill,
has dropped OFF To nothing much since
the state no longer has lands to sell
and but small fraction of the orig
inal amount left 10 handle. He showed
that on January |, 1913. the state
owned but 64s.746.7s acres of which
276, S65.l3 are in the forest reserves,
leaving but 100000 subject for sale
of entry and these among the poorest
lands in the state.
Mr.. Carton suggests turning this
work OF the land Office over Ia the
public domain commission, but the
auditor general and Mr.. Sproat and
others who have examined into the
now duplicated. he sent over 10 ano-
Their department 10 be also duplicated:
why not abolish the land office and
place the work of that Office in the
auditors Office where IL belongs and
If taken from whence can mean moth
ing at all but duplication"
When the bill To abolish the land Of
flee comes mp. Mr.. Sproat proposes To
move To amend by turning the work
over To the auditor general rather than
10 the public domain commission.
No Settlers Brought In.
Now then this other bin which
would be TO abolish the public do
main commission. This commission
consists of the secretary Of state the
auditor general. the state land COM
missioner a regent of the University
OF Michigan, a member of the state
board of agriculture, a member of the
board of control of the Michigan Col
lege of Mines. Apparently such n
commission is entirely irresponsible Ia
anybody. IL meets once each month
at least part of the commission
meets once a month and audits the
bills.
The duties Of the commission are -
control all the land that comes into
possession of the state, to secure i'm
migrants To settle upon IL, although
very little of ii, according to Mr..
Cartons own statement. is fit for set
Element; 10 care for the forest nur-
sery in Crawford and Roscommon
! counties, and TO keep fires out Of the
state property. II also boasts of con-
| StTNlIb the "'''i p''N'
rights upon the state lands.
I'd TO date not an immigrant has
| been brought to settle upon the lands
and the members of the commission
freely confess they have not attempted
To do anything with that matter be-
cause the lands the state controls are
| in general so poor il would be crime
to place settlers upon them.
While the commission controls ]
large tract of land in Luce and some
other countries, it has in some instanc'
es, and especially in Luce county
never sent man to look at the lanC
To find out what the state has there
Whatever efforts the commission has
put forth have been entirely TOWARD
keeping forester and crew busy OF
the reserves and at the nursery II
Crawford and Roscommon counties.
No Valuable Minerals.
So far as the commission knows. i
controls not an ounce of mineral u
any of its lands, and since 1t get'
it's lands through non-payment o
taxes. il does not expect To Acquire
lany rich ore lands.
SO far as the commission knows !
has no water power on any OF ~
Hands except what very little Is gen
Grated in any trout stream that ma!
flow through some of it.
Its forestry reserves and nursery, !
is conceded by members of the com
mission ought TO be placed In IN
hands of the state agricultural colleg
or of the University of Michigan
which also has classes in forestry. IL
protection against fire. it is conceded
ought TO be placed in the hands of tn
state forestry warden. whose bushes
liz is to keep fires out Of all the fores
lands Of the state.
With all these points in mind, Hep
resentative Sproat is going to attemp
to abolish the entire commission an
will Introduce q hill to that erect
once.
Work for Convicts.
Seeking 10 give to convicted pris
WaN1