Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1913-02-21
ISLAND SETTLERS ORGANIZE.

The convention was called to or
der by H. D. Cole, of Nickerson, who
had issued the call for the meeting.
He stated that the intent of the pro-
posed organization was not to rob
anyone of their land, as the land in
question had never belonged to the
riparian owners, but had always, as
at present, been the property of the
state. He characterized the bill now
before the legislature as being I'M
fair and unjust in every particular,
as discriminating against the poor
for the benefit of the rich, and stat
ed that the settlers, by locating on
these lands, were not attempting
a steal, but were simply working in
the interests of themselves and their
families first, and secondly for the
benefit of the entire state by trying
to protect the state school fund.
F. Dumont Smith was then called
on for an address and made a talk of
about one hour telling of the differ
ent section of the bill which he stat
ed the riparian owners were trying
to have forced through the legisla-
ture, and said that inasmuch as all
the cases tried so far had resulted
in a victory for the settlers in the
courts, the riparian owners were now
making last great effort to have
the legislature save the land for
them by the passage Of this bill,
which he termed as the most unjust
piece of legislation ever attempted in
Kansas or any other state. He cited
the Vancil-Steckel case as an exam
pie of what the average jury would
do in cases of this kind, and said the
present land holders couldn't expect
to put their steal through the courts,
and were trying to have the legisla-
ture make the steal for them.
Mr.. Smith stated that there were
about 10000 acres of this island land
along the Arkansas river in this state
and showed what an enormous amount
of money this would mean to the
state school fund and how the entire
state would be benefited thereby. Re
gave his definition of an island and
said that the supreme court had de-
cided on all occasions that "once an
island, always an island" and that
even if the law now in question
should be passed it would have no
bearing whatever on the settlers who
have already made thier filings on
these lands. He roasted County At
torney Russell in no uncertain terms
for the stand he had taken in the
matter and said he had not treated
the settlers fairly, as he had issued
warrants for their arrest On v2r'nrS
charges, some of which were merely
to get them into trouble, whereas
other county attorneys where the
same cases had come up had refused
to issue warrants for the settlers ar
rest. The action of the proposed leg,
islatiOn, according to Mr.. Smith,
would be nothing more nor less than
a rank steal from the entire state,
and he told the settlers to band to-
gether, for, as he said, unless We
hang together we hang separately"
A set of resolutions were then pre-
lsented and passed, as follows:
l. We, the undersigned school land
settlers, at a meeting held at Great
Bend, Kansas, February Is, 1918,
hereby organize ourselves as the Set.
tiers Protective association.
2. The officers of said association
shall consist of a president, secre-
tary, corresponding secretary and
. treasurer and assistant treasurer. The
, president shall be the executive head
Of said association and shall preside
over all meetings. The secretary shall
keep the records of said association
and its meetings. The treasurer shall
receive and disburse any funds col.
lected for legal expenses and pay the
same out on the order Of the eXecu-
tive board. The executive board shall
consist of the president, secretary
corresponding secretary, treasurer
and assistant treasurer. The presf
dent shall call such meetings of the
executive board or of the association
from time to time as may in his
judgment be necessary.
3. The members of this association
realizing the necessity of organiza-
ton and mutual help hereby bind
themselves to assist every other
member in securing evidence in any
case brought against the settler, the
motto of the association being, "All
for Zach onI EaaA -