The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1914-12-17

SECRETARY Lane in his annual report
takes credit to the government f0rl
having, by the passage of bills Tor the
leasing OF public lands. given to the
more remote states greater assurance
Of ftA interest in their welfare than;
has deem given for many years" Con-
cedinA that the government has shown
this interest, the Oregunian questions
whether the water power and general
leasing bills, as passed by the house,
win promote the welfare of the west
SO much as Mr. Lane predicts. 1t de-
MES that these bills are just to the
weste rn states.
These measures, together with the
forestry, Indian and national park laws,
exempt from state taxation a large part
of the area of the public land states.
In Oregon this area is so per cent. in
Idaho 1. much larger proportion of
the states area. The leased land will
be exempt from the state laws govern
ing real property, but win be subject
to tho states criminal laws If a crime
Is committed on leased land or in a
national forest or national park, the
state must bear the responsibility and
expense Of capturing. trying, convicting
and furnishing the offender AS the land
In question is almost Invariably the most
remote from the centers of population
and is mountainous and forested. the
difficulties and expense Of apprehending
criminals in these areas are abnormal,
but what revenue Is the state to derive
from leased and forest land wherewith
TO meet this expense?
From the national forests the state
are given 25 per cent of the gross re-
ceipta to be spent on roads and
schools, and an additional 10 per cent
is spent by the government on roads
in COZ operation with the states, 1t is
proposed that revenue from powersites
and mineral land shah be used by the
government in retaining arid land
but no provision is made that 1t shall
be spent in the state from which 1t Is
derived. Oregon excels in water pow
er. development of which might pros
duce large rentals. Idaho has great
areas of phosphate land which would
yield much revenue. Under the bills
aus passed by the house. this revenue
might be used in retaining arid land
in other states. as the proceeds of Ore
gon land sales have been diverted,
while the arid lands OF Oregon and
Idaho remained barren. In this respect
the states are worse treated than
Alaska, for the Alaska coal land leas-
ing law requires that all revenue from
coal land leases ~shall be used in res
imbursing the government for the cost
of Alaska railroads In other words,
all revenue from Alaska coal land is
to be used in Alaska Immediately.
! The states are to walt until rentals
from leases have been returned by set
tiers on reclaimed Land before they get
any revenue from that source. That
implies long years Of waiting. When
the money is returned 1t Will return
only IN driblets, as repaid by settlers
throus Oh a period of twenty years.
Then the states are only to get half Of
the amount, and congress dictates to
what use 1t shall be applied namely.
roads and schools. The experience of
Oregdn with the eoyernmnet's prom
ises bf cooperation with the state in
irrigation justifies apprehension lest
the state might never get any money
from this source. Congress has twice
changed the terms OF the reclamation
law 10 the disadvantage of the state