The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1914-10-31
kNEELAND BOOSTS
FOR AMENDMENT !
Prominent Legislator Shows Why
State Constitution Should Be-
Changed by Voters Tuesday.
PROVIDES REVOLVING FUND
Will Give Value to Otherwise Worth.
less Lands and Means Settlement
Of Large Area of Domain.
PROVIDES REVOLVING FUND

Thomas Kneeland, one Of the most
prominent members of the last state
legislature, and who possesses thor
ough knowledge of the need and
cause of the placing of Amendment
number three before the voters next
Tuesday, in an article herewith
printed, shows the eminent reasons
why it's adoption is necessary.
He also calls attention to the fact
that a majority of all votes cast is
necessary in order to carry an amend
ment and urges that all vote. for
number three.
Mr.. Kneeland says:
I'm 1913, the Interior Department
of the federal government delayed
the issuance of patents to this state
of the remaining swamp lands under
the grant of 1850 on the ground that
the conditions of the grant had not
been complied with by the state in
respect to using the proceeds there
from for retaining the land. Last
week the attorney general returned
from Washington and, as stated in
the press, reports his inability to
secure the patients presumably on
the same grounds.
Remains Unpatented.
1T has been estimated by State
Auditor Iverson that something like
100000 acres of said swamp land re-
mains unpatented which even at the
minimum price of $500 per acre
would amount to $2;500,000. This
delay, or possible loss to the state is
caused by an unfortunate provision
in an amendment to our state con-
stitution adopted in 1881 preventing
the use Of any of the proceeds Of the
land for reclamation as required by
the condition of the grant to the
state.
In other words, the federal gov
eminent now insists on compliance
with that condition before patent
ing the remaining lands The Leg
islature is helpless until our consti-
tuition is so amended as to permit
such compliance and therefore has
submitted to the vote of the people
at this elsction AMENDMENT NO.
providing revolving fund of
$250,00O derived from the sales of
the land to be used for reclamation
thereof. ..e
From General Fund. .
"For nearly quarter Of century
large appropriations have been made
from the general revenue fund
that is directly form the taxpayers
pockets-not only to drain state
lands but to defray the expense of
the sales thereof; whereas by the
adoption of this Amendment the ex-
penses of reclamation as we'll as of
the sales can be betrayed by the en-,
HANGED values of the benefited lands.
This will not take a dollar from peo-
pie not directly benefited as the fund
is continually replenished from the
enhanced land values.
Besides, through such enhance
ment o. value the state will not much
more than at present from the sales
of the lands "a large area of which
are now available and must so re-
main until reclaimed.
Gives Value to Land.
Hence this amendment not only
enables the state to secure these UNI
patented lands but gives value to
otherwise worthless lands. It also
makes possible the settlement of a
large area of our domain which must
otherwise remain wilderness.
"For years men in and out Of the
Legislature, unselfishly devoted to
the best welfare of the state, have
sought to remedy the deplorable
situation.
Chairman of Committee.
ut happened to my lot to be chair
mansof the public domain committee
in the last legislature which passed
and submitted AMENDMENT NO. 3
to the vote of the people; and
through long investigation I have
come to know the great importance
of its adoption directly to the section
of the state where the land is
located, and Indirectly to the state
as whole by the creation of new
70 vo11o woa1f1, and lifting the bur-