The record. [volume] (St. Maries, Idaho) 1913-1918, 1914-02-10

After weeks of consideration the
forest service and department of agri
culture have reported favorably on
the Boiah- French Lill adjusting the
conflict over l3, 800 acres of Marble
Greek lands in Idaho and confirming
the exchange Of school lands betweer
the state aud the foiest service Of
548, 200. favorable report also
has been made by tile interior depart
ment. 30 1t Is now practically as
sured that this bill will become q
Law 10 the not distant future.
Attorney General Peterson and
Land Commissioners Day of Idaho
spent several weeks in conference
with the forest service and interior
department in an effort TO adjust
these oonfllots nver the state lands
only TO find ultimately that leRisla-
tion would be necessary to settle
the states title. At their suggestion
Senator Borah and Representative
French introduced idenlical bills
10 carry out the wishes Of the depart
ments, but contrary to expectations,
the very departments that suggested
this legislation held Tack about in
dorslug the bills when introduced
Mr. Peterson and Mr.. Day found It
necessary TO visit the forest service
aud interior department every day
to urge along reports on the Borah
French bill. aud nearly three weeks
we're consumed In bringing the score
tary of agriculture and the secretary
of interior TO point where they
would, In writing, recommend the
passage Of the bill Had It not been
for the persistent pursuit Of the de-
paTtments by the two state officials.
report on lhe bill probably would
have been indefinitely delayed. and
that would have held back action ln
oonRrI IS or the public lands eommi-
ttees will not report on bills until
they are formally approved by the
departments.
The Views Of the forest service are
set forth 10 the letter of the acting
secretary OF agriculture, sent to the
chairman of the senate public lands
committe Regarding section 3 of the
bill, which validates the exchange
heretofore made by the tate Of Idaho
and the forest service Of $4,000, acres
of school lands scattered throughout
the forest reserves for asolid block of
forest reserve land IN aud adjacent
TO the Kanitsu reserve in north
Idaho, the secretary says: "Thls ex
change was made upon the basis of
equal area and approximately equal
values. The exchange was In the 10
terests OF both the federal govern.
ment aud the state, Ia that each OF
the parties consolidated their hold
Jugs, thus making the lands easier Of
administration. Since the exchange
was effected the question has arisen
as to the legality of the exchange, II
teing suggested that the president
had no authority to so modify the
proclamation as to give the state
preferences right of selectinR land Ell
minated from the national forest
Because the agreement Was entered
into in good faith by the contracting
parties and a. the exchange was mu
tually advantageous, this depart
ment would approve of the leglsla
tion t. have congress ratify the ex.
change"
AS TO the Marble Greek situation,
the actlnS secretary of agriouitur ca
plains that the bill proposes to grant
the state the right TO select i3, $40
acres of national forest land in ex
change for claims asserted under tn,
right Of selection by the state OF
some Of the most valuable timber
lands 10 Idaho OF the Marble Oreel
area involved In dispute. 1889 acre.
lie In I "A. & 3; $500 acres Of thi
being In a forest reserve The re
minder Of ,he land lies 10 I "A, r
The state applied for the lands 10 I
"A, r 2, IN exchange for soboo
, lands formerly In the Occur d'Aien,
Indian reservation The general Ian,
Office rejected the state selection II
that area for the reason that ths base
! which we're good when filed are no
now within the Indian reservation
which has been opened to entry. Tn
land fios holds the state is entitled
, to cl-im seotiuns l6 and sc In th
: former Occur d'Alene reservation
! and decision on this question is NOS
. before the secretary Of the interior
As to lands In township A, rang
3 3, the state sought to make lndem
D nifty selections of this area. and no
Q tioe Of withdrawal on 0ehalf OF th
& state was sent to the Coenr d'Alep
land office, but was not noted on tn
records Of that office, due to negli
e gence on the part Of local land ofi
e GERS. Subsequently many persons
l.