The record. [volume] (St. Maries, Idaho) 1913-1918, 1914-01-02

taken from The Boise Capital News
would indirate that the state otfiolasl
we're striving to find a way by which
the Marble Greek settlers could Sc
cure their lands without the state be-
ing anv the loser, by the government
granting other lands to II, In lieu oil
what is claimed by the settlers.
This would seem 10 be fair pro-
position and one that our deleation
10 Congress should be able to push
through. The article follows.
The settlemut Of the Marble creek
land controversy through the arranR'
lug Of an exchange of government
land TO the state OF equal value TO
lands included with the state school
lands In the Marble creek section, en-
tered by bona iide settlers, is the mis-
sion that calls Attorney General j. h.
Peterson OF this state. accompanied by
state Land commissioners GeOtge A
Day, to Washington and they have
made definite arrangements, It Was
annoncued yesterday TO arrive at the
national capital the latter part of
this week, leaving here tuesday
Muoh Importance is attached to
this trip due to the fact that definite
settlement of tue Marble creek matter
has been hanging fer for years IL Is
not believed that definite action Gao
ue secured until Representative OF
the state take the matter up With ano
urge the departments at Washington
to push the settlement to tnal 90 ~
pletIun IL NAV and probably will
require an act OF congress authoriz
ing the exchange, before the Issue Is
closed. This is one Of the more im
postAnt features that Attorney Cen
eiai Peterson expects 20 take up with
che attorney general OF the United
States. II this is found to be nee-
essary he will make arrangements TO
appeal before the house and senate
committees, which will handle the
pill, explaining to them Ia detail The
conditions az they exist In the Marble
creek section aud the peculiar situa-
tlon With which the government. the
state, and the settlers find themselves.
Every effort is to be made 70 protect
sue settlers. It is believed that
when the house and senate committee
are shown that the settlers went onto
tue lands In the best Of faith, iguOl
ant OF the fact that the state had a
prior right to the lands, they will act
fsvorablg on the proposed exchange
bill.
Some time ago when Attorney Gen
eral Peterson took the matter of the
exchange uP with the government de
partments he found that. they were
agreeable to It Certified. comics OF
,he hudlngs Of the special senate com
mittee investigation were cent 20 the
interior department together with a
detailed statement outIinine facts "a
show that when the land was tbrowu
open for entry Ia the Marble ereek
section that settlers we're permitted
tU die on 1t by the land Office onloI-
ale at Occur d Aiene regardless Of the
fact that the state mad a prior right
20 the lands as state school selections
Finally the CONTROVERSY got Into the
courts and into politics
The supreme uourt held against
transferring the title to the land to
the settlers and tue laud board would
be IN contempt Of court il It attem pt
ed this However. to get away from
this embarrassing situation the board
proposed fair exchange Of equal val
ne In view of the fact the government
was partly respnnslble for the mis-
take, tue state by this exchange tc
pass title within the Marble creek
section to the bona Hde settlers aud
the govern nent to give the state TIL,
to lands Of equal value This will
prevent an attack upon the grounds
that the school lands are being die.
posed Of in some way not intended
by the constitution The settlers are
waiting patiently for patent TO tn.
lands they have entered aud It ls be
lieved that tue trip of the attorney
general and the land commissioners
to Washington will result IN a sue
cessful termination of the matter,
They will remain In the national car
ital until they secure action and ex.
pect to be gone two weeks