The Bemidji daily pioneer., 1914-12-17
EFFORTS May SAVE
COUNTY THOUSANDS.
Contention Of Auditor George That
Ditch Sale Bonus Money Belongs
to County May Be Sustained.
INTERESTS ALL C0NGREssMEN
steenerson, Volstead, Author, Of
Drainage Act. Lindbergh and
Others Accept officials Views.

Efforts of James L. George, Bel
trami county's auditor, are likely to
save the county treasury approxi-s
mately $4,000 this year, and many
thousands more in future years, as
as the result of his activity in the
controversy involving excess money
derived from the sale at auction of
government lands for drainage
charges.
.s,sS40 Sold BY: Auction. s
Representatives steenerson,a Smith,,
t.Volstead and Lindbergh have appear
ed before Assistant Secretary A. A,
Jones Of the, Interior Department to
urge reversal Of the ruling of the
general land Office upon application
of the Volstead drainage act, under
which several hundred thousand
acres of land in Beltrami ana other
northern Minnesota counties were
sold for. drainage assessments: -,
The state law, under which the
drainage works are constructed, pro-
|vides that the counties shall construct
the bitches and issue bonds payable
in five years and bearing 6 per cent
per annum principal and interest to
be assessed against the land. The
first payment on the principal is due
In five years, but the interest is pay
able annually. The interest assess
msnt ageipIt lands still in govern
ment pWnsFship became delinquent
in January last and the lands were
sold by the county auditors.
3 ~ Georges Claim.
The controversy has arisen over
the question % to what are the total
drainage charges. The general land
ONCE rulsd that where 4o-acres
tract was sold for delinquent interest
amounting to $3.50, when the drain
age lien was $50 and the land was
bid in for $50, the United States gov
ernment is entitled to the excess aris-
ing from the difference between the
interest charge and the price bid,
making $3.50 that should go to the
government. Auditor George claim
ed that the government is entitled
only to such part of the excess bid
as exceeds the total drainage as
sessment" against the land, not the
interest on the total drainage as
sessment, as held by the land de-
partment. ....,...'..,
Representative Steenerson submit
ted the principal argument. He urged
that the claim of the auditor of Bel
trami county should be sustained.
Would Pay Bond Interest.
The matter of bonus first attracted
the attention of George before the sale
Of May II, this year, it being on APP
ril 18 that he wrote the Land De-
partment at Washington, asking for
a decision, his purpose being to gain
knowledge as why Beltrami county
could not save the money. The
amount would go long way toward
paying the interest on ditch bonds.
Received No Answer.
When the day of the sale arrived
no answer from Washington had been
received. The auditor, having the
situation clearly in mind, outlined
the proposition to prospective pur-
chasers. On April Is letter from
the land department gave notice that
the money should be turned over to
the government.
Some of It Paid.
On order of the buyers, about $6.-
900 has been turned over to the gov
ernment, some also being returned
upon request.
Last year. the bonus amounted to
only $199.7O and this was forwarded
to the government, there being no OBJ
lection made.
! Auditor Georges contention has
been accepted by all of the Minnesota
congressman, several of them putting
much time and work on the matter.
Included in this number is Congress
man Volstead, who was the author Of
the drainage act, and who claims that
the proposition as raised by Auditor
George carries out his idea of when
the bill was first drawn. It is the
plan to have the departments decision
reversed, and if this fails, to cause an
amendment to be passed. Another
of the auditors suggestions which
may be placed before congress Is the
granting county privilege to secure
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