The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1915-02-18
LAW WOULD TEND TO
AID DEVELOPMENT
Nord Introduces Measure Which Will
Make It Possible to Obtain More
Land in Northern Minnesota.
WOULD OFFSET PREUS BILL
Millions of Acres Can Be Thrown
Open to Settlers by Land Com
panies," Says Legislator.

Quicker development of northern
Minnesota by making it possible for
land companies and individuals to
purchase more state land than the
state laws have hitherto permitted,
and as an offset to the bill proposed
by State Auditor Preus limiting the
sale of state lands to actual settlers,
is the intent of a bill introduced in
the senate and house yesterday by
Senator Leonard H. Nord and Rep
resentative H. J. Miner, of this leg
islative district
This on the theory that so long
as the state maintains it's present
laggard policy toward the develop
ment of its public domain, even the
land spectators is a kindlier and
more progressive landlord than the
state of Minnesota.
Senator Nord and Representative
Miner are strongly opposed to the
policy announced by State Auditor
Preus, and proposed to be carried out
by bills introduced in the house by
Representative Charles H. Warner
of Aitkin and Charles w. Bouck
of Royalton, and in the senate yes
terday by Senators o. H. Griggs of
Virginia and N S. Hegnes of Argyle
What They Contend.
They believe that the effect of this
policy would be to condemn a large
area OF northern Minnesota to indie
finite stagnation, under the incum-
brance of great stretches of state
land that pay no taxes, harbor no
farmers and contribute nothing
whatever to the development of the
state.
Moreover, they contend that devel-
opment companies, if permitted to
buy state land in large tracts, would
develop it, advertise it and settle it
much more rapidly than the state
will. ..
They figure" too, that the state
will be ahead because the price Of
the land sold will go into the per-
manent school funds, and the land
itself will Immediately begin to pay
taxes to both the state and the To-
calities in which it is situated.
Includes Beltrami.
Koochiching county, they point
out, contains S22,844 acres of state
land, mostly swamp. If this could
be sold at the constitutional mini
mum price of IS per acre, the sale
would add to the permanent funds
$4,114,22O. The annual interest on
the deferred payments on this land
would bring the state in upward OF
$3.50, 900 every year, and millions OF
dollars would be added to the tax
able value of Koochichipg county ant
the state.
This is but one county, and the
figures could be extended to include
Beltrami and other northern Mime.
sofa counties having a large area OF
state lands.
The bill which State Auditor Preus
has had introduced in both branches
of the legislature restores the pro
visions of the Cole law of 1905
which limited sales to 800 acres tt
each individual, and required ever!
purchased to make certain improve
ments within five years. In the new
bill the limit is fixed at $50 acres
The house committee on public do
main took up the house bill yester
day, and on request of Representa-
tive Miner put it over until mex
Tuesday for a hearing.
Statement of Position
Senator Nord and Representative
Miner issued a statement of thei
position, which follows:
"To re-enact the old Cole law
making it impossible to sell state Ian
except to homesteaders, and not t
exceed 100 acres to any one pur
chaser, would be a public calamity
a crime against the best interests Q
Minnesota.
1.-THE law would apply almost en-
tirely to very few of the countie
in northern Minnesota, where natur
has set so many barriers in the wa
of human settlement and develop
ment. If the state land were prai
RE, or rolling lands, like the mos
of the state, it would be a prope
LAWN fact the only law needed
NJ