The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1915-06-05
AUDITOR SAYS VOLSTEAD ACT
SHOULD BE AMENDED
Continues from Page ~


Continued from Page ~
next three years will see every acre
of this swamp land in the hands of
individual owners, who will be pay
ing general taxes on it. 4 :.
TAT the sale of 1914, the excess
bidding on this land amounted to
about $4,000. OF this excess, I
claimed such part as was needed to
satisfy the lien on each particular
tract for which, it was obtained,
should be held by the county for that
purpose. But the land department
at Washington ruled differently and
refused to issue patents until such
part was RENTED to them. 7
Must Pay For Own improvements.
'fUnder protest, this was done, but
am still urging change in the ruling
as great injustice is done the pur-
chaser by compelling him, to pay, not
only the $1.25 per acre which was the
price asked by the government for
lands that were not worth anything
until drained, and assume the ditch
tax, which in some cases amounted
to $3.50 per acre, but the added value
caused by the very improvements for
which he has to pay himself, which
added value is plainly shown by the
bidding at the annual sales.
"At the sale of 1915, which, by
the way, occupied just six days Of my
time in the Judges chair in the dis
trict court room auctioning the lands
offered to crowd Of fifty to two hun
dred people representing several HUI
dred others, about seventeen thou
sand dollars were taken in the same
way.
Land in Demand.
"These lands are wanted, and will
be taken at excess prices, should the
purchasers be assured that the money
they pay will go towards, first, pay
ing for the lien on the lands, and
second, for the maintenance of the
bitches.
'*That is where a change in the
law is necessary.
Would Amend Volstead Act.
"The VOlstead act should be amend
ed in such way that it will specific
ally. provide for the above.
why should the government bene-
fit by the improvements which they
will not finance themselves? The
purchasers are the proper parties tc
profit by the improvements which
they must pay for themselves.
IF you were to purchase a vacant
wild tract of land adjacent to St
Paul, and spend thousands of dol
lars to improve same, and then sci
at profit, the party whom you pur
chased from, wouldn't be entitled &c
it, would he? Is
Excess Would Pay for bitches.
IF the above change can be made
at the. coming session Of congress,
would almost guarantee that the ex
cess taken it at the sale of 1915
would pay for the bitches for which
the taxes we're sold. At any rate, fol
IL nor cont of tbono
"And a maintenance fund would
be provided for, which would enable
the county to keep up and improve
the bitches when necessary. Under
the present system, a new issue o.
bonds must be provided for by The
county, new liens filed, which with
other proceedings necessary, add tt
the cost.
II would like very much to know
that you were sufficiently interested
in the matter to take it up with thu
proper parties, who would use THEN
influence to pass such an amendment
ssPlease pardon this long letter, but
I am interested in giving you all the
information possible, and showing
you that, as far as Beltrami county is
concerned, drainage is what is need.
ed and what is necessary to put the
swamp lands into use, and will pay
for itself if allowed to-"