The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1915-03-09

ctlzens OF the state constantly on the
outlook for favorable and advantage
eous selections, it would increase the
efficiency Of the land board in ac-
curing the most favorable indemnitp
school lands that the state possesses.
The evidence showed that selections
made in this manner were Frequently
leased as grazing lands by the indi-
viduals asking to have the selection
made. These leases are often execut-
ed to such individuals in advance of
any publication made by the land
board to the effect that it is proposed
to make such selections.
Should Have Same Chance,
The advertisements notify the pub
lie that the state of Idaho has filed
with the United States land office
certain list of lands that the state has
selected to fill it's grant. While the
evidence before your committee show
ed that the reason for publishing such
advertisements was to permit obiec
lions to be made to the state by any
parties on the ground that the lands
selected were mineral in character
'SN' N'''ihiNtNt 10 vi LIE ODlHlOH THAT
one of the objects of such advertise
ments should be the notification of all
citizens of the purposes of the state.
| in order that all citizens might have
| an equal chance in bidding for the
lease of such lands until the public
has been informed of the selections. Z"
| The complaint of Mr.. Watts charged
that certain selections of 40 acre
tracts uOn6n NV hn 90,
leased to w. 7. Montgomery Of Noun
tainhome some six weeks before the
first publication of the notice that the
state had filed the list of the lands
with the United States land office,
The committee finds this to be in err
ror and all the proceedings regular,
GAL TWO CONDEMNS
The complaint also charged that
selection of lands in 40 acre tracts
often resulted in selection of so many
springs and watering places in the
vicinity of public grazing lands that
monopoly of the state public grazing
lands was secured to the persons who
obtained leases of those selections.
The committee finds, however, that
there is in force an unwritten but
nevertheless effective law which pro-
'N'ibo tii' itHtlHS1 VI SutH watering
places and that since the complaints
referred to were made, clauses have
been inserted in all leases prohibiting
the practice of fencing such watering
places.
The committee is of the opinion that
more publicity should be given pro-
ceedlngs relative to the making of
such leases as under the present sys-
IL hn inv,
that in making selections pointed out
to individuals the board is conducting
campaign of favoritism.
Find HUMPHREYS Wrong.
The committee also investigated a
complaint made by w. w. HUMPHREYS
who alleged that state land sale had
been advertised to take place at Twin
Falls on June is, 1914 He said the
sac was not held, but on the follow
ing day he was informed by the land
commissioner that four 4o-acre tarcts
We're sold
After questioning Mr.. Day at con-
siderable length the committee says
1t came to the conclusion the COM
plant was unfounded and the sale
regularly he'd.
In conclusion the report quotes
statement made by Mr. Day as he CON
cluded his testimony. It is as fol-
lows:
Should Sell Timber.
Il want to say to this COM
mittee here the state is losing one
million and a quarter dollars a
wear in their timber lands. We
have seven hundred thousand
acres of timber. Most of thai tim
Der is now ripe It should be mar
keted. | have on file now right
here applications for over a half
million dollars worth of timber.
Vt should be sold. 1t wouldn't he
over one tree per acre gong to
decay every year to amount to
| one million two hundred and fifty
| thousand dollars, and I claim that
this land department SHOULD he
! under the control of Il hoard of
supervisors. There is ample work
to keep them busy all the time in
| the handling and administering of
| the three million acres belonging
| to the state, and among that the
100000 acres of timber. I claim
the timber is ripe and the time
when crop is ripe is the time to
! market it and there should be an
| extra effort made even though
they have to so and seek mar
| ket somewhere to get rid of this
timber"
! This department is turning over to
the register annually between seven
hundred and fifty thousand and one
Imillion dollars year and it could be
! Increased TO two or three millions if
! II was properly handled with enough
Ihelp. with q hoard that ~ -