The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1916-06-30
NJ CONNELL SUGGESTS
CHANGES IN METHODS
OF LAND BOARD
Editor Caldwell Tribune:

Among the General Laws enacted by
the legislature of the State of Idaho
at its tenth session was an Act to
amend Section 1887, of the Revised
Codes of Idaho (Senate Bill 154) APP
proved March 10, 1909. See section
1881. The State Board of Land COM
missioners shall adopt such methods,
rules and regulations for ascertaining
the value of, and state of the title of
any land proposed as security for any
loan under the provisions of this Act
as shall be satisfactory to the Board
Provided that all expenses of ascer-
tanning the same shall be at the ex-
pense of the applicant, and in no case
a charge upon the State or the fund
from which such proposed loan is to
be made.
AS will be noted from the above
section of the statute the State Land
Board is authorized to adopt such
methods rules and regulations as shall
be satisfactory to the Board 1t is to be
presumed that the present method is
satisfactory to the present Board, else
privilege and duty under the law,
safer and better system; one under
which. as the constitution provides:
THE public school fund of the state
shall forever remain inviolate and in
tact" as is we'll known to the public
at large the method and regulations
adopted by the Land Board present
opportunities for favortism which en-
danger the safety of our permanent
funds, and entail delay in passing
upon applications for loans, with the
result that farmers in need of money
for some specific use. rather than wait
the delay which follows the methods
of the Land Board, prefer to pay
higher rate of interest to a bank or
trust company where prompt business
methods prevail to the exclusion of
political, or personal preference.
| The mistakes have been made by
the present as we'll as the former Land
Boards in loaning public money, is
not charageable to any particular poll
teal party, but rather to the method
of ascertaining the value of, and state
of title of the land as proposed as Sc
curity for the loan. The chairman of
the Land Board occupies practically
the same relation to the other mem
bers of the Board as does bank pres
ident to the board of directors; both
are the responsible officers of their
respective organizations; nothing pal
pably wrong can be transacted without
their concurrence. Both the great poll
teal parties in Idaho have held the
Craftsmanship of the State board Of
Land commissioners, and while one
has been unfortunate in method, the
next, of perhaps opposite politics, has
been even more so, until the people
generally have lost confidence in the
integrity or business ability of the
Board.
This is an unfortunate condition into
which we have fallen through the lack
of initiative rather than dishonesty.
The business which is now transacted
by the Board is many times greater
than it was when the present system
of appraisement was adopted, yet we
still persist in having appraisements
of land offered as security for the loans
made by political appraiser; man
who is appointed for that purpose, not
on his merit as we'll known business
man, but because he is good repub-
lican or democrat, and the locality in
! which he lives is entitled to recogni-
; ton.
! In the early years of our state gov
I eminent we had but little money to
loan, sometimes none, and the land
) which was offered for security was apt
, to be known to some member of the
Board, hence mistakes were not SC
likely to occur, but even then the sys-
! tenn was faulty, and losses did oc-
t cur.
> There is one simple remedy, and that
. is to cut out politics and personal
S favoritsm in the loaning of school and
r other funds; adopt a new system ade-
70 IF Oh
J a basis for appraisement of land of
S fered as security for state loans the
S assessed value as equalized by the
t county commissioners the preceding
Y year and upon which taxes are paid
I and to such assessed valuation add
, certain per cent, to be uniform in al
: appraisements, sufficient to bring the
assessed value with the per cent added
up, to the market value of the land
I then limit the loan. as the constitution
provides, to one-third of such value.
J. An applicant for loan would ther
be required to send with his applica
ton an abstract of title to the Ian
{ and a certificate of the County Audi
8 tor stating the assessed value of the
3 land upon which taxes were paid the
3 previous year.
3 Under such a system no delay need
follow an application beyond the time
necessary to execute the mortgage to
the state, and loan secured on such
an appraisement of improved farm
land would not only be safe but the
adoption of such method would re-
store confidence in our state officials
Such system of making loans would
relieve the Land Board from the i'm
portunities of personal, and political
friends who sometimes wish to Dor
row. larger amounts than safety to the
fund will justify
i The Idaho Legislature as shown by
the section of the statute quoted, has
given the State Land Board authority
to adopt such rules and methods as
will secure safety to the childrcn's
money, as we'll as all other funds be-
longing to the state, hence there is
Il no AxCnea Il