Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-09-18
TEMPEST IN A.
TEAPOT, STATES
NATHAN KICKS
Former Republican State
Senator From Southeast
Says Commissioner Smoot
Fair in Sale Conduct.
Declares Land Involved in
Affidavit Is Gravel Bar
known as Poverty Flats
Here for Conference With
Governor Alexander.

Nathan Kicks. former Republican
state senator from Madison county,
says that in his opinion the cry raised
about the land sales in the southeastern
part of the state Is q tempest in n
teapot. He Is willing to personally
vouch for the conduct of the sale that
was held at briggs by state Land
Commissioner l. A. Smoot and knows
something about the land regarding
which Domaine made an affidavit de-
claring he offered to bid II in for $40
at the Rigby sale, but that the land
commissioner refused to take his bid.
He a@as appointed as a member of the
Investigating committee to look into the
conduct OF the sales but before acting,
wishes to consult with Governor Alex
ander. Having been one OF the bid
ders at the briggs sale he questions
the propriety of acting on the com
mittee but Is not DESTROYS OF shirk-
ing any public duty or trust and will act
IL it Is deemed advisable.
PAY ENOUGH FOR LAND.
II am a Republican, but / am not
in sympathy with the way in which the
sales Of state land In the southeast
have been attacked or the politics in
jected," said Mr.. Kicks. II can say
without contradiction that there is not
a heavy demand for the lands now.
In the first place, the altitude is too
high in that part of the state. and
when you are paying the appraised
value for lands at an elevation of 5000
feet you are paying about all they
are worth for crop production. take
tb.f he utnt
price for land so that those who at
tempt to farm it go broke. The land
Is to get bona fide settlers on It. Yet
| know that in the excitement OF bid
ding at some Of these sales the land
is sold at such price that the buyer
did go broke.
BID IN STATE LAND.
at is true that I am one of the bid
ders on state land. II is also true my
son bid in some Of the land. Both Of
us had a legal right TO do so. We
are going to use the land on which to
raise crops. An attempt Is made to in
fer that because the initial of my son
was penciled in that something was
wrong. He has leased the land before
and made Improvements on II. He
wanted the land to cultivate bid for Vt,
was the highest bidder and secured it.
Is there anything wrong in that?
briggs SALE FAIR.
$50 far as the briggs sale is con-
cerned, I can, say that 1t was conduct
ed as fairly as any sale could be con-
Quoted. 1t was advertised for month
In the papers. Prior to the sale many
Of the people who might be interested
were sent descriptions Of the land.
Before the sale opened Mr.. Smoot dis
tributed among those present slips
showing a description of the land TO be
offered. He announced that the lands
would be sold In the order in which
they appeared on the slips, He also
announced that the sale would have to
proceed without delays. The land was
put up piece by piece and sold. There
was no one dissatisfied. Mr.. Smoot
acted fairly in all instances and we
were very much pleased over the man
ner in which the sale was handled.
CALLED POVERTY FLATS.
II was not at the Rlgby land sale
in regard TO which Domaine made an
affidavit. However. ! am acquainted
with the land in controversy. AS
recall this particular piece 1t Is more
or less of gravel bar. 1t Is com
monty known as poverty flats
From what have seen of Mr.
Smoot he appears to be a very fair
man. ] know that at all the sales
have attended he had conducted them
In a fair manner. There have beer
no politics involved in the sales and
should be none.
II was appointed on the commit.
tee to investivate the sales, but having
been one of the bidders at one Of then
and secured land. came 20 Boise tt
talk over with Governor Alexander the
proprtety OF my serving on the com
mittee. l do not want to shirk any
public duty. but ! do not want e
serve II IL is thought best that dc
not. ! do not believe that Mr.. Aus.
tin or Mr.. Stevenson, with their many