Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1917-03-26

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individual reports, ! shall make my
report without reference to these notes
taken. Therefore. the kind of report
that shall make is one of impressions
I received after questioning many peo-
pie over a period Of more than a week.
Mr.. Smoot, our investigation con-
vinces me:
1st That there are monopolies in
our agricultural land leases in viola
tion of rule No. Is.
End. That there has been favorit-
ism on the part OF former appointees
of the Idaho state land board in the
leasing of these agricultural lands.
9rd. That there is in these coun-
ties a class of middlemen to see where
in their services have been a benefit
to anyone save themselves.
4th. That many people here seem
not to be well informed as to how they
could do business directly with our
state land board. and therefore. are
imposed upon by these middlemen and
are paying commissions, bonuses and
fees that are wholly out Of proportion
to the service rendered.
ASSIGNMENTS NOT RECORDED.
Returning to the first, our interviews
disclosed the fact that lessees of rec
ord have assigned their lease to other
parties and assignments have not been
recorded; again other assignments are
made in blank but in both cases the
assignors have Invested themselves of
all claim to the land and the assign
ees or others for them come into phys
ical possession Of these lands and are
hat, oIa
in violation Of Rule No. Is, and there
seems to be at least few cases where
parties are operating such large tracts
that there is wide spread criticism
attended with much bitterness. This
evil has assumed such proportions that
1t seems to me some action should be
taken to reduce the size of these tracts
and to stop the further enlargement
of their tracts on the part of others
who have already all they are entitled
to under the rule. The reasons for a
correction of this are many and good,
one Of which is that the state does
not receive benefits to its lands when
operated in large tracts as accrue
where many. people occupy it.
Favoritism-I can only base my
opinions as to this by the we'll nigh
universal criticism of the actual farm
ers in this section, for surely our state
land board comes in for much bitter
censure by these people and am
much impressed with the fact that our
state should take wise action that our
people here get a square deal. In
connection with the leasing of land
here year ago, at a meeting of the
people with a representative of the
state land board the people were given
to understand that they might lease
certain tracts but they could not come
into possession of them until after
the tenth day Of June and they did not
receive their leases until after that
date, the tenth day OF June. The rea-
son was given at the time that the
sheep men should retain the same for
that year as a lambing ground and
though the leases read from Jan. LIST of
that year they were not allowed to
enter upon and take possession of their
land until after June 10, at which time
the ground had become quite dry and
little could be accomplished that year.
There has been no little complaint
about this and while this might have
been in accordance with the action
taken by the board, seriously doubt
the Justice of 1t. Our board, of course,
have heard these many complaints and
u will not mention more
| SOURCE OF MUCH TROUBLE.
3rd. The manner of dealing in these
state land leases Is. in my opinion. the
source of much trouble here, and is
very unsatisfactory to all concerned
except a few men, who, as go be-
tweens" are doing a good business.
There is here much Just criticism as to
the way our leases are hooked about,
the dealers making extravagant fees.
bonuses and commissions, willie he who
actually is improving the land is pay
ing the profits. This traffickinR in
| these leases with big profits Is an
open secret a'~7 is greatly deplored bv
the people here There should be some
action taken that will lessen this bus
mess. l am convinced that where our
| state leases land from Csc to soc per
| acre that is worth 81 to Sc there will
be a privilege handed down to a few
that will be fraught with many evils,
I have In mind this case-wherein
\ one, Mr.. Martineau. who was In DOS
session Of land as assignee of Olof
Anderson, had attempted to secure the
lease OF the land for a term of years
and came in conflict with a Seth
Stoddard and your board has recently
awarded to Mr.. Stoddard the lease,
all Of which may be a matter of rec
ord at Boise. That Seth Stoddard and
his father for him had agreed to pay a
fee Of $1,000 to parties at Rexburg for
their services in the matter and the
party who was to receive the same
called on me and tried to convince me
that such fee as not an unjust one.
Mr.. Smoot-I believe that most of VIZ
reared In public land states have some
knowledge of :ces for location, of leg!t-
innate real estate business, but in INV
mind this case where our state fur
nishes the land for use for agricultural
purposes for the sum of $3.50 and the
parties VIII. do the locating receive
$1,000 as fee, this fee is so far out of
/ proportion to the services rendered
that one can hardly believe these peo-