The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1917-01-24

paving the railroad bonded debt ~ san.
ia I" and Grant counties. which the
state was forced TO assume under the
enabling act. This particular grant was
made in the hill granting statehood with
the proViso that the lands be- sold aud
the proceeds applied 10 the payment ~
the ancient railroad bonds. and that
after the Indebtedness had been paid,
any surplus remaining should 60 to the
permanent endowment fund for the CON.
moi schools, The report points out that
the rnili Dad bond debt comes first aud
must bc paid on before the common
schools can benefit under the million
grant; that any practical plan for sell.
Ing q million acres of land involve ~ the
necessity 81 sales in large. uubfoken
tracts. and that such tracts must Of ne.
cessity include some of the common
school grant sections. Of which there
are tour--scctiOns .. III. 30 and 3G-in
each tow nship. Had these school SEQ.
tions been held back the state would
have been left with such sections on its
hands, surrounded by private lands und
unstable save 10 the adjacent land
owners, who could put their own prices
ou the surrounded sections. The report
states that the obviously husincss.likc
course was followed and sued school SEQ.
! tious were sold. and that the hulk uf the
common school lands sold or contracted
for sale are of such lands. The report
shows, however. that even with this
practically forced sale the state has dis.
posed ~ n very small acreage of its
Common school lands, the total Ia De.
ccmhcr !. 1919. being l05. 1851 acres
D UHf .f tho total rFUrf fAF AytvY.
srhools Of S.AGi. 600 acres: or les than
two aud fnurtcnths per cent. The total
acreage of all state lands Sold. 90 De
crmbrr !, 1910. Is uuly S0G.510 acres out
at u total grant ct l2.l59, 900 acres. az ii
trlnc more than 6ig per cont.
Discusses Economic Policy.
10 his report the laEi COMMISSIONS
disru,scs 20 some length the agitation
iu favor Of uu absolute restriction
ugaiut further sales of state lands, hold
ing such e. course tu bee uusouud crouotn
BE- policy FOR the state. ", points on
that aside from the million acre rail
road grant. the sale uf which b. mann
. duturN. mo- especial effort is being mud,
10 sell she lands and SAYS that 'whtlD
there should hr uo reckless disposal 10
our laud, ~ vet cat the present Utr Cd
selection. 'rlypr hs' and sale mun,
year, must rlapsc before aIl the lpud
could bee disposed Of To ohsolutcl,
forbid the sale Of state lands rs adVon
tngrnus opportunity for their sale au,
development offers. he contends, 'W"ul,
ICE to tie up development Of sixth %
the total area ut the state, and
irud to shift the burden "t development
from the state, wtirh is able 10 hear II
10 the shoulders of cur citizens, wh
may or may not be- able 30 bear II, bu
90 whom such 70 burden would hc heavy
while waitiuH fur the rest of the stat
80 develop aud raise our land value'
further increases of income for the M
of our srhuols would cease.
should this one sixth stand Idle, includ
iug as II does much Of the most desii
able grazing and agricultural areas, Nh
advancement of the whole state mus
inevitably be- retarded. Ii, ou the oths
hand this princcly domuip Is intelligent
IL utilized aud developed, the iuconl
b, from the lands will shortly support u,
only our common schools hut viii bcu
the greater part OF the burden of all "