The copper era and Morenci leader., 1920-10-08
LAND COMMISSION 'R WRITES ID GOV.
 CAMPBELL

siOner, has written very interesting | letter to Governor Campbell con-t Acerning a speech of the governor in i Tucson last week, which was similar to the one delivered in Douglas a few days previous to his appearance in the old pueblo When the letter fl MT. Mouer is carefully read it will be seen that there is little reason for the tirades of the republican candi- date for governor and the republican press of the state. MT. Mouer might have called attention to other features of the administration of he land de- partment which would have shown the inconsistency of Governor Camp bell, as for instance, the fact that there have been more than seven thousand leases for state land issued in Arizona, the fact that Governor Campbell has been a member of the state land board for there years and has never made any protest during that time at any meeting of the board against the issuance of any lease. or at any meeting of the land board. of which he was membef raised any objection to the lease price of land. Here is the letter of Land Commis sioner Mouer. Read it:
 Phoenix, September 27, 1920. Thomas E. Campbeii; Esquire.
 State House, Phoenix, F Arizona. Sir:
 In political speech delivered by you on the evening of the 23rd day of September, you made certain state ments that are so far removed from the truth that I feel, that in justice to myself, I should call your atten- tion to the misstatement of facts rel ative to my acts as State Land Com missioner of the State of Arizona
 For the purpose of this letter, and in order that may not appear dis courteous in the language by me used. I have chosen the word >"mis- statement when in my opinion a shorter word would better express the degree. of indiscretion of which you have been indicted. I do believe however, that I am justified in say ing that you, either Intentionally mis- stated the facts, or that your gross ignorance of the affairs of the office of State Land Commissioner is such as to entitle you to the sympathy of those who heard you.
 Tn delivering the speech herein re- ferred to, you told your hearers that "Sevety-five cattle outfits controlled 92 per cent of the entire lands grant ed to the State or to use your own figures, seventy-five cattle outfits con- trolled 92 pr cent of 10,5O0, 900 or 9,560, 900 acres of State land, when. as a matter of fact. the total number of acres of State lands leased and sold to date does not exceed 7,000,000 acres. In other words. according to your statement. seventy-five cattle men control by lease and purchase several million acres more land than have yet been disposed of by the State.
 You, also, said that State lands were leased by the Commissioner at three cents per acre. or the paltry sum of S150 900. .0O per annum'' In ar irving at this conclusion, if you had only resorted to sir ple method oi mathematics, you would nave determ ined that the 9.560,00 acres claimed by you to have been leased to seventy-five cattle men at three cents per acrS would provide revenue of $265. 500. 60. or 136,600 ,00 more than the amount claimed by you, to be the total re venue from all State lands.
 0u IurCucT StlQ to the pcOpt6 O Tucson that Hmuch of this land hat been apraised by the Commissions at $360 per acre and sold at tha price" Now, MT. campbell, asl you in all seriousness. 1s it not fac that nowhere in the r'ublic Land Code is there to be found a provision O law whereby the Land Commissions is charged with the outy of, or giyel fho atrfHArifu fo 1v he col ,I,I<, n State lands? ss it not a fact that dur ing your incumbency of the office o Chairman of the State Land Depart ment, the Land Commissioner has T no case attempted to assume thu authority to make these appraise meats? Is it not fact MT. Campbell that the law charges the State Lam Department. of which you are mem ber and. chairman, win this responsi bility? Is it not a fact that the sal value of grazing State lands is ike, by you as a member and chairman o the State Land Department? Is not a fact that the records do no disclose a single instance. where vol raised an objection to the sale valu placed upon the States grazing land by the State Land Department o which you are a member?
 You further stated that 'the Ian Commissioner has selected larg tracts of land so located as to sui the convenience of the stock raiser. To this indictment I plead guilty You failed to tell your audience, how ever. that this was done for the pul pose of acquiring for the State, land most desired. and thertDy insuring
 revenue from the same at all times.
 You further stated that ''There ar large tracts of land that could b seBeced that are fitted for farming, If this be true, then am going plead ignorance as to their location ,m the hope that I have overlooke