The Columbus weekly courier., 1920-12-10
land OFFICE IS
BUTT OF ALL
JOKES
Helpless a. Well ~ IIaplcss Clerks
Know Not WHERE They stand
Nor What 10 DO ior
Public.
TAKE 70 LETTER WRITING
Review Status of Land 0Hice Ia
Tax Commission and Ridieulc
Causiie Critics.

-O---
Santa Fc. n. NJ. Dec. 7.-Up TO-
today there had been no comment
from State Land Commissioner Nels
Field or members Of Ms Office stan
on the report Of the special revenue
commission which severely crlti-
ciscs certain phases OF land depart
ment administration. says a writer
In the Albuquerque Herald. nor has
there been any comment az 20 recent
charges Of the Albuquerque Jour
nails report. that the department ls
run by "bunch ~ clerks Both the
revenue commissions report and
the newspaper charge that Land
Commissioner Field spends little or
no timr IN the Office and that he
does not exercise supervision over Il.
we have been puzzled as 10 lust
what 10 do" said one department
head. when the commissioner Is
out OF town. as he sometimes has 10
be II the land administration Is 10
have proper attention. We want 10
please the revenue commission. and
the Albuquerque Journal. aud cy-
crythlnR. aud while II would be-
pleasant To put all the details uP Ia
the commissioner and only work
when he's In the Office, Il would
sort Of slow mp the proceedings for
patrons ~ the office; In fact II
would probably cut down the rcv-
enues considerably right OF The reel.
so. IN a desire 20 do our duty and
keep happy We have put our ease
up Ia the auditor OF the taxpayers
association. who Is a friend OF cv
crybody In the Office, who has spcnl
some time in the capital. and who
probably knows more about the land
Office than any one else directly or
Indirectly connected with the spe-
cial revenue commission, none of
whose members have ever been in
side the Office In am official capacity
~ far a. we know. Therefore. on
tirely ON our own responsibility
and In our capaciiy rs citizens and
without the knowledge or consent
of the commissioner. the land office
stall joined In a letter 10 Mr.. STE
phens. asking for his advice. II Is
sort OF unofficial s. O. s. and we
are hoping for a quick rescue"
A copy Of the letter referred To
follows;
Dear Sir: We have just received
an application Tor a lease upon a
certain school section which ap-
pears from the records Ia be un-
leased. Mr.. sicld is not here. and
while the laud appears 10 be- I'M
leased, and the application is In
proper form and accompanied by
the required fees as we'll as by an
appraisement, we do not know what
10 do with t. Please give us the
beneal Of your Judgment a. 10 what
disposition should be made Of u I'M
der the circumstances, and advise
ms specifically. a. 10 this applica-
lion. what disposition you would,
under all the circumstances and the
facts surrounding Il. and In consid-
Grafton Of the absence Of Mr.. Field,
not overlooking or forgetting tho
recommendations and criticisms OF
the procedure heretofore existing
in this Office in cases of this kind,
as made by the now Justly famous
revenue commission, II the whole
matter were put up 10 you in all H.
bearings. make of ~
State Land' Office staff.
p. s.--since writing the above Mr..
Field has arrived. and the question
pnl up 10 you Is now only a moot
question. However, in order that
we may have your Judgment io
guide ms In the near future, We
would like TO have you give the mat
ter your prayerful consideration.
Clerks of Land Office.