The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1921-09-30

lands in accordance with the long
since obsolete economic maxim ''let
the buyer beware" Blue Sky laws
have been enacted to protect invest
ors from bogus stocks and bonds,
but these have never been made APP
pEcable to the states own land sell
ling enterprises. Elaborate status
against all manner of frauds have
been provided for the regulation of
private business, but the state has
not applied them to its own oper-
ations.
Of course the state has not been
directly guilty of fraud, false pre-
tense, duplicity or sharp practices
in selling its land, but the result
of it's methods often have been
Just as disastrous as if the intent
20 deceive and lnislead had been
present. Each year schedule of
lands to be disposed of has been
made, accompanied by supposedly
accurate description of the tracts,
character of the soil and other
characteristics based on sort of
hit or MISS survey provided by
law, as we'll as an appraisemen5.
These details seldom have been cor
80 false and misleading that if they
had been sponsored by a private
land Spectator a great hue and cry
would have arisen.
Many settlers have been led into
Minnesota and induced to buy UNI
productive lands through these sale
notices. Instead of looking at the
property they often have relied on
The states description of it to their
| ultimate sorrow. There is so much
good land in Minnesota fairly clam
| oring for the settlement and de-
| Velopment that it is indeed a shame
| Hat the state has not encouraged
| newcomers to acquire worth while
properties instead of permitting
hem to go and buy as they pleased.
There has been, however, a
,hange in this policy and it is be-
ng preceded by a re-survey and re-
| appraisement of all state lands.
| hereafter only such lands are to
De sold which can be developed un-
| Ter present conditions to advantage.
other lands are to be held until
he time comes when they can be
Used. There is. to be no more in
discriminate selling.
o. H. Smith, new state commits
Toner of migration, put his finger
IN the pulse of the situation when
he said recently that this depart
nent does not wish to have settlers
brought into Minnesota unless they
lave a good chance at making good
IS they are likely to go back to
heir former localities and speak
iscouragingly of this state, and
shus injure the development which
'hould come with better conditions"
lie also advises all prospective buy
ars to see the land before investing.
The great trouble with the whole
.ubject of Minnesota development
that it never has been handled
~ the legislature or state officials
with painstaking care. 1t has been
ust an incidental problem, one
which has been permitted TO drift
without chief or without any set
lied mode of procedure. The time
has come, however, when even
members of the legislature are be-
ginning to appreciate the need of
some systematic and concentrated
| effort towards building up the state
through putting the vast areas of
unused land to work, and the new
survey and appraisement is a not
able step in the right direction.
1t should be followed by scientific
| soil survey in which every quarter
section is adequately and properly
described and its productive posi-
bilities set forth. When that is
accomplished the state can go ahead
and sell its own lands with an easy
conscience-Pioneer Press.