Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1921-01-16
LAND LAWS OF STATE
ARE BEHIND THOSE Of
NEIGHB0RS, IS CLAIM


cent of the actual cash value, and
Oregon receives not less than 10
cents per acre.
The bureau recommends that
high rentals be charged in New
Mexico on state lands.
Blind Alley Jobs.
Taking up the questions of ad-
ministration within the land office,
the bureau finds that salaries are
so fixed that there is a lack of fleX-
ibility and that there is no chance
for efficient employees to be re-
warded. The possibilities for ia
voritism in the granting of all
kinds of leases and in sales are
mentioned.
"a survey of the administration
of the land office in all its phases"
says the report, "leads us to the
conclusion that the greatest fault
is lack of control and the delega-
ton Of too much responsibility to
subordinates. The opportunities for
ineffective and inefficient, work
and q wasting of the states re-
sources, to say nothing of irregu-
larities under the present system,
are so great that they should cause
serious concern.
All Is Not Well.
"Our investigation into the or
ganization and the administration
of the land office shows that there
have been grounds for the criticism
made and the fears entertained by
outsiders relative to the admins
tration of this office"
The bureau points out that the
various functions of handling leas-
es and sales are distributed among
the more important employees of
the office and says: at is really
these employees who make the de-
cisions and matters are put zip to
the commissioner only for his rou-
tine approval and signature"
To show the lack of a definite
policy the bureau instances the
fact that four different kinds of oil
leases were issued. The conditions
of sales and leases of land are also
found to vary from time to time.
The bureau recommends the re-
peal of the 20 per cent mainte-
nance fund provision and urges
that direct legislative appropria-
tions be substituted.
It recommends that in the pub
lication of land office notices. the
state procure accurate proofs and
then have metal notices made
ready for insertion in newspapers.
This is the system now followed by
the law clerk of the office. Charles
Barker, in sending out oil lease
notices. ''&.f5k
Would Repeal 3O-Year Clause.
1t recommends the repeal of chap
ter SO of the laws of 1917, by which
purchaser of state land may pay
for it any time within thirty years.
A new form of oil lease is rec
commended which would require
the lessee to agree to complete one
Oil well each year. The commence
ment of we'll would exempt the
lessee from rental on the section
where the well was situated. A
cry well would mean the abandon
ment of the particular location.
The lessee would be allowed to as
sign the lease but would have to
agree to pay the state half the diff
ference between the rental speci-
fled in the lease and the amount
the lessee secures from the assignee.
This would allow the state to profit
from speculations. The report
shows that oil lease 4S9 has over
460 assignments.
Considering the equipment of
the office. the bureau declares that
it is good, except that the office
needs more room for the proper
conduct of its business.