The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1921-09-18
NEW MEXICO PLAN
FOR STATE LANDS
ADOPTED BY UTAH
Veteran Land Official
Says One Commissioner
Is Better Thar Five

SANTA Fn. n. NJ. sept iT.-After
experimenting with a. for years tho
state OF Utah has abolished itH state
land commission OF five members and
has substituted for Il a single COM
missioner with full authority M re-
sponsibility. The five commissioners
In Utah were appointed by the gov
ernor under n plan similar 10 hat
proposed In constitutional amendment
No. 7. The state found tho commits.
sion plan unsatisfactory. II adopted
the New Mexico Plan.
W. II. Winch, land and timber ex-
pert for the Utah state land commits
sion for years. stili employed by the
department and widely known
throughout tho west for % years as
a land expert. has written TO state
land commissioner y. A. Field outlin-
ing the advantages Utah has already
seen in it's change 90 the New Mexico
one-commiaaioner plan. It's letter
follows:
Salt Lake City. Utah.
September ia, 1871.
Mr.. n. A, Field.
Land Commissioner Of New Mexico.
Santa Fc. N. NJ,
Dear Sir;
AZ one who Is Interested In tho ad-
ministration OF state lands. | am send
ing you an article In the Salt Lake
Tribune about our new policy OF a
one-man land commissioner instead
Of fivc. which we have had hereto
fore. I have been apptaislng land
for the state OF Utah since 1914. We
are finding that our state has moro
efficient service with one commits
sioner. me good business man Is
easier 10 select than three or five.
Tine five we have had heretofore were
only In tho office at stated times.
They had interests outside and could
NOT give their whole attention TO land
matters.
Our present commissioner Ii at his
office at \ n. M. sharp. M looks
after every detail Of land matters.
aud dcvotes his whole time to the and
office. II has therefore become more
efficient. When we had five com-
miasloners every one n several spe-
cial friends who could obtain the most
favorable lands. We are now looking
after the small rancher. who ~ the
man who Is really building up our
state.
The money he borrows goes into
bona nde improvements and not Into
speculatiou. We are now making no
loans over $1,000. 90. The old hoard
made loans up to $50. 10000 Those
Of course. were more or less spocula-
tive loans. Some Of these loans. t4O,-
O0O. 90 and over. are not paying intcr-
est which IN due. 4 man making n
amail loan viii pay interest because
he don't want To lose his home. The
appraiser who appraises a farm or
ranch wants no Ak to grind, and
knows no one hut must know values.
In appraiHnE land to he offered We
rndeavor To get true values ana show
M favora. our policy is new. OF
course. "a you well know. but fc@l
sure ns one who IN Interested In good
state land government that at the
cuH OF our first year we can show
splondid Improvement over the OLD
rystem to the people of our common
wealth.
sincerely hope that YOU will con-
tinuc tho administration OF q one-man
land hoard. You have not asked me
for this advice or my opinion, but for
% years | have been Interested In the
valuation Of land In the several west
crn stntes. and I feel cure now that
We are on the right track 90 efficient
land We have reduced
Nh office force from 20 to IL; one
commissioner instead ~ five, n two
Ieas In the office force The five old
commissioners drew 50 10000 cach
mar year. The now thusinessl com
missioner draws 100000 per year
ans nlls one working chair every
working day In IN" year.
DSigucdl W r.. WINCH
- East North street.