, 1923-02-18
School Laws and Taxes.

In my last article I referred to the
recent act Of the state and commits
sion in reducing he rent of sections
SO and 10, by which the interest and
income fund loses many thousands
OF dollars. all of which must be made
up by just that much of a heavier
tax levy ut Il annual schoo meet
ings next May. Naturally an act
like that, headed by Gov. Ross and
~concurred in by the chief officers Of
the State, has decreased my personal
confidence in their business ability to
these affairs to the best in
terests of the people they were elected
TO serve. The surfale leasing how
ever. although involving a vast sum
OF school money in the aggregate, is
n mere trifie compared with h oil
leasing. One can not but wonder If
the same practices prevail in that de-
partment as in the surface leasing.
Most taxpayers suppose that oil
land is leased by tho State to tho
highest bidder, and presumably it
sometimes is but by legislative en-,
actment it is not necessary to do that.
The board may lease 1t TO the lowest
bidder IL they wish and still be within
h aw. In proof of this, allow me
TO quote the closing paragraph from
an advertisement in a recent issue of
h Casper Daily Tribune, as follows:
In deciding to offer the royalty
oil for sale the Board is influenced
by n desire to aid in the upbullding
of the oil industry of the State and in
considering bid that bid will be &C.
cepted which in the opinion OF the
Board is in line with thi policy.
Therefore the amount offered for the
oil in any proposal will not be the
sole consideration in arriving at a
decision.
WILLIAM B. ROSS,
Governor, President State Board
Of Land Commissioners"
1t looks to this writer like n bad
practice to turn down the highest
bidder on n matter Of mere opinion
of the governor and members of the
board. In private matters one may
favor his personal friends, but in
matters of public moment no favorit-
ism should be shown. and n law
allowing that very thing appears
most unwise and the possible conse
quences to be Viewed with ALARM
OF course an appeal from the boards
decision may be taken to the district
court, but legal proceedings are ex-
pensive and usually unsatisfactory to
the litignnt contesting at his own
expense against n state.
In regard to the recent act of Gov
ernor Ross and his fellow members of
the state land board in reducing
rentals, 1t is no doubt of little mo.
ment to quote law, u in this con
n%ection, 1 desire to call the COVER
nor's attention to n law which he
has evidently overlooked.
In Compiled Statutes 1910, page
222. section 600, we find:
The said boards shall . . lease
all vacant state lnnds under their
control at nm annual rental of not
less thar five per cent OF the ap-
praised value thereof"
This is a law intended to protect
the school lands from being leased
for less than their real value. Tax.
payers Of the state will be Interested
In h governor explanation Of this
point, 1t will be especially interest.
ing next May at the annual school
meetings in each district when the
taxpayers will be called upon to make
up h deficiency by n heavier tax
levy for the special school fund.
1t is quite possible hat tho gov.
ernor n other members OF tho land
board may be induced to reconsider
their action in this matter and at
least restore tho rental to its former
hgure. The law quoted above has
no penalty attached for its violation,
md II might be an excellent idea for
tho present legislature 10 mako It
obligatory for the board to observe
It's requirements In the future. The
enforcement OF his law would add
hundreds OF thousands Of dollars to
no fund FOR the immediate use Of
schools, and greatly relieve the
Ovor'burdoned taxpayers.
II has no doubt occurred 10 tho
reader that our state government at