The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-08-26
Row Over Bill for First Check
Cruise Of State Timber in Citing

Continued From Page onel
turns from the sales Of timber and
land. Regardless OF what any
hody else says or does. We are
going 10 act ., our best judgment
dictates and are perfectly willing
TO stand on the record as Il Is
made
In an interview with The
Times The other day. Mrs.
Pearl wan n q m ter. state
superintendent Of schools, also
made the statement that, like
the land commissioner, her
chief concern Is TO get the best
possible return from the sales
of state school lands and
timber.
II is nothing new for the heads
Of these two important state de-
partments to see eye TO eye in
certain situations. Early in the
campaign. after Mrs. Wannamaker
decided that she would be a can
didate for state superintendent
she had the support Of Jack Tay-
lor and some Of his associates.
Another indication that the land
commissioner and school superin-
tendent thought along similar lines
on fundamentals is the bill which
they jointly sponsored to recon-
struct the state board OF land
commissioners and provide for a
check cruise on state timber Of
fered for sale If there was any
doubt Of the correctness of the
valuations put on the property by
the land commissioners office.
This bill also carried an appropria-
ton OF S25. 900 to pay for the cost
Of the check cruises.
The legislature passed the
bill and u was signed by Gov.
Langlie with the exception OF
the provision appropriating
$4,000 for the check surveys.
which he vetoed. That left
the authority to check cruises
made by the land commission
er's office but without funds
to pay the bills. The effect OF
that situation will appear
shortly in n controversy over
the bill for the first check
cruise authorized by Gov.
Langlic.
The demand for the check cruise
was made after the state superin-
tendent and other members of the
hoard of land commissioners dis
agreed with the appraisals put on
certain properties by Commissioner
Taylor's staff.
This Is not the first time there
has been conflict between OPP
posing forces over disposal of pub
lie lands. AS early as 1880, there
were two antagonistic theories on
the handling of lands in the public
domain. In fact. there has been
more conflict and more scandal
over public lands and natural re-
sources. federal and state, than
from any other cause.
One of the early theories
was that lands of the public
domain were an asset Of the
government TO be disposed OF
for purposes of revenue In any
WAY that seemed desirable at
the time. The other theory
was that the land should he
held In trust and the revenues
derived by occupancy through
lease or rent or disposal OF
natural resources.
At that time nobody knew wha'
the public domain was. and II
1890. for purposes Of classification
and disposal, Alexander Hamilton
secretary of the treasury. proposed
a survey dividing the land int
rectangular townships each con
tanning SO sections of $40 acres
A number of years later when thii
country began to take an interes
in public education. congress Sc
aside every section SO in eacl
township to be administered fol
the support of the free schools
About 1860 the school land gram