A Probe Into Washington's Land Deals—With More Beneath the Surface
A senate resolution opens an investigation into how the state manages its school and tide lands, with hints that the real target is the land commission itself.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Olympia, Jan. 14.—Special.—Although the senate was in session but a short time this afternoon, a very important step was taken by that body in the passage of the following concurrent resolution:
'Whereas, The state's heritage of school and other lands is of priceless value to the commonwealth; and Whereas, The proper, economical, and wise administration of these lands is of the utmost importance to the state; and Whereas, It appears from the report of the board of state land commissioners, and from other sources, that there is good reason for a thorough examination of and investigation into the present methods of conducting the state's land business; therefore, be it
Resolved, By the house of representatives, the senate concurring, that a committee of five be appointed, to consist of three members of the house and two members of the senate, which shall at once proceed to examine into and report upon the methods of transacting business, and operations of the respective offices of the board of state land commissioners and the several county boards of tide land appraisers; and it shall be the special duty of said committee to report to the legislature as to whether the methods of conducting business in each of the offices is the best obtainable or not; whether the service of the officers employed has been efficient and satisfactory or not, and whether any or all of the offices should be consolidated, abolished or continued; and the said committee shall have authority to send for persons and papers and to administer oaths.'
Dorr of Whatcom introduced the resolution. It was evidently for the purpose of heading off a similar resolution which would have been introduced by another member. The objective point is an investigation of the state land commission, but it is surmised that there is more in it than appears on the surface. It is directly in line with the emphatic request for such a committee embodied in the annual report of the state land commissioner. Brainerd himself states that he will insist upon a most thorough investigation of all the business of the land commission, and that, if such a full, free and impartial investigation is made, much misapprehension and ignorance of the work of the commission will be dispelled.
“The objective point is an investigation of the state land commission, but it is surmised that there is more in it than appears on the surface.”
Public lands and tide flats were the great prize of young Washington, and the question of who profited from them has never entirely gone away. The 1895 investigation foreshadows a century of fights over public resources and the officials who dole them out.
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