1904 4,964,000 



1905 5,132,000 



The enormous expense which the advertise- 

 n\ent of the delinquent lands is to the state 

 is apparent from the following: 



Amount in round numbers expended in 

 handling the tax lands in the Auditor Gener- 

 al's office: 



"In the ten years ending 1905, these two 

 items amounted to $1,591,252.00. While there 

 can be no doubt that a certain amount of ex- 

 penditure is necessary to collect our taxes, the 

 above sum, especially in the advertisement of 

 the descriptions, seems exorbitant beyond all 

 measure." 



It is thus seen that, for instance in 1900, 

 the Auditor General advertised over six and 

 one-half million acres of lands, and in this one 

 year spent over $177,000 in this business. 



The commission also points out the fact 

 that much of this land was held in the Auditor 

 General's office far beyond the period intended 

 by law, and that much of this advertising and 

 expense must seem unlawful. 



The area of tax lands ready to deed or 

 deeded to the state in November, 1907, was 



