its other holdings. No trace of any appreciation of future monopolies to grow out of the possession of them is to be found. Nothing to show an inkling of how abhorrent to public interest such private monopoly may be. Governor Grover in the early seventies, with his characteristic alertness in pressing for the realization by the state of all its rights in the public domain, first called attention to its valid right to all lands lying between the limits of ebb and flood tides. He estimated that there were half-a-million acres of such land in Oregon. The public surveys up to that time had been extended over the salt marshes and had been approved by the general govern- ment land office, so that the tide lands were being disposed of to homestead and pre-emption claimants. In response to the governor's suggestion the legislature asserted its right to these lands and provided for the disposal of them on terms similar to those governing the sale of school lands, excepting that persons owning abutting lands were given the exclusive right to purchase for a period at first one and then three years. The lands were to be sold upon appraisal. The minimum price at first was $1.25 per acre; six years later, 1878, it was raised to $2.00. In 1907 the minimum was raised to $5.00 per acre. The land board was at this time first given the discretion to lease.
A final word of comment upon Oregon's land policy as a whole. Sale to highest bidder, on easy terms, in small lots and to the actual user of all lands in connection with which no oppres- sive monopoly can arise, is always justifiable. These conditions characterized Oregon's land policy, excepting its swamp land sales, down to 1887. In three connections, however, did pecu- liarly iniquitous practices develop in the administration by Oregon of its public domain.
(1) The first had to do with the selection and sale of swamp lands. Four hundred eighty-five thousand seven hun- dred seventy-nine and eighty-five one-hundredth acres of these were sold to one man, at least, certificates of sale covering this amount were issued to one party by the successive land boards.
