Show o 0 ATTORNEY GENERAL CLUFF MAKES STATE LAND RULING The state land office cannot legally legal legal- ly Iy pay property taxes or assessments on water stock when farmers to whom state loans have ha been made are unable to meet the taxes it was I held by Harvey II H. Cluff state attorney ney general in fn an opInion written in response to questions asked aske by J. J T T. state land commissioner Mr Cluff points out that it would be unlawful to snake make any payments in connection with a a. loan which would bring the total invested to more than 50 per cent of the valuation valuation tion ot of the unimproved ved lands or more than 20 per cent of the value aluc or of the buildings If IC the tho mortgagor does not keep up payments for tor taxes water assess assess- assessments ments and so forth on the property Meld by the state as security then foreclosure proceedings should bb undertaken the tho attorney genera adds Only In exceptional anti and fur iUt- cases the tho lan land might be justified temporarIly n advancing ad- ad sufficient funds to pay the tho taxes and assessments In order to protect the security until he could realize from a sale salo of the property according to Mr Clutts Cluffs lett letter r. r In response to another question the attorney general takes the position position tion that the state land office not be justified lit in advancing attorney attorneys attorney's I ney ney's fees in foreclosure proceedings but that attorneys should be required reo- reo to wait waft for their fees until the money Js is forthcomIng from disposition dis- dis position ot of the property Although the federal mineral land leasing net act that the states state's share of money mone received front royalties royal royal- ties Lies rentals and bonuses be used for roads and schools the tho money be used only for tine the support or of the common schools and go into the principal of the state school fund through provIsion made by the state l legislature another opinion to Mr fr d explains |