The Commissioners of the Land Office are hereby authorized to employ attorneys or to engage private attorneys to bring or defend suits in the name of the Commissioners of the Land Office and on behalf of the State of Oklahoma in all matters affecting the public lands of the state, and in all matters affecting the loaning, investing or collecting of school land and state land monies, of, and belonging to the state. It shall be the duty of the Attorney General of the state, when requested by the Commissioners of the Land Office, to represent the Commissioners, and the state in the prosecution or defense of any suit or action so instituted, brought or defended.