The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1893-01-12

AMI substantial building, and for this they
Your hands.
Our normal schools are increasing In use
idlness and In attendants, and seem to
Keep ON advanced ground In all that per-
talnS to their special lines of education.
Our high schools have become excellent
feeders for our university, and have, to u
large extent, assumed the sphere, and abb
Sorbed the work of the old-fashioned acad-
emies, and thereby they have brought the
advantages of higher education close to the
doors of the mass of our people.
Our common school systeni-the priceless
Jewel or our liberty-grows in quality and
effectiveness year by year Through sum-
mer training schools, at the university and
through teachers Institutes. the teachers
acquire skill and aptitude for their work
which greatly. raises the standard of our
common schools. Liberal appropriations for
these training schools is money well invest
ed, anu there can be no serious objection to
setting aside portion of the one mill school
tax Tor this purpose as recommended by the
superintendent of public instruction. The
contract for the supply of text books for our
common schools, which has been In existence
for fifteen years, expired last August We
are now RENTED to the status, Which ex-
listed prior to 1877, under which the pupils
supplied themselves with such books as the
school board for the time being selected.
Under this system books were dear, changes
frequent, and there was an entire lack of
uniformity. To avoid these drawbacks some
action, 1t seems to me, is urgently needed
books, at the lowest possible price, with
uniformity and stability, ought to be the GEN.
tral IDEA or any plan that may be devised.
The Judiciary.
There are sixteen judicial districts In the
state, with twenty y-nine district Judges. do
ing the nisi prius or original trial work and
In addition to this there are a number of
municipal courts, with considerable local
jurisdiction. We cannot well shut our eyes
to the fact that this judicial force is in the
aggregate, in proportion to our population,
unusually large, and that the work is very
unevenly distributed, in some districts there
is very little to do, while in no district, do
think. is there any substantial overwork.
think 1T would be the part of wisdom and
good administration TO affect judicious
Encouragement of our judicial districts so as
to distribute the work more evenly and to
leave each judge a reasonable and proper
amount of work to do
The dairy industry of the state especially
In view of the fact that 1t is to that source
we must lCOk for relief when wheat raising
ceases 10 be promising, deserves our earnest
care and protection. In connection with the
school or agriculture and the experimental
station at st. Anthony Park is our dairy
school now in most successful operation. 1t
Is here where our dairymen of all classes
can obtain proper instruction and training
Dy precept and example, by instruction and
experimental work. And this is the proper
place and sphere for it. The department in
charge of the state dairy and food commits
slOner, as a matter of both law and practice,
seems 70 nave no concern with purely edu-
:ational and experimental work, but is linn
!ted and In It's very plan and purpose limits
itself to police supervision and police pro-
lection. This work and duty is undoubtedly
necessary and essential both for the protec-
tlon or the consumer and the dairymen, and
therefore should receive al! proper aid and
encouragement. But having in mind this
Limitation and distribution of work. it seems
to me that the force employed and the sal
ary roll in this department is out of proper
tion to the duties entailed and the work to
be done The salary roll is nearly $4,000
a greater sum than that of any other of the
executive departments of our state govern
ment except the grain inspection depart
ment, which much more than pays it's own
expenses from fees collected. The present
commissioner is in no wise at fault for the
existing order of things. He found it there
when he entered the office 1t came into be-
ing under the act of 1887, when the appro-
prlat1on for the department was increased
from $4,000, as it existed under the original
act OF 1885, to $4,000. To my mind it would
be wholesome and wise economy to return
salary roll strikes me as ample for this de-
paftment, ! commend the subject to your
consideration for such action as you may
deem advisable.
Constitutional Amendments.
At the last election two constitutional
amendments We're submitted to the people,
s One of them, that relating TO special legfs-
lation, was adopted. This will necessitate
the enactment of general laws to provide for
those cases and subject matters Inhibited by
10,
reiattng to taxation, was evidently rejected
because 1t authorized, among other things
the substitution, in the case of railroad COM
panies, of mere license fee in place of a
tax upon gross earnings. In 1890 the people
declared themselves in favor of this tax by
voting to reject Chapter 191 of the General
Laws of 1889. There is at present no ade-
quate system of taxation for mining, ex-
press, parlor car and sleeping car cOmDa-
MES. Under existing laws, insurance compa-
mes, both foreign and domestic, pay tax OF
m1um receipts in addition to taxes upon
both real and personal property in this state
In case OF foreign companies. From this
source we obtained during the last fiscal
year revenue of $127,244.25. While from
the tax upon the gross earnings of railroads
we obtained q revenue of 1894, ,091 .43 during
the same period: Thus from these two sources
we oDta!aeq total FeYeGue of 81 OPT, 1856 %.
In the light of these facts and ia Justice TO
the other taxpayers, 1t would seem to be adj
Vlsable and sound policy to enact law pro-
posing an amendment to the constitution,
authorizing the levy and collection of q tax
upon the gross earnings of ali the companies
and industries named in the rejected amend
ment except such as are now paving these
taxes, in addition to taxes upon real estate
tax upon gross earnings is more remunera-
tive, more equitable and more expanding
than mere license fee, unless such fee is
measured by aild based Hpen grasa earnings:
! believe an amendment OF this kind Woufd
find favor with the people, and so I COM
mend this Important subject to your careful
consideration.
Grain Elevators and Grain Inspec-
tiOn.
Wheat raising is the leading agricultural
industry of our state, and it is of such par
amount lmportance that Q depression in the
commercial and manufacturing Interests Of
our people. Everything, therefore, which
pertains to the handling, marketing and
transportation of our wheat crop Is not
only a matter of the highest Importance to
our farmers, but is something that concerns
every citizen who has our prosperity and
well.being at heart. In 1885 the legislature,
in obedience to public demand, enacted q
trolling the Ee3lghiRa grading aad iaSsPeetiah
OF grain at the terminal points of st. Paul.
Minneapolis and Duluth, and for the further
purpose of regulating and controlling grain
elevators and warehouses al those planes,
That portion of the law relating to weighing
grading and inspection has been utilized and
handle grain at these terminal points avail
themselves of this feature Of the law. The
following table indicates the growth and
velpme Of business in the inspection de-
RaaarttneHt Fsa@ its sRigia Fa the present
Number Of car loads inspected ION arri-
Val"i