Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1899-01-12
Brought Out in Gov. FanCher'S
Message, of State In.
r.a .a'..... a~ tereSt. .. ..
Advocates a Primary Election
Law. Militia Recon-
mendatiOnS.
The Holding Of the Philippines
is Deemed the Proper
Thing to Do. ...s

In his message 10 LOo le&l5laLuI =
Gov. Fancher recounts the financial
history Of the state treasury for several
years and shows that former appropria-
tions had been made In excess of the rev.
enues amounting in January 1895 to
32ll,OOO. The state debt limit had been
reached, buc money was borrowed on
state warrants issued under authority Of
| the legislature to provide for the run
ming expenses OF the state. The expenses
| Of the state have not been paid promptly
for several months IN order to take up
and pay the last OF the warrants. The
governor says: 1T has been the practice
Of recent legislatures to appropriate
sums in excess Of the estimated revenues
Of the stste-this practice.should be dis.
continued and at once"
The total deficiency as given by the
states examiner Jan. l, '97 is $l1O, 1880.
The governor urges that the legisla.
ture reimburse the family of Governor
Briggs in the amount OF 81 $50, advanced
to pay the expenses OF the litigation Of
the railroad commissioners in the rate
case, also $500 to 1t. Gov. Devlne, sd-
vanced for the same purpose. A fund Of
$4,000 for small and incidental expenses
for the executive should be placed at his
disposal and ls so requested. This was
recommended by Gov. Briggs, but the
legislature did not see lit to do it.
The primary election Law ls advocated
IN the following: .-.
While the fact 10 recognized that lack
Of interest in primary party csucuses is
largely responsible for the unsatisfactory
results frequently complained of in
county and state conventions, it must be
admitted that many Of the present evils
can be done away With by the adoption
Of primary election law that will bring
party primary meetings under state su
pervlsion and control. Such law need
not be burdensome or expensive IN its
operation, and respectfully urge that
primary election law be made the sub
ject OF most careful and favorable con-
sderation.
The endorsement Of the educational
teet at the last election is referred to.
The message refers to the close Of the
war with SPAN. to the good record Of
the North Dakota quota in the Philip.
pines, to the small per cent of sickness
and casualties, to the loss of four Of the
volunteers. The militia laws should be
revised to conform as fully ss possible
to those of the United States governing
the regular and volunteer army; that
the equipment be furnished by the state
aud no cash allowed to the companies
for that purpose; that the militia sppro-
priation he ample. Armory rent for the
oompanlee now at Manila, for the year
ending June 80, 1899, IS recommended
given.
The message goes at length into the
question OF national expansion. The
history OF the louisiana purchases, Of
the territory west of the Mississippi, in
1903; the additions OF other portions ot
the country, such as Florida, Texas,
Alaska, 81, are mentioned, and the ar
gument made that the taking Of the
Philippine islands in the orient is also
advisable. The message says, in part,
on this point:
Tue soil OF these various islands OF
the seA has beeu baptized Win heroic
blood in tue cause OF liberty, and there.
by made sacred in our eyes, ana we can
not lightly abandon 1t. Our flag has
been flung to the breeze and We cannot
withhold the promise of freedom that it
gave. Where our loved and honored
brave now sleep, thither our thoughts
shall ever tondly turn.
B9sides, thro ugh destiny, AS believe,
tie welfare of about 100000 OF peo-
PIE have been placed 10 our keeping.
Our duty to them does not end with
slriklrR off their chains and driving
their opyressors out, but We must see
that they become e'ect and free. with all
the qualities of mind and soul that men
and women IN this age ought to possess.
Fetters and darkness must still be
stricken from the mind; ignorance and
superstition must, with oppression, their
creator, be put to flight. As freedom
and commerce will follow the flag, the
flag must be planted even farther for
ward in the domain OF darkness and op.
preston, and be there maintained until
the many blessings which it symbollzes
are enjoyed.
To be sure, the party to carry our
country successfully through all the per-
plexities that shall arise mnst be the
party that is truest to our pational ideals
the party OF free, enlightened and
universal ballot; the party OF sn honest
dollar; the party that does not heget