The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-01-18

saving of nearly S2ooooo curing me sec.
spite OF the fact OF the great increase IN
the price of all commodities. During the
first year the reports. of the state treas
In Iowa was $3.50 600 less than the year
before thus showing a saving of over enc
half million dollars in two years to the
people OF the state. -
/ believe that very large saving would
follow the adoption of the plan mere, ana
| am confident that the best interests OF
the state demand 1t. In letter received
MS late as Dec. goth, Ex-Governor LarraDee,
first president of the board writes me mat
"the change has worked grandly ana meets
state Institutions are in better shape than
ever before, and are more economically
managed, and this has not been at the eX-
In Wow of such facts and testimony,
do not hesitate to urge the passage of a law
creating a board of control, and would sug-
gest that a joint committee of the House
and Senate, be appointed as soon as. pos
sible to thoroughly investigate and frame
a bill with this object in view
GROSS EARNINGS TAX.
A large majority of the members Of this
political party and to said party's declara-
tion of principles. On the question of the
gross earnings tax, the platform speaks In
no uncertain language, and for your guild
ance quote from 1t:
"We commend the gross earnings sys-
tenn of taxation as to railroads. We be-
lieve that system to be attended with less
friction and expense and to have produced
better financial results than the method
of direct legislation, which prevails in
some of the adjacent states. We are in
favor of the maintenance of this system in
this state ard we insist that the rate OF
taxation undct gross earnings system
should be maintained at such figures as will
make the tax annually collected on rail
road property equal and uniform with the
taxes imposed upon such property through
out the state Is your plain atn duty tho &c
present rate makes the tax annually col
lected on railroad property equal and uni,
form with the taxes imposed on al other
property. If you discover that the rate
does not do this, it should be increased.
THE NEW CAPIToL.
The work on our new capitol during the
past two years has progressed rapidly.
The walls are all up and the dome is well
under way. The Board of Commissioners
have faithfully performed their duties and
the state is to be congratulated upon the
results so far obtained For additional in
formation l refer you to the report of said
Capitol Commissioners.
The capitol should be completed as soon
as possible. There is nothing to be gained
by delay, and now more than eyer Is 1t
needed, as is shown by our crowded legis-
lative halls and in all the apartments oc,
cupied by state Offices In fact many de-
partments of the state government are
Compelled to seek quarters elsewhere. In
my Judgment, it can be finished in time for
occupancy when the next legislature as
sembleS in 1903.
l trust that in this magnificent building
a proper place will be reserved for the
memorials of our soldiers and sailors and
our great men, in order to perpetuate q
record of the splendid achievements made
in war and peace by the sons of Mime
sofa.
recommend legislation necessary to com
plete the work at once, and of such a
nature as will make the interior finish cor
respond with its beautiful exterior, and
to meet the requirements of our great and
growing state.
BUREAU OF LABOR.
OF all the triumphs of our American civ
iliZation, there are none to compare with
the advanced position of the laboring
classes, and no one thing has so much
the condition of our working people-where
labor is well paid and enjoys equal rights,
there will you find not only wealthy. and
prosperous state, but also an intelligent
Minnesota takes a front rank among
states in labor legislation, To our Bureau
laws. Upon our statute books you viii
find enactments guaranteeing to wage
earners the right to organize and protect
them against blacklisting; laws for. the
regulation of child-labor; those requiring
healthful sanitary conditions and protect.
ing them against accident in their places
of employment. These and other laws have
rightly placed Minnesota in high rank.
l would suggest one more and urge its
passage law making eight hours o
legal days work on all public works au-
thoriZed by the state.
We must take no backward steps, but
must continue the legislation necessary to
open to labor new safeguards of prOtec-
tion and other fields of employment.
RAILROAD AND WAREHOUSE COM.
MISSION.
By change in the law, the members
Of the present Board of Railroad and
vote of the people. This change in the
manner Of their selection will not pre-
vent our earnest cooperation in all mat
tiers where the best interests of the state
l am sure that the commissioners chosen
will perform their duties SO efficiently that
as to commend it both to the farmer and
to the purchaser, and establish the high
standard that Minnesota wheat formerly
possessed In the markets of the world
grades should be uniform and the service
or the most efficient character and the ex.
pense kept. down to the lowest possible
figure. consistent, with. good service. The
commission should endeavor to correct all
abuses, If such there be, in transportation
charges and prevent as, far as possible all
This 1t can accomplish, for it Is invested
with such wide power as to be able to
control the rates charged by the railroads
to proceed on its own initiative and regu
late rates which they consider upon In.
vestigation to be unreasonable.
GOOD ROADS.
Nothing is so essential to the prosperity
and welfare of a people as a perfected
system of public highways; good roads are
a stimulus to commerce; they facilitate
traffic, encourage immigration, enhance the
value of real estate and are valuable from
an economic standpoint, for on good roads
the products of the farm are more easily
transported to market.
Cur country, so progl essive In every
means TO promote commerce ana facilitate
tant, question; At present there is Very
marked tendency In nearly all of the
states to give this subject proper attention
pan put
labor on the roads Is meeting with much
favor in some localities; whether this is
feasible or, not is still an open question
but certainly 1t would meet with no oppO.
sition on the ground that the convict sys
tenn would CONT into competition with free
labor.
Certain it is that a systematic and con
tinued effort In this direction must be
made by our state; it is not new ques
ton, with, us, for you will remember tn
In the election in November, 1898, ar
amendment to the constitution was adopted
authorizing the legislature to create State
Road and Bridge Fund and to provide fol
the appointment of a commission to ar
range for the disbursement of this fund
upon the basis that each county receiving
such aid should donate for the construc
ton of roads double the amount so used
by the state.
A plan to perfect in an economical man
ner system of good roads, is a subject
worthy of your careful consideration.
THE FORESTS.
In a locality where nature has been 81
lavish of her forest wealth, we have paiC
too little attention to the methods OF
preventing its rapid consumption, ant
have made little effort to preserve it. The
time has come when we must take actor
to prevent the complete destruction of oul
cOnifprOuS else we shall at no dis