The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-01-10

AS TO NEW CAPITOL
The work on our new capitol during the
past two years; mas progressed rapidly
The walls are all up and the dome is we'll
under way. The board of commissioners
have faithfully performed their duties
and the state Is te9be congratulated upon
ional information, i refer you to the re-
port of said Observation-Disclosures.
The capitol, should be completed as
soon as possibles There is nothing to
be gained by delay; ana now more than
ever it is needed, as Is shown by our
crowded Legislature, halls and in all the
apartments az rim occupied by the state. offices.
In fact many departments of the state
government are compelled to seek quar-
ters elsewhere. IN ny judgment, it can
be finished for OCCUPANCY when the next
legislature a assemIbglss5 IN 1905
trust that in this magnificent building
a proper place WILL BE: reserved for the
memorials OF our soldiers and sailors
petuate a. record Of HE splendid achieve
ments made in war and peace by the
sons of Minnesota,
peeem fs a IssIsIation ton NECESSARY ts
nature as Will make the interior finish
correspond with It's, beautiful exterior
and TO meet the requirements of our
great and growing state.
FAVORS EIGHT-HoURs DAY.
OF all the triumphs of our American
civil cation, there afe3none to compare with
the advanced position Of the laborlng
classes, and nothing has so much con-
trlputed to our wonderful progress as
where labor Is well paid and enjoys
equal rights, there will you find not only
q wealthy and prosperous state but also
an intelligent and progressive peopIe
Minnesota takes a front rank amon.r
states IN: labor legislation To our bu
reau of labor are we indebted for many
wise wise laws Upon our statute books you
VIII ind enactments guaranteeing to
wage earners the right TO organize and
protecting them against black listing.
laws for the regulation of child-labor |:
Inose requiring healthful, sanitary con-
dltlons and protecting them against az
cldent in their places of employment
Inese and other laws have rfghtlyfpla
Minnesota in a high rank I will suggest
one more and urge its passage-a law
making eight hours a legal DAYS work
state. eu "y 'no
We must take no backward steps hut
must; continue the legislation necessary
TO open to Ia Dor new safeguards ne s,,,so
lection and other. fields of employment
RAILROAD AND WAREHOUSE COM
MISSION.
By a change in the law the members
OF the present board of railroad and
q vote or the people. This change in the
manner of their selection will not nrevenf
our earnest corporation in all matt ars
mand It,
l am sure that the commissioners cbo-
sen Will perform their duties SO eff ciently
mat the inspection of our grain will be
such as to commend 1t both to the farm
er and to the. purchaser and once mcre
estaollsh the high standard that Mime
sofa Wheat formerly. possessed in the
markets OF the world where it readily
sold as graded. 1.-The grades should be
uniform and the service of the most ef-
ncleht characterI and the expense kept
down to the lowest possible figure eonsis-
IN onT1 iSs:O
should endeavor to, correct II abuses, If
such there be, ia itransportation charges
ana prevent as, farsas possible all unfair
and unreasonable, discrimination. This
1t can accomplish, for it is invested wi h
such wide poweraasf to be able to con-
troll the rates charged by the railroads:
ulate rates whichS5they consider, upon in
Vestigatlon, to be- unreasonable.
=: GOODcRoADS .r5
Nothing is so essential to, the prosper
ity and welfare Of a people as a perfect
ed system of public highways; coed reads
1tate intercourse between sections; pro-
mote traffic, encourage immigration en-
nance 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, mar
ket. $50, -
Our country. so progressive la every
means to promote commerce and faoi l.
tate travel, has TOO long neglected this
important question. At present there IS
d very marked tendency in nearly all Of
attention and, 7aTf6d IS plans ans have be BEN n
put forward. The plan of employing On
Wet and. tramp labor on. ,the! roads Is
meeting with much fayoEl in some loeal-
ties. whether this Is feasible or. not is
still an open question, but certainly it
would meet with. po--oppositisn On TIE
ground that the convict, system would
come into competition with free labor.
Certain q a H.
tinued effort in this direction must be
made by our state;-it IS not a new ques-
ton with US; Tor you sNil remem9 pee that
amendment to the constitution was
adopted authorizing the legislature to
create state road and bridge fund and
to provide for the appointment of COM
mission to arrange for the disbursement
of this fund upon the basis that ea6 h
county receiving such aid should donate
for the construction OF roads double the
amount SO used by the state.
A plan to perfect in an economic al
manner a system Of good roads is sub
ject worthy of your careful consider a
ton. 6eff1=-
FORESTRY AND RESERVES.
In locality where nature has been so
lavish of her forest wealth, we nave paid
too little attention t9itho methods OF pre-
venting its rapid consumption, and nave
made little effort to- preserve It. The
time has come when we must take action
to prevent the complete destruction of
our coniferous trees. else we shall at no
distant date be compelled to eXpend vast
sums annually for reforesting, as is the
case in European2 countries and In some
Of our Eastern states, which expendi-
ture, by wise legislation at the present
time; can be avoided,
along these lines which L am sure VIII
meet with your hearty approval Fer
twenty seven years this state has ex-
pended annually $50 boo in bounties for
O1antinU nrairieS their
great Improvement, and adornmeat- The
intelligent efforts OF our state forestry
board are especially to, be commented.
as is also the efficient service of our
fire wafdens in preventing destruction
by forest fires. Some Of our schools are
giving courses in forestry, which plan
should he encouraged and extended so
as to reach the greatest possible number
of our youth.
But we must go farther, aud take inn
mediate steps to enlarge and preserve
our forSet reserves, and to provide for
the reforestation of cut-Gyer lands, wher
ever practicable. ij-f,ss.,
RED RIVER DRAINAGE.
Great benefits have been derived from
the state drainage bitches in the Red
river valley. Thousands of acres of valu-
able land belonging to the settlers have
oeen much improved and materially in
creased in value, as have also 10000 acres
owned by the state. and much waste
land has been reclaimed. Seed time for
the farmer comes two weeks earlier,
which results in large saving each
b From the report of Hon. e. G. valen-
tine, chairman of the drainage board, It
Viii be seen that the counties benefited
by this drainage system are completing
series of cross bitches connecting with
the main or state drains, for the purpose
of further extending the advantages of
this admirable plan Polk county alone
reports an expenditure OF 100000 for this
purpose.
a small apr opriation will be requested
&c Keep the state bitches in repair, and
1t should bs granted
he. :