The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-01-05

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ern ideas Of correctional work The state
cerIalniy owes It to society to take proper
cognlzance OF this question.
SOLDIERS HOME
Our nation and state have pursued a
policy in providing homes for the veter-
ans OF the Civil war which has met with
the approval of all patriotic citizens Our,
pSs t3ppe nave been generous in their recog-
"a "a our generosity to the soldiers of the.
Glvll war the state has been remiss in
me me duIy II, owes to the wives, the moth
efS ana the widows of the old soldiers
AT the last department encampment of
the Grand Army of the Republic, the mat
m ser OF a4dm1ltsting the mothers, widows and
wives 70 the soldiers home, was taken
up. and, as a result of that movement,
the board of trustees of the State Sol,
dieIs nome recommends an amendment
70 the law which will permit their adj
MISSION. and they ask for an appropria-
ton to construct suitable buildings for
tnelT care and maintenance.
NO one has questioned the justice of
caring for the old soldier, and if there is
Justlce IN making provision for him.
mere mere rs no valid reason why those di-
nGedIy "a, aependent upon him. should be de-
y Mouid De gracious act upon the part
OF the state to SO amend its laws as to
be able to grant this request.
DAIRY AND FOOD
IN no field of production has the state
u ,llaus sreater progress during the past
ise. than IN dairy1ng and animal hus-
. pamury. Within comparatively brief
p fe the commonwealth has emerged
an v,I Inc nst OF grain growing districts,
GARY state in the Union By reason of
the superior quality. Minnesota butter
eeanos ;PPfe,emlnently at the head, and in
diplomas of merit than all the neighhor-s
Ing states combined. The superiority of
Inis product has been established at every
national contest held in recent wears Nh.
meTous agencies have been Jointly respon-
slnie for the growth and production and
d me improvement In the quality of our
the state university and the experimentai
STATION maintained there, have been no
tent Factors in the realization of this desir-
guy, ,st condltlon. The dairy and food de-
parlment OF our own state government
mas ma also been a conspicuous factor in the
upouading of this industry, and has also
SS ,,i ad.,Is much In preventing harm
~! .aouiteratiOns of food products. The
state can well afford to pursue the most
liberal policy toward both of these
a!ge9n en-, Legislation is necessary, espe-
cialiy with relation to the matter of pure
r i'9 and these laws should be framed
upon the idea of education and develop
ment rather than persecution.
FORESTRY
The subject of forestry, while receiving
considerable attention by a number of our
people, Is entitled to more consideration
than tnaIi has usually been given it at previous
sessions OF the legislature. The General
Laws OF 1873 provided compensation for
planting pan and cultiyating trees on prairie
compensation in the form of bounties for
planting trees on highways was later dis
continued, but bounties for tree-planting
have since been paid. A tax for this pur-
pose OF one-tenth of one mill was pro-
vided for in 1881 but as it was found to
abolished by the General Laws of 1895.
When an annual appropriation of $40, 200
was substituted in its place.
Inc question has been raised as to
whether this system of tree planting
bounties has not served its purpose. and
could not be discontinued. The members
should best be able to determine this mat
ter. The forest preservation act of 1895
made town super visors in the vicinity of
forests and prairie lands fire wardens.
and made it their duty to take necessary
precaution for the prevention as well as
the extinguishment of fires.
Inc Jack Of proper compensation has
resulted In very inefficient service on the
part OF Wardens thus selected. The Unit
ed States forestry bureau, after careful
consioeratlon has drawn bill for the
state OF California which provides for the
appointment of competent persons to
serve as fire wardens, the expense to be
paid by the state. which is to collect half
the amount from the counties in which the
expense occurred. Our present system
should be strengthened SO that it will
meet the dangers which might arise
through an exceptional drought.
The state forestry board created in
1893. is endeavoring to reforest the 1000
acre reserve in Cass county, donated to
the state by the late Hon. John S. Pills
bury, and desires to make careful ex-
animation and working plan for the 10000
acres OF forestry lands in st. Louis coun-
state by congress at its last session.
Liberal provision for these purposes
should be made; also for the future care
of these forestry lands.
EXAMINATION OF CITY. ACCOUNTS
In view of the vast sums of public
revenue collected and disbursed by cities
of the first class such as Minneapolis, St
Paul and Duluth, there is a sentiment
among the taxpayers of those cities that
the city finances should be subject to the
same state supervision by the public ex-
aminer as that now given to county
finances.
In Minneapolis, for example, the annual
tax 81 levy and expenditure approximate
$4.000,000; and there is now no examina-
ton and audit of the accounts of the city
comptroller and treasurer, except that of
a committee of aldermen who do not
claim to be accountants or to make an
expert examination. The need of such
examination in the case of Minneapolis is
apparent in the published reports of the
city council, wherein it is shown that
large sums are unaccounted for.
Loose accounting is premium on loose
business methods and a fertile cause OF
increasing debt and taxes. On the other
hand, strict accounting is the first es-
sential to public economy and retrench-
ment. The legislature of 1891 passed
special act, now in force, giving state in
Spection of city accounts to St. Paul; and
an extension of the same or similar pro-
visions to all cities would appear to be a
right step in the direction of municipal
credit, economy and retrenchment
REVIEW OF ELECTION RETURNS
Gov. Lind in his last message to the
legislature called the attention of that
body to the fact that the statutes pro-
vided no method for reviewing the election
returns for a state Office. Under the
present election laws, candidate has no
right to contest an election. A candidate
might be deprived of his election by err
ror or by fraud, and If SO deprived, has
no remedy. I would recommend the en-
actment of a law which would provide
method of reviewing election returns upon
state offices.
STATE MONUMENT
In 1851 the national government effected
a treaty with the Sioux Indians whereby
there was opened for settlement what is
now the most densely populated portion
of our state. The treaty was one of the
most important ever made by the ma
tiOnal government with the Indians, as it