The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-01-04


The fact that such a revolving fund
would be kept intact would permit of a
more rapid development of the drainage
system and would relieve the legislature
Of future appropriations for drainage
purposes.
attention to the national swamp land
grant by which thousands of acres Of
swamp land were decided to the state
with the understanding and considera.-
tion that these lands were to be drained
by the state. The duties and obliga,
the pledge made by the state to carry
out it's part of this agreement should i
most certainly be redeemed.
INSURANCE DEPARTMENT.
There is need at this time for gen.
eral revision of our present. insurance
laws. Under present conditions insur-
ance companies are permitted to so tran
sact their business that the interest Of
the policy holder is not fully protected.
Such large amounts of the people 8 earn
ings are invested in various kinds of in
surance that it is highly necessary and
proper that legislation should be had at
this session which will not only make
the supervision of the insurance depart
ment fair and efficient, but which will
absolutely safeguard every interest Of
the policy holder and which will COM
pei every company doing an insurance
upon legitimate basis. Under the pres
ent law there is altogether too much
latitude in the matter of Reinsurance
of the risks of other companies, and
this, if permitted at all, should be au-
! thoriZed under such conditions that the
rights of policy holders would not suffer
| thereby. The present law permits the
collection Of fees by the commissioner,
the propriety Of which there is much
doubt. The state cannot afford to pur
sue any uncertain policy in this or in
any other matter. All fees collected by
this department should be covered into
The work Of this department is of
great Importance, and the best interests
of the policy holder and companies do
ing legitimate business demand that
the commissioner be placed upon an ex-
elusive salary basis. The compensation
lodged ability and high. character could
be secured for the position. ..'
i GOOD ROADS.
The subject of good roads is promin-
emit in the public mind and there has
been something done during recent
pS 6Gep to the suRab ep
} tion is much desired, and I assume that
you are sufficiently familiar with the
situation to require no special comment
on the part of the executive. An in
creased tax for the road and bridge fund
} would undoubtedly accomplish good re
3 would probably stimulate endeavo1
7 along this line.
IMMIGRATION.
Thruout the northern part of our com
monwealth, large tracts Of land are idle
and unproductive because of the lack Of
. people to till the soil. Our. neighbour
; settlers to locate with them, and within
t very few years, thousands of home
: seekers have passed thru our own STATE
Y to find an abiding place in the Dakotas
: Montana, Washington and Canada. Min
y nesota offers every advantage to tn
i. large proportion Of people seeking nev
q homes, might be induced to locate il
J.. our own state, and materially aid in it
n growth and: development A state immi
a grafton society has been organized, bu
h acking state assistance, the result O.
e The establishment Ola permanent bu
IS reau Of immigration with sufficien
IS funds to prosecute the work of urgin
f settlers to locate here. would result i
j. great good. =
r MANAGEMENT OF STATE 1NsTITU
n TIONs.
q The management Of our state institr
d lions is properly matter for your carr
is est consideration. Two policies hav
been pursued by our state in the govern
W ment of the public institutions Of tn
n state. The present system of govern
IT ment by board Of control is compare
in their opinions as to the best metho
Of Institutional government. The boar
of control system obtains now and mus
IS be given fair opportunity, to demon
N strate it's value. Some of the method
e. employed by the board 9f dontfol
a. made in secret, and, the business ]
le which the public has an interest is witt
a held from the public itself. Whethe
If or not it is wise to make all Of the bus
is ness, the letting of contracts, and tt
le purchase Of supplies 9pen, to public il
is provision made by which all of the tral
n sactions Of the board of control would
I'd subject to regular inspection and inve
ne tigation by the public examiner or son
0e other competent authority.
10 ..-~ CARE OF INSANE. ...
lg The care Of the unfortunate wards
ne the state is worthy Of your most earne
C. and careful consideration. The sta
or has been very generous in the past, al
It in it's provision for the care Of the i
ge sane and the feeble minded, Minneso
C. ranks favorably with her sister states
n Much progress has been made along tn
IS. line of work during recent years, and
Id has now become established that in II
x care Of the insane it is the duty Of tt
MT state to provide humane care for tn
e class of our unfortunate citizens, al
is that it should also be the duty and t.
he privilege of the state to develop tt
be study Of insanity as a disease, and ma
to proper progress along the lines of 81
entifc treatment Of the insane with
view Of the educa tion of the medic
profession in more thoro knowledge
in insanity. More attention should be pa
tie to the treatment of new cases, and t
M best of facilities should be provid
ty with that end in view. Our hospits
&C. for insane should be placed on the hi,
wv plane Of general hospitals, and tn
m should be relieved SO far as possible
lie, the incubus Of the incurable inmate
of who only require personal care, b
las whose presence means the .crowding 0
SIX Of those who need and might be Der
on flied by medical treatment. [ won
yer call your attention to the advisable
ty of providing nurses homes at the va
st, Gus hospitals. Separate homes for t
"a, nurses would mean economy Of room
Ia the hospitals themselves, and would
in a simple act of Justice to the nurses e.
es. ployed. 1 would also direct your attic
at tion to the need Of providing a place
ow the state prison for the retention of
in criminal insane as well as the insa