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

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The Two Governors.
Two important state papers were read
Ito the legislature today. The farewell
tmessage Of Governor Van SAINT is
Ethoro summing up Of his four years
fof service, and should be of great value
ito the legislature. It carries little that
his new or startling, and is naturally OF
Fsecondary interest to the message read
sby Governor johnson.
i The Van SAINT policies are we'll
Sknown, and his attitude on given
question could be safely forecast; but
John A.. johnson brings an infusion OF
new ideas, some of which are novel and
all of them worth attention. The fact
that the new governors politics do not
agree with those of the legislative ma
Eiority should not bar the members from
taking note Of his ideas on matters Of
sstate policy.
Governor Van SAINT gives an interest
ing review of the investigation of the
state auditors office, and one Of his
spoints is important, wherein he advises
that the statute of limitations be re-
moved as applying to trespasses on
state lands. AS the law now stands,
the state estops itself from collecting
penalties after three years. The gov
ernor joins with Auditor Iverson in
recommending that trespass settlements
4 be placed in the hands of the state
timber board, instead of being left
solely to the auditor. The governor g
3 state prison seems sound, He would
have the new prison built from the
surplus revenues Of the old one.
Governor Van SAINT has not receded
from his former position, and again de-
clares in favor of removing the uni
versity and normal schools from board
Of control supervision. He goes fur
4 Their and advises that the institutions
i at Faribault and Owatonna be left
wholly in board of control hands. The
h recommendation for extension Of the
primary election law to include state
d officers is in line with previous state
ments.
The first paragraph of Governor
johnson s message contains a poser fol-
the legislature. Republican. leaders are
nervous over the prospect of defeating
s2 him for reelection two years hence
Governor johnson, in effect, says: Ell
you really want to get rid of me,
will show you howl They have only
81 to take him at his word and submit
the amendment giving four-year term!
81 to governors and making them ~ineli
gible for reelection. This would have
s the effect Of retiring Governor John
son at the end of the present two.yea
H term.
Is The railroad-rate question is dis
sussed by both governors from
much the same standpoint. The,
arrive at slightly different con
illusions. While both declare for tn
Quarles-Cooper bill, Governor Va,
SAINTS recommendation for state legis
s lation goes no farther than the Ston
hss bill defeated at the last session, prohib
iting railroads from raising rates with
out consent Of the railroad and ware
house commission. Governor Johnso
wants a joint legislative commission t
.II draft maximum-rate bill. He dis
cusses the merits Of the Iowa distanc
tariff, but does not favor it's applica
sia tion in Minnesota, because Of the ii
jury 1t would work to the large cities
us and hence to the entire state. For
country governor, his position
4 conservative.
Governor johnson does not follow hi
4 predecessor in favoring a permaner
tax commission, but wants to see pros
Il Is ress made toward the income tax thr
constitutional amendment.
In regard to the auditors office, tn
5sI new governor follows the line Of h
campaign pledges, favoring prosecute
u Of trespasse cases and canceling
Y fraudulent mineral leases. His prop
s sition to sell mineral leases at auctic
may be questioned, for it would see
"a to discourage exploring and give tt
Il discoverer Of mine no just rewa1
Il for his time and trouble.
& Another campaign pledge is FUTILE
Ia Governor Johnson s request for 9
s antipass law, the first Of the kind tn;
has come from a. governor Of the stat
The new governors plan for secu
ing a non-partizan judiciary may n
be adopted, but it is certainly wor
consideration. Other points in his me
sage are full of meat, as for instanc
his recommendation for state examin
3 tion Of city accounts, and for increa
ing the prison Irvine plant SO as to el
49, IL.