The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-01-05
|LEGIsLA ToRs LIsTEN TO Gov JOHNSON MESSAGE

of the state The fact that such a re-
yQlp1ng fund would be kept intact would
4saa1d,..9 OF more rapid development Of
| the legislature of future appropriations
FOR drainage purposes
deem It my duty. also to call your
attention to the national swamp land
grant by which thousands of acres of
swamp ~ land Were decided to the state with
ne understanding and consideration that
eiisSe lands were to be drained by the
state The duties and obligations thus
/ imposed should be met, and the pledge
mace ass by the state to caTry.sout its part
| pr this agreement should most certainly
| be redeemed - -
INSURANCE DEPARTMENT
There is need at this time for general
| revision sof our present insurance laws.
Onder present conditions insurance COM
business that the interest of the policy
lehoider is not fully protected Such large
amounts of the people earnings are in
vested in various kinds of insurance that
| it is highly necessary and proper that
legislation should be had at this session
Whicn Will not only make the supervision
OF the insurance department fair and eff
nclent, but which will absolutely safe
guard every interest of the policy holder
lana which viii compel every company do
ing an insurance business in the state
-
OASIS Under the present law there is al
together too much latitude in the matter
OF reinsurance of the risks of other COM
pan1es and this If permitted at all should
be authorized under such conditions that
the rights of policy holders would not
suHer thereby. The present law permits
er. the propriety of which there is much
doubt The state cannot afford to pursue
any uncertain policy in this or in any
otner matter. All fees collected by this
I'm n ITaf< tl no
state treasury.
The work Of this department is of great
Importance and the best interests of the.
policy holder and companies doing le-
climate business demand that the COM
missioner be placed upon an exclusive sal
airy basis. The compensation should be
such that men of acknowledged ability
and high character could be secured for
the position.
| GOOD ROADS
The subject of good roads is prominent
| In the public mind and there has been
something done during recent years look
highways. Suitable legislation is much
desired, and | assume that you are suf-
fciently familiar with the situation to re-
quire no special comment on the part of.
the executive. An increased tax for the
road and bridge fund would undoubtedly
accomplish good results and state aid in
| township work would probably stimulate
endeavor along this line.
IMMIGRATION
Throughout the northern part of our
commonwealth large tracts of land are
idle and unproductiye because of the lack
| OF people to till the soil. Our neighbors
have been busy in the encouragement of
settlers to locate with them and within
| g. very few years thousands of home
seekers have passed through our own
state to find an abiding place in the Da-s
Minnesota offers every advantage to the
settler. and by well directed effort a large
/ proportion of people seeking new homes.
might be induced to locate in our own
and development A state immigration So
clety has been organized, but lacking
state assistance the result Of their labor
has naturally been limited. The establish
ment OF permanent bureau of immigra-
ton with sufficient funds to prosecute the
| work of urging settlers to locate here
would result in great good.
The management of our state inStitu-
tons is properly matter for your earnest
consideration. Two policies have been
pursued by our state in the government
The present system of government by a
board of control is comparatively new.
Many OF our people differ in their opin,
ions as to the best method of institutional
government
The board of control system obtains
| now, and must be given a fair opportunity
to demonstrate its value. Some of the
| methods employed by. the board of con-
troll are subject to criticism. Contracts are
| made in secret, and the business in which
| from the public itself Whether or not it
is wise to make all Of the business, the
letting of contracts and the purchase OF
supplies, open to public inspection there
certainly should be some provision made
by which all of the transactions of the
board of control would be subject to regu-
lar inspection and investigation by the
| public examiner, or some other competent
authority.
CARE OF INSANE
The care of the unfortunate wards OF
the state is worthy of your most earnest
and careful consideration. The state has
been very generous in the past, and in Its
| the feeble minded Minnesota ranks ia
vorably with her sister states. Much
progress has been made along this line
of work during recent years, and it has
now become established that in the care
of the insane it is the duty of the state
to provide humane care for this class OF
should also be the duty and the privilege
| of the state to develop the study of in
sanity as disease, and make proper
progress along the lines of scientific treat.
ment of the insane with a view of the ed
| ucatfon of the medical profession in
| more thorough knowledge of insanity.
More attention should be paid to the
treatment of new cases. and the best of
facilities should be provided with that
end in view. Our hospitals for insane
should be placed On the high plane of
! >
lieyed so far as possible of the incubus
of the fncurable inmates who only re-
quire personal care, but whose presence
means the crowding out of those who
need and might be benefited by medical
treatment.
I would call your attention to the adj
stability of providing nurses homes at
the various hospitals. Separate homes
for the nurses would mean economy of
room in the hospitals themselves, and
would be simple act of justice to the
! nurses employed.
would also direct your attention to
the need of providing a place at the state
prison for the retention of the criminal
insane as well as the insane criminal The
convict or criminal insane should not be
allowed to mfngle with the nom criminal
insane. insanity is no more a crime than
tuberculosis. The care and treatment Of
those who are mentally deranged or i'll
from nervous diseases, should be along
the most modern and scientific lines.
There are several classes Of our insane,
and the state and the public generally
have regarded them as all of one class to
be cared for at public expense with little
thought OF recovery or of scientific treat
ment The appropriations have, gener-s
ally been liberal for the care of this class
of the wards of~the state, but the legisla-
ture should begin to make provision for a
separation of the different classes to the
end that the incurabIe and criminal cases
| should not interfere with the treatment
of those eases where cures might possibly
be effected. Our entire system should be
reorganized and based upon the idea of