The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-01-09
GOVERNOR BURkE'S MESSAGE.


Burke to recommend the radical de-
molition OF present political condi-
tions in the state and the substitutions
of fads and democratic fancies, will
be much disappointed in his first mes
sage to the legislature. \ perusal of
that instrument will not disclose any
thing which will shake the state from
centre to circumference or that will
show that things have been so con-
Quoted in the state that it is nee
essary for some readical reform TO
sweep the old Office holders 10 perdi-
ton. 1t has some things which are
fanatical and which it is not probable
that Governor Burke expects or even
wants to see enacted into law. 1t has
some things that are demanded by
all parties.
The Governors enthusiastic and
vigorous endorsement of the work of
Prof. Ladd as pure food commissioner
is one of the strongest evidences that
the republican party in this state have
looked we'll to the interests of the
general public and the whole people,
as the governor likes to style them,
in the matter of legislation. The en-
actment of primary election law was
the work so far as this state is con-
cerned, of the republican party. The
party did not go as far as some of the
over-zealous devotees of that idea
who probably had more enthusiasm
than eXperience-but it went suf-
ficently far to lay the foundation. All
that is required now is the adjust
ment of what is supposed to be the
additional needs. The law would have
been passed without the election of
Governor Burke.
In dealing with the railroad ques-
ton where it was thought he would
be in his most radical mood, he failed
to satisfy many of his followers and
certainly did not keep to the text of
his campaign SPECIFIED. He admits
what everyone knows is true, that no
property in this state is assessed at
its real value. He calls attention to
the fact that the assessors do not do
their sworn duty in the matter of as
sessing the property of the people.
He says in substance that they violate
their oaths because the law requires
them to assess all property at its
value, while as matter of fact but
little of it is so assessed During
the campaign, he said nothing about
the fact that the property of individ-
uals was not assessed at what it should
be, but claimed that the railroads were
not so assessed and that because of
this fact the burden of taxation was
largely borne by the individual tax
payers. In his message he contends
that the same rule applies to both rail-
roads and individuals. He does not
show that the railroads are not as
sesses in the same ratio to their
value that other property in the state
is assessed. Shorn of the glittering
generalities and the verbosity in which
the message is worded, the railroad
legislation recommended becomes de-
cidedly tame. He merely reasons in
circle and suggests that because the
property is assessed below it's value.
the rate is high and that looks bad as
an advertisement for the state, to out
siders.
His recommendations as to the re-
quirements of a good road bed for the
railroads is good and his suggestion
that where the loss of life can be
traced to this cause in the case of
wrecks, someone should be held guilty
of manslaughter. This suggestion would
be applauded by everyone if he had
a case condition which would fit the
suggestion. But when it is remember
ed that the trainmen supposedly res
ponsible for the recent fearful wreck
on the 500 at Enderlin are now in the
custody of the law on a charge of that
kind his suggestion seems decidedly
out of date.
Inasmuch as the constitution fixes
this session of the legislature as the
one which shall make the apportion
ment of the representation of that
body, it hardly seems necessary that
a governor who desired to reform
things should give so much space to
a subject in which the members have
no choice. 1t somehow looks very