The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-01-09
GOVERNOR BURKE'S MESSAGE
TO THE STATE LEGISLATURE
His Biennial the Last Governor Delivered Today
School and Land Laws Recovery 1ro Process
of Law Of Overchar&es in the "Prntn9 Stea and the Com
pusory Organization of all Unor&anized Territory

and, while the subject matter of the
law was broad enough to cover such
contingency. it is not expressed in the
title, and it is possible that the act,
in so far as it relates to short weights,
is unconstitutional, and | therefore
recommend to you the re-enactment
OF the law with an amended title which
clearly expresses all of the subject
matter of the act including short
weights. This | regard as one of the
most wholesome laws, and l take this
opportunity of commencing the faithful
and efficient efforts of Pure Food Com
missioner Ladd in the enforcement of
this law under great disadvantages and
insufficient appropriation, and l fur
ther recommend more liberal appropri-
ations in order that the valuable SER
vices of Professor Ladd may be retain
ed by the state and the law strictly
enforced.
The School Laws.
Needs revision. The state superin-
tendant in his second biennual re-
revising the school laws and states that
it has been tinkered with so much
that it is very difficult to tell what
the law is. There is great deal too
much of it, an dthere are parts of it
which conflict with other parts of it,
1t ought to be revised and simplifiel
Special district, the independent dis
t"ict. and the general school district
should be governed and regulated by
the same general laws. There is no
necessity for different laws except
for their organization. \ revision with
this end in view would simplify the
law and cut it down to one-third in
length and make it definite and GER
tain. And while l am upon this sub
ject | recommend that all legislation
which you enact be simpliiied by using
simple language. incapable Of more
than one construction,
Governor Sarlcs.
Who has possession OF the facts an,l
figures. has given you the financial
standing of the state and the condition
Of our different state Institutions The
people of the state are justly proud of
these institutions, and it will be your
duty, as the Representatives OF the
people, to appropriate such sums of
money as will properly maintain them,
and such further sums as may be ne
cessary for repair and improvements
consistent with the financial condition
OF the state.
The constitution provides that the
senate shall be composed OF not less
than thirty nor more than fifty men,
bers. and the house OF representatives
OF not less than sixty nor more than
li0 members. AT the time of our last
apportionment our population was
largely in the southern part OF the
state. since which time the central
and western parts OF the state have
increased in population so as to be
almost without representation III the
Legislative assembly when compared
With the legislative districts in the
eastern part of the state, While at the
same time we have almost reached the
constitutional limitation. For compar-
ison call your attention to the county
of Cass. with three Legislative dis
tricts. represented by three senators
ana nine representatives. while the
counties of Ward and Williams. in one
legislative district, represented by one
senator and three representatives. The
county of Ward is the most populous
county in the state, and Williams
county. one OF the largest in the state.
is almost as thckly populated as Ward
in proportion to its size, and yet the
Two counties have only one third the
representation in the legislative as
sembly that Cass has. | mention these
counties only for comparison. The
same is largely true of all the eastern
districts as compared with the western
districts. From this condition it must
appear to you that in order to nave 4
fair representation from each part of
have an advantage over another part
of the state, this legislative assembly
should at this session redistrict the
state and apportion the senator's and
representatives so as to give all parts
of the state representation as near as
possible.
In view of the constitutional limita
tions referred to and the wonderful
increase and growth OF the population
of the state, and its still greater pos
siblities, | recommend that the rep
resentation be equalized by cutting
down the representation in the eastern
part of the state, or wherever it be
necessary. and increasing the repre-
sentation in the western part Of the
state. 1t is only question of time
when the growth and population of
| the state will make this necessary. and
| it might as we'll be done at this time
and save the expense to the state OF
increased representation in the legis-