Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1909-01-14
BURKE TO THE
LEGISLATURE
Governors Message Contains
Many Recommendations.
WOULD AMEND PRIMARY LAW

SUGGESTS PROVISION TOT ELECTION OF
United States Senators by Direct
Vote of the People-Reapportion-
ment Necessary to Give Represen-
tation to New counties-Would
Give State Executive Power to Re-
move Officials Who Fail in Per-
tormance Of Duties.
Governor Burke, in his message to
the legislature, said, in part:
1t will be your duty to elect a Unit
ed States senator and, if ours is a
government of the people, you will, as
speedily as possible, comply with the
wishes of the people as expressed at
the polls at the last general election.
For several years the two great po-
litical parties of this state have advo-
Gated the election of United States
senators by direct vote of the people.
The people feel that, if the senators
were elected by direct vote the same
as their representatives, they would
be better and truer representatives of
q government of the people and it
was because of this prevailing senti-
ment that the last legislative assem-
bly, made some advances toward the
selection of the United States SEN
ators by direct vote Of the people.
The present legislation upon the
subject, however, does not meet the
demands of the people. 1t is only a
half way measure. 1t only enables
the different parties to select their
party choice and does not permit the
selection of the popular choice of the
whole people. If the people really be-
Iieve in the election of United States
senators by direct vote then our pres
ent laws should be amended SO that
each party could nominate it's candi-
date and the candidate receiving the
highest number of votes at the gen
eral election should be chosen sen
ator by this body regardless of poll
tics.
New Counties.
Since the last session of the legis-
lative assembly all the unorganized
territory in the state has been organ
lied into new counties; and in conse-
quence there are the counties of Het-
finger, Adams, Bowman and Dunn
without representation in either
branch of the legislature. 1t will be
necessary for you, therefore, to make
such reapportionment of the legisla-
tive districts of this state as will give
these new counties representation.
Seed Wheat.
In some of the new counties the
settlers crops were destroyed with
hail in 1907 and in 1908; thus leaving
many of them without means to Sc
cure seed wheat for the coming sea-
passed a law under which counties
were authorized to issue bonds to pro-
cure seed grain for settlers whose
crops had failed during the year 1900.
This vas a wise law, for it enabled
counties to assist the worthy settlers
over the hardships and privations in.
cfdent to pioneer life; but, being linn
tied to those who lost their crops in
the year 1900, it furnishes no relief
10 those who lost their crops in 1907
and in 1908. I therefore recommend
the re-enactment of chapter Al of the
laws of 1901, with the limit to the
year 1900 stricken out and such other
amendments and provisions as in your
Judgment may seem necessary.
Good Roads.
Everybody is interested in the sub
lect of good roads and especially the
man with the big granary and the big
grain wagon. The better the road the
cheaper is the transportation and the
greater the profit; and yet in our
state we have as many different sys-
TENS of building roads as we have
different road districts. Our country
roads are under the supervision Of a
road supervisor. If the county is or
ganized into townships there is a road
district in each township, under the
supervision of the road supervisor.
Each individual in the district sub
lect to poll tax has an option of pay
Eeg the same or working one day on
ne road. The option is usually ex-
IANioSu NY WOAhl1lS, VI, al 1cdol, Wy
putting in the time. The supervisor
Is usually honest and does the best
ne knows how under the circum-
stances; but he is not an engineer
and is followed by a successor who is
not an engineer and who often I'M
does the work of his predecessor.
Much better results have been ac-
complished by the payment of all road
taxes in cash and expanding the same
under the supervision of a civil en-
glneer, or the building of all roads
and bridges to be let by contract to
experienced men.
The Battieship North Dakota.
Our state has been recently highly
honored by having the greatest and
largest battleship ever built named
tor her. 1T. is the custom for each
state for which a battleship is named
70 present the ship with a silver serv-
Ice and l am sure that this state will
not be the first state to ignore the
custom. 1t Is a matter of state inter
~ ~ -