Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1909-01-14
GOV. CRAWF0RD'S MESSAGE
Retiring Governor Reports on States Business
and Offers Many Suggestions Regard
ing Legislation

pass law, and i-lobby law. primary
election law, and law making it crime
for corporations to make contributions
to political parties or to party candi-
dates or committees, removed most of
the abuses of which the people justly
ccmplained; under these laws. which
are working we'll, the corporation has
been removed from political power In
South Dakota. No reasonable person
wishes to do an injustice to the rail-
roads. We, need them and they need
us and spirit Of mutual fair dealing
should prevail between them and the
people. I regard it as unfortunate that
the railway companies having lines in
South Dakota did not comply with the
law of 1907 and the order of the board
fixing the maximum passenger fare at
two and one-half cents per mile.
All political parties and factions in
1908 joined in a demand that this leg
islature pass an absolute act, with an
emergency clause attached. making it
effective at once, fixing the maximum
passenger rate between points in this
state at two cents a mile. The people
have spoken on this subject and your
duty is plain.
Platform promises must be kept if
we expect to hold the confidence of the
people who place US in power.
Board of Railway Commissioners.
the annual report of the board of rail-
road commissioners for the year end
ing June 80, 1908 is asked. Through
the effective service of that board
many of the excessive charges on
freight traffic to points west of the
Missouri river-particularly the out
rageous charges on emigrant movables
have been very materially reduced;
a new and cheaper classification has
been made; connecting tracks at juno
ton points have been ordered and put
IN; many specific complaints have
oeen heard and relief granted.
Ascertainment of True Cash Value of
Railroads.
The legislature of 1907 appropri-
ated the sum OF $4,000 for the pur-
pose OF enabling the board of railroad
commissioners to ascertain the true
cash value of the railroad lines within
the state. For this purpose, the COM
mission engaged the services of Mr..
c. c. Witt, an experienced engineer;
engineering at the College of Mechanic
Arts at Brookings, and Mr.. r. F.
SWartz. for many years the efficient
deputy state auditor at Pierre.
This work has been going on for
some time and is reported in detail
by the commission, who state that
when the work is concluded, they be-
W
| plete and correct valuation than has
ever been secured by similar bodies in
| other states. U#
Statet Supervision Of Public Utilities.
Complaints are made that the charges
| of the express, telegraph and telephone
| companies are too high. telephone
commission was created two years ago,
| composed of the state treasurer. state
| auditor and a telephone commissioner
appointed by the governor, who draws
a salary of $1,000 a year. 1t was given
| general supervision and control of all
the telephone lines and exchanges in
| the state with power to hear and de-
termine complaints, require reports,
made schedules of maximum rates,
compel connections and prevent unjust
determinations. The legislature, how
| ever, made no appropriation whatever
| 1t has not been able to accomplish
| much for the want Of funds.
| The governor recommends that the
supervision of the board OF railroad
commissioners be extended to express
and telegraph companies, and such
electric transportation companies as
| may hereafter be organized. In other
words, that this board be given the,
| powers of public service commission.
State and County Depository Law.
Both of the great political parties in
this state have declared in favor Of
comprehensive state and county de-
positary law, which shall yield a reve-
nue. to the state and county.
The retiring state treasurer in his
report recommends such a law and it
will be one Of the important duties you
will have to perform. 1t should be so
framed as to bring to the state, as we'll
as to the counties, return of interest
for the use of the public funds and it
should, so far as it can safely be done
ho ofaf f~o 10
nous responsibility and risk, which, as
the law now stands, he must assume to
the extent Of half million dollars
Penal and Charitable institutions.
! 7 commend to your consideration the
report of the board Of charities and
| corrections for the period ending June
30, 1908, accompanied by the reports
of the superintendent of the hospital
for the insane at Yankton, hospital for
persons of feeble mind at Redffeld,
school for deaf mutes at Sioux Falls
school for the blind at Gary, training
school at Plankinton. and warden of
the penitentiary at Sioux Falls
The board reports that the work
2, upon the whole. done in all these insti-
tutions has been satisfactory and that
Improvement is manifest in each.
State Board of Regents.
AS one reads the report of the board
of regents and the accompanying re-
ports of the earnest men at the head
of the several educational institutions
committed to their care, and learns OF
the crowded conditions arising from
the ever increasing numbers of the at
tending students: and of the needs for
better salaries and more buildings. and
in the same connection calls to mind
the constitutional limitation upon the
state tax levies, which makes it i'm
possible to grant all that is so much
needed. feeling of pungent regret
arises that more cannot be done B11t
as ! have already said, we must he
patient because the aid can be given
only in small installments. It will ali
come out right in time.
Conservation Of Natural Resources,
The reference of the state geologist
TO the artesian basin leads me to still
larger subject, to-wit-the conserya :
ton of all our natural resources, and
the Improvement of our waterways
Acting upon the express request Of
the Hon. Clifford Pinchot, chairman of
the National Conservation commission.
last August. named standing state
commission on state conservation. con-
sisting of Hon. Robert j. Gamble.
chairman; Hon. e. w. Martin. Hon,
! O. c. Dokken, Hon. Samuel H. Lea and