Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1909-01-08

that all grain inspection work in thu
state, whether under the railroad and
warehouse commission or under tho
direct appointment of the governor.
be subjected to civil service test.
would also recommend in the inter-
est of efficiency an amendment to the
present law by which tho ter.c &c Of
flee of members CT tz,o gran lnspec-
ton board be Terminated orc zach
year, the plan being that the boards
at Minneapolis and Duluth shall al
ways have two old members.
Governor Johnson then refers indi-
vidually to the various state institu-
tions and public departments, includ-
ing the Soldiers home, the state bank
ing department., the department of
public examiner, the state sanitorium
for consumptives and the institutions
caring for the states unfortunates. He
recommends state reformatory build
ing for women prisoners:
Regulation Of Public Utilities.
Minnesota is one of the states that
have not yet taken up the subject of
state regulation of public utility cor
porations, like street and suburban
!; electric railways, telephone. telegraph,
power and lighting. companies. We
have a railway and warehouse COM
mission for the supervision of rail-
! roads and elevators; but the time has
, come in the states development when
the supervision of street and suburban
electric railways, and of telephone and
telephone companies is likewise OF
prime Importance, both in the interest
Of the general public, which receives
. the service, the state and municipal
! ity, which grants the franchises for
the use of the public streets and high.
! ways, and the stockholders and other
investors. trust this legislature will
give this subject it's early and earnest
attention. 80: 80
I desire to renew the recommends
ton made by me to the last legisla-
! ture in the matter of the enactment
OF law covering what is generally
known as the advisory initiative and
referendum, which would permit the
people of the state, county, city,, vii
lage or town to express their views
upon questions affecting their organi-
cation. The enactment of law pro-
viding for the advisory initiative and
referendum can be accomplished with
out constitutional amendment and
firmly believe that such legislation Ia
desirable.
| Primary Election Law.
-! While there are doubtless some
T, minor defects in our present primary
!, election law and because of these de-
tects the law in it's operation is not
just what the trainers of it anticipated
it might be, and because OF these de-
fects some notifications OF the law rs
it stands now may be necessary. It
is urged, and with much reason, L 1t
the law in its present fcru perm IS
perjury, fraud, deceit and znisre, g
sentation and total disregard for q
entire electoral system. Citizens ca d
: upon to declare their political az l.
lions feel that election judges t. =
pass upon their constitutional rigl: $.
They feel also that no one has tie
; right to deny to them the fullest aud
most complete participation in public
affairs. Whatever CRITICISMS may ha We
! been made, just or unjust, am more
than ever convinced of the correct
ness Of the principle Of the law under
lying the system and [ feel this so
strongly that I earnestly urge upon
this body the necessity OF making the
necessary notifications iii the law as
applied to present conditions and
! desire to go even further than that
and say that in my judgment better
results would he obtained by extend
ing the primary election law so that
it would include all of the elective
officers Of the state If the law is a
proper one as applied to the election
! of congressman, district Judges, coun
ty. city and state officers it certainly
would be proper one as applied to
the elective officers Of the state. That
there will be differences Of opinion in
this matter, as there have ever been
/ am aware but in the states where
the primary election law has been ex-
tended universally the most complete
satisfaction obtains.
Conclusion.
Finally, gentlemen of the legisla-
ture, we live in and owe allegiance to
one of the greatest commonwealth in
the American Union and we approach
our respective duties at the period of
the states highest development and
prosperity and therefore at the period
of the states greatest legislative and
executive responsibility and oppor-
tunity.s Whatever may be our respec-
tive personal and political affiliations
and ideas our duties and our purposes,
am sure, are one; namely, the pro-
lection and advancement of the high
est public interests of our common
wealth: Elected to our respective po-