The Sauk Centre herald., 1909-01-07

total: while the assessed valuation OF
S1so. o.0e0.00o applied TO the mines ~ the
rhe state revenue from that source. as
compared with even tive years ago, near
u six-fold. One-half of the aggregate
volume OF public revenue collected within
the State Of Minnesota, both state and
local, Is expended upon the public schools.
Ohr school enrolment Of 450,000 exceeds
mont. New Hampshire and Rhode Island !:
while our state university attendance Of
Eso0 Is the fourth largest In AnacTica-
Minnesota possesses tho greatest per-
estate in the world: the $z0.00o.00o al.
ready yielded by our vast educational
heritage OF timber, iron and agricultural
lands being only the minor 2,
The greatest merchant fleet which to-
day floats the American flag is the lake
feet which enters the ports Of Duluth
Superior and Two Harbors to carry east
ward the iron ore. lumber. wheat, ffour
and building stone produced by Mime
sofa labor and capital. So heavy Is the
eastbeund traffic that large percentage
OF the vessels and barges return on their
westbound trip without cargo. The ef-
feet Of this condition Is to reduce the
Duluth to about one third the eastbound
rate on iron ore from Duluth to Lake
Erie. Thus II has become cheaper to
bring coal to Minnesota coke ovens and
into Minnesota pig iron and steel, than to
ship the ore to the furnaces and rolling
mills Of the lower lakes. This means an
ultimate revolution in the commercial
geography Of the iron ore and steel In
dustry: Minnesota up to date has shipped
over $500. 900, 600 worth OF iron FORE 10
eastern ports and furnaces for the profit
We hold In our three iron ranges a body
Of ore worth many times that which In
the past twenty. ffve years we have
IRON ore. which is one Of the logical Ger.
tainties Of the near future, therefore.
means the most important revolution Of
the century In the westward progress OF
When + speak Of Northern Minnesota
as undeveloped, employ only relative
terms. The greatest Iron ore industry.
and the greatest white pine lumber in-
and hour milling Industries on the globe
tell their own stories Of development. Like.
wise. such cities a. Duluth. Two Harbors,
semidji. Little Fails. Brainsrd. St. Cloud. Cloud.
Fergus Falls. Moorhead. Crookston and
International Falls speak for themselves.
Furthermore, already 100000 industrious
and energetic people already have made
this northern domain their permanent
abode. among whom are 80, 900 farmers
and 100. 900 workingmen
Drainage.
The subject OF drainage Is more than
ever q proper one for your consideration.
The last two years have been marked
by the greatest progress in this direction
ever made in a similar period of the his
tory of the state. In fact, because of the
generous and wise policy of the last two
legislatures more miles Of state bitches
have been constructed, more water has
been removed from swamp lands, and
more acres of land reclaimed than in all
the previous years of our state history.
The experience OF the past convinces me
that wise business policy would demand
even more generous policy in the
future.
The total number of acres of. STATE
land benefited by the construction of State
400, as shown by the report of the viewers
in the several bitches. which report also
shows that 163,000 acres of private lands
were benefited. The total benefit TO the
state and private lands is. $34, 800.
No one question for legislative consider
terest to the people than that Of taxa
tion. Where government exists, revenue
must be raised for the expense of governy
ment. The schools must be maintained.
highways must be improved. the police
power must be sustained and the various
be met. AS civilization progresses greater
demands appear TO follow and no method
viii be devised to entirely relieve the
people of the burdens OF taxation. sss,e
AS set fourth by the Tax Commits.
satisfactorily accomplished under the
present law, largely because the lista
now required OF these organizations dc
not harmonixe with legal conditions. The
enactment of q law provi ling for more
essential to larger returns and a better
enforcement OF the law.
Railway Taxes.
II possible q change should 10 mn1e