The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-01-14
GOV. CRAWFORD'S MESSAGE
Retiring Governor Reports on States Business
and Offers Many Suggestions Regard
ing Legislation.
ing Legislation.

ice, the reciprocal demurrage law. anti
pass law, and ANTHOLOGY law. primary
election law, and law making 1t a crime
for corporations to max contributions
to political parties or TO party candi-
dates or committees, removed most or
the abuses of which the people justly
complained; under these laws. which
are working well. the corporation has
been removed from political power In
South Dakota No reasonable person
wishes to do ar injustice to the rail-
roads. We need them and they need
US and a spirit OF mutual fair dealing
should prevail between them and the
people. I regard II 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
of railroad commissioners hereunder,
fixing the maximum passenger rare 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
Your most careful consideration OF
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 june
ton points have been ordered and put
IN: many specific complaints have
ocen heard and relief granted.
Ascertainment Of True Cash Value OF
Railroads.
The legislature of 1907 appropri-
ated the sum Of $40, 600 for the puT-
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..
G. G. Witt, an experienced engineer:
DR.. Homer NJ. Derr. professor Of civil
engineering at the College of Mechanic
Arts at Brookings, and Mr.. e. 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, the be-
lieve this state will have a more COM
plete and correct valuation tina has
ever been secured by similar bodies in
other states.
Statet Supervision Of Public Utilities.
Complaints are made that the charges
of the express, telegraph and telephone
companies are too high. A 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 81, 200 a year. 1t was given
general supervision and control of all
the telephone lines and exchanges in
the state, with power to hear n de-
termine complaints, require reports,
made schedules of maximum rates,
compel connections and prevent unjust
determinations. The legislature, how
ever, made no appropriation whatever
for the expenses Of the commission and
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 a public service commission
State and County Depository Law.
Both Of the great political parties In
this state have declared in favor of a
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 uch q 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 well
as to the counties, a return of interest
for the use Of the public funds and 1t
should, so far as 1t can safely be done,
relieve the state treasurer Of the enor-
nous responsibility n risk, which, as
the law now stands, he must assume to
the extent Of half a million dollars.
Penal and Charitable Institutions.
! I commend to your consideration the
| report of the board of charities and
corrections for the period ending June
80, 1908, accompanied by the reports
of the superintendent Of the hospital
for the insane at Yankton, hospital for
persons of feeble mind at Redfeld,
school for deaf mutes at Sioux Falls,
school for the blind at Gary, training
school at P~lankinton. and warden of
the p~enitentiary at Sioux Falls.
The board reports that the work
! pom the whole, done in all these insti-
tutions has been satisfactory and that
Improvement il 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 bead
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 ii i'm
possible to grant all that is so much
needed, a feeling Of pungent regret
arises that more cannot be done. But
as / have already said, we must be
patient because the aid can be given
only In small installments. It will all
come out right in time.
Conservation Of Natural Resources.
The reference Of the state ~geoIogist
to the artesian basin leads me to a still
larger subject, to-wit-the conserva-
ton Of all our natural resources. and
the improvement OF our waterways.
Acting upon the express request OF
the Hon. Clifford P%inchot, chairman of
the National Conservation commission
last August. ! named a standing state
commission on state conservation. con-
sisting of Hon. Robert j. Gamble,
chairman; Hon. e. w. Martin. Hon.
O. G. Dokken, Hon. Samuel III. Lea and
Hon. Doane Robinson, as secretary.
This commission has made a prelimin-
ar report so replete with valuable in
formation and suggestions that its
contents will be q revelation 20 most