Morris tribune., 1910-10-21


| any greater where the higher price was
| charged than in places where the much
lower and nom -remunerative price was
procedure was to drive all rivals out
| of the field and thus obtain monopoly
of the entire state. For the purpose OF
| curing this evil and preventing such a
monopoly the legislature passed the
act of April 20, 1907. prohibiting unfair
| communities or localities, and prohibit
! ing unfair competition. The act pro-
vides for its enforcement by criminal
against the Standard Oil Company to.
enforce the law. The complaint of the
state was demurred to in the district
court and the demurrer was sustained
by that court, but on appeal to the su-
preme court the decision was reversed,
court for trial on the merits, where it
is now pending.
Last FEBRUARY Attorney General
Simpson preferred several complaints to
| the Railroad and Warehouse Commits
sion against all express companies do
ing. business in the state. The com
with imposing and exacting exorbitant
and excessive rates, and prays that the
commission will veto such rates and
prescribe just and reasonable ones for
the future. We who have had dealings
with these express companies are salts
fed that the complaints are well foun-
ed and that the people are entitled to
relief. An investigation Of the facts
and the taking of testimony began in
ing carried on as expeditiously and as
thoroughly as the nature of the subject
will allow. Several experts are now.
and for long time have been, engaged
in the work Of looking over and check
ing up the books, way bills, and property
of the companies.
Minerals, Etc.
By the act of April 2, 1901, as amend
ed by the act of March 25, 1905 the
state reserves for it's own use all iron,
coal. copper, gold, and other valuable
minerals, and all water powers, on any
of it's lands, thus segregating the same,
from the surface and the timber And
by the terms of the revised laws OF
1905--a reenactment of previous laws
provision is made for the granting OF
permits to prospect and explore for iron
ore, single permit not to cover more
than 160 acres, for which a fee of $25 is
charged. Said laws also provide for the
leasing of iron ore lands for a term of ~
fifty years upon a royalty Of tWenty-fiyo
per ton upon the. ore extracted. The
form of the lease in such cases is given.
and prescribed in the statute. These
iron ore lands under these laws, will
prove to be a rich source of income to,
the state which has ALREADY derived
therefrom $2,171,O0O. 1t is further to be,
under mineral lease and 83 of them are
now developed iron mines. 1t is esti-
mated that all these tracts will ulti-
mateIy yield the state upwards OF $780,
0O0000 is royalties before the ore is ex--
hausted.
School and University Funds.
The permanent school fund of the
state now exceeds $21, ,000000; and the
permanent University fund is nearly
$500, 900; and of these funds over $16,-
100000 are invested in interest-bearing~
state. county municipal, and school dis
trict bonds, and over $6,000,O00 are
covered by outstanding land contracts.
These funds are derived from the sale.
of lands and timber and from iron ore
holds upwards of 5000. 600 acres of land
undisposed of, and will no doubt u1ti-
mately secure from these lands ana
fund of over $20O,OO0.00O. No other
state in the Union has husbanded the,
lands granted to it by the federal gov.
ernment as prudently, nor derived such
a large income therefrOm as the State
of Minnesota. A proper plan was adopt
ed in the first instance and that plan
has been followed, and there has been
an honest administration of our public
land system throughout.
State Prison.
About twenty years ago the state
prison at Saltwater, under authority Of
the legislature. embarked upon the
manufacturing of binding twine for the
use of the farmers. Owing to poor ma
was rather slow at first, but after good
machinery was obtained and Manila and
sisal was used, the manufacture OF
tWine has proved a great success and
has increased to large dimensions, sup
plying our farmers with large guam
titles of good tWine at reasonable rates,
tWine to the level of our prison tWine.
There is no telling how eXOrbitant
price our farmers would have to pay for
their tWine were it not for the cOmpeti-
tiOn of our prison tWine. The manufac-
ture and sale of the twine entails no ex-
pense on the state for it is more than
seIf-suppoEting, and it furnishes suit
able employment for the convicts, less
in conflict with organized labor than
most any other employment. The man
ufacture of tWine proved such a success
that it led the Legislature of 1907 to
pass an act providing for the manufac-
ture of rakes, mowers, and harvesters
and binders The prison has already
embarked, in limited way, upon this
ers have been made and put upon the
market, and they have proven to be
quite satisfactory. and in demand.
greatly expand and in time prove ass
Valuable to our farmers as the prison
twine industry. It may prove to be an
efficient brake and curb upon the great
harvester trust and if that is the case,
it will confer a great blessing upon our
farmers.
tion to the legislative and administra-
tive record of the Republican party in
this state for the purpose of showing,
by plain statement of facts, that the
Republican party has been faithful to
it's trust. and that it has aimed to give
legislative and administrative relief in
reasonable ground therefor. Our state
government in its entirety has been in
Cn0 CndFSG ana Keeping VI IIlS INSpupiA-
can party and that party is fairly en-
titled to, credit for all that has been
the years gone by. We not only pre-
sent a good record but our candidates,
from the head to the foot of the ticket,
are men of high character. trustworthy,
and reliable in every respect Most of
them have been in the public service for
years and have been tried and not found
wanting. Our candidate for governor,
Mr.. Eberhart has served with credit
and ability as SENATOR as lieutenant
governor, and nearly Z! wear as @over-
nor. No one can question his integrity
and ability. There is no valid ground
for any ", Repnbltc:an to opnose hiS. clecc-
not made a party issue bv either the
Republican or Democratic platform.
various Legislative Candidates. and
there is the aporoDriate place to give
the subject. If the legislature shall
see fit to pass q comfy c,'I option biz G2v- 53
it, and that is all that anv fair-minded
county option man can ask and expect.