The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1911-01-06


water and sewers systems, and in the
analysis of drinking water the university
should furnish nd the hapts Of
such, cooperation would be mutual The
function Of a great university is not merely
means of development in every phase of
vocational. business and professional life.
The state health department should be
authorized to inspect and control sanitation
of hotels in the state. Under the present
statutes, hotel inspection has been very un-
satisfactory. The inspection service in hotels,
as elsewhere, should be on salary basis and
the fees collected for the state treasury.
when handicapped by such lack of support
as in the past. The Importance of the de-
no member of the legislature can justify him
self in refusing to appropriate the necessary
hqnds for tae nean and life OF
mend for your most careful consideration the
needs of this department
Dairy and Food Department.
One of the most effective departments in
the state service today is the dairy and food
ormy good and hp its
strongest element of success. This success
has not been confined merely to the dairy
degree many food industries within the state,
notably the canning industry. The enact
laws are essential in the interests of public
health and this department should be accord
Department Department Of Labor or.'S'
1t has become a recognized principle by
employees and employers alike, that the great
est degree of mutual success be secured
only when the responsibility of protecting
labor and those dependent thereon is made
charge upon industry itself. The best inter-
ests of both require that industry shall con-
tribute in the first place to the safeguarding
of labor SO as to prevent the occurring of an
accident: and in the second place IN case
such accident occurs, it shall contribute
reasonable compensation to. the injured.
and in case of death. to those dependent upon
him. For this purpose the last legislature
authorized the appointment of commission
compensation act. This commission has
labored diligently and will unquestionably
make nj . tdhorough and comprehensive report
enactment of such law, believing it to be
for the best interests of both employees and
Department of Education.
Forty per cent of the entire volume of
sofa during the past year for state, county,
city, village, and township government; ap-
proXimately, 81, o0.0Oo,.was expended for
for education were s5,200,000, being two
thirds of the net cost of state government
or about 441,000, is enrolled in our high and
graded, semi graded and rural schools, as
and Is per " cent for New york New s sheWing
the per capita investment for education in
our various schools, the superintendent Of
public instruction finds that we paid last year
$1S.79 per capita for 222, 900 pupils in semi
graded and rural schools. s34.72 per capita for
$3.50 per capita for about 5000 in normal
schools, and $177.39 per capita for $3.50
attendants at the state university and agri-
cultural schools and college. The investment
in our $500 school houses exceeds s2S, 500. O00
there having been constructed during the
past two years $40 buildings, at cost of
s4,200,000. Our permanent school fund today
exceeds $21,000,0 900. an increase of S1,29S, 900
from proceeds of timber, mineral and agri-
cultural lands during the past two years. The
teachers number over $4,000, and the school
libraries contain 100000 volumes.
No state department has more important
motions to perform than that of education
and yet there is perhaps not department
today which is handicapped in it's efficiency
by such complicated executive machinery.
The expansion of the public school system
and the increasing multiplicity of educational
institutions call for greatly increased admin
istrative force and greater specialization of
work. Thirty three st" ties have enlarged the
scope and powers of the state department of
public instruction by creating state boards of
education. Arduous demands upon state
department of public instruction in supervis-
ing school system which calls for the ex-
penditure of nearly SIC, 600, 900 of local taxes
that the time has come in our educational
history, when the administration of all edu-
cational affairs should be placed in the hands
OF strong state board of education. This
board should be non-partisan and removed as
far as possible from politics by giving the
members six-year terms terminating alter
nately one every two years. The board mem
bers should have specialized training and
duties; one a specialist in common and in
and the third in school finance To this
board should be entrusted the management
the state with the exception of the normal
schools and the state university 1t should
appoint the state superintendent, the state Ii
brarian, and all inspectors in the entire
school system, all OF whom should be like
wise selected with reference to educational
qualifications and without regard to political
affiliations. These considerations seem to
me sufficient to urge upon the legislature
the establishment. cf suchea board and the
submission to the people of the necessary
constitutional amendment. A similar provi-
sion should be made with reference to county
boards of education
intendent can be selected purely with re-
ference to merit ans qualifications: If the
should be submitted for adoption by the peo-
pie constitutional amendment requiring
county superintendent to possess specific
educational qualifications.
The advantages of the consolidated school
system are so well known as to make any
thing but mere mention unnecessary. The
principal argument used against the CONSOLE
dalton of the rural school is that of expense.
The experience Of eighteen hundred complete
ly consolidated schools and two thousand par
tally consolidated schools in thirty-two states
of the union, has completely demonstrated
that the average expense is very little above
that of the best district school. and when the
items of transportation of pupils to and from
large number of branches not taught there
as we'll as the greater efficiency, are taken
into consideration, the consolidated school
becomes the cheapest school in our entire edu-
cational system.
Department of State Institutions.
During the past biennial period there has
been no occasion to criticise the management
of our state institutions and the state board
of control is entitled to great credit for it's
work.
The hospitals and asylums are crowded
beyond capacity, and the legislature should
haps the greatest neglect on the part of the
state is in failing to provide reformatory
board of control that a new institution be
provided with two separate departments, one
a refermatory and tbe other prison for
in the proper treatment and reformation of
these inmates.
Another question of considerable Import
ance with reference to the care of criminals
is the enactment of a law authorizing the
court, except in case of murder, to impose
an indeterminate sentence. I am firmly
convinced that there would be more convic-
tions for murder in the first degree If either
posed only in extreme cases, and then only
upon the order of the court or the unanimous
recommendation of the jury.
For the purpose of paroling prisoners con-
fined in the state prison and reformatory,
there should be established state board of
parole consisting. of the chairman of the
board of control of state institutions. a citizen
of the state versed in criminology, and
either the warden of the prison or the super
intendent of the reformatory as the case may
be, constituting the third member.
as model insttnion pr it k rs nd zee
construction of new buildings is progressing
rapidly. In the manufacture of farm ma
chinery the state has taken advanced
step and the output of 231 mowers and 10
binders during the past season will undoubt-
eddy demonstrate the Importance of this
work.
Some conflict has arisen with reference
to the investigation of complaints made by
inmates of state institutions The taking of
testimony by the board of control and the
state board of visitors separately is duplica-
ton of time and expense and the legislature
should establish some cooperation between
the two boards that would make duplication
of work unnecessary
The population of Soldiers Home is 81
greater than a year ago and 112 greater than
two years ago. Nevertheless, the total ex-
penditure for maintenance for the fiscal year
of 1909 was s101.S0517 while the cost for
1910 was only ssS,s57.6S. reduction of
$2.84749.