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

EXHAUSTIVE TREATISE ON STATE
AFFAIRS BY THE MIMI
ESoTA EXECUTIVE.
MAKES MANY RECOMMENDATIONS
URGES A NUMBER OF REFORMS
IN THE SYSTEM, TENDING TO
GREATER EFFICIENCY
AND LESS EXPENSE.
St Paul-The annual message of
Gov. A. o. Eberhart was read to the
legislature In brief he said:

St Paul-The annual message of
Gov. A. o. Eberhart was read to the
legislature. In brief he said:
The people of Minnesota in the election of
1910 have seen fit to place the control of
government in the hands of the Re
publican party thereby charging ,,, that
Phis act Of condsneee on the pprt of the
people confers upon the legislative and exc
cutive branches of our state government.
not only the opportunity but the solemn
duty and mandate of helpful and responsive
cooperation to the end that the will of the
people and their highest public interest and
response in wise and progressive legislation
earnest and effective cooperation within
ment. and to you 1 look with the utmost
confidence and expectation for support in
carrying into legislative enactment the prac-
teal reforms which the needs of our COM
monwealth and the progressive thought Of
believe that the time has arrived in
the history of this state, when the public
stitution, when the security. benefit and pro-
lection of the people demand radical modi-
fication and reform in certain phases of our
state administration.
We have just completed the first half
century of our development as state We
are no longer dependent upon pioneer expert
ments and ancient makeshifts. We are pre-
pared to establish system of state gov
gressive principles of civics and economics.
Before the installation of any reform, how
ever, we wish to assure ourselves that it
stand the test of experience as prac-
teal and business like. that it conduces to
represents the true interests. welfare and
prosperity of the people as whole.
Importance of Efficient Administration.
The Governor is the chief administrative
officer of the state, and is rightly held re-
sponsible by the people for the enforcement
of the business affairs of the state Under
our present laws the Governor is by law con-
stituted an active member of sixteen boards
some of which administer business affairs
during the year running into the millions
Anyone can readily see that it is absolutely
a physical impossibility for the governor to
- be advised with reference to the details of
such enormous business transactions that
he may act intelligently for the best inter-
ests of the people of the state. AS promi-
nent examples would mention the drainage
and timber boards. The state of Minnesota
spends large sums of money every year for
drainage, and have every reason to believe
drainage board of this state has brought
the best results, but as a member of the
board 1 cannot of my knowledge assure
the people of the state that the best results
have in all cases been obtained.
with large Iee pr Of OF
tory boards in charge of the affairs of state
there is no way of securing such co-opera-
ton is essential in efficient business adj
ministration The boards uniformly too
large. The members reside in every portion
OF the state, and even if they could be
sembled at any one time and place it would
be extremely difficult to agree on any single
the execution thereof.
Perhaps the only remnant of the theory
cient for reward at public expense in the
present fee Office. There is no possible de-
Fees collected do not belong to the officer
but to the state. and the state owes the
including necessary expenses. and no more e.
No state officer should be dependent for
lected. Perhaps no offices in this state can
illustrate this more forcibly than those con-
surveying of logs and lumber. The inspec-
ton OF Illuminating oils could be turned
practically no additional expense which hieh
would result in saving the state in fees dis
bursed for the inspection of oil approximately
100000 annually, the total amount of
fees collected during the fiscal year ending
July 81. 1910. being s53,56o.6o. The total
as nearly as can be ascertained from the
incomplete returns fled was about $4,000,
service actually rendered. But conceding for for
the sake of argument that efficient services
have been in all cases rendered. the system
is still radically wrong in principle.
In the. case of oil inspection. this depart
work performed by the dairy and food de.
IpSairtment In the case Of boiler inspection.
inspectors in the labor department, Who
should be amply compensated for their work
and who should travel throughout the state
In the performance of their duties, devoting
all their time thereto. The fees collected
should be based on boiler capacity and paid
the inspection of logs and lumber this could
be performed by inspectors under the forest,
therefor turned over to the state in other
cases.
Bureau of Public Domain.
An examination of government land Office
records from the date of the first home
stead act down to June 8, 1909, indicates
that something over one-third of our total
state domain, or approximately IS 900 900
acres has been patented to settlers under
the several homestead acts. Timber culture
entries In Minnesota, under the Of of
aggregate approximately 100000 acres
ana 0 timber and stone entries, under the act
The amount of unappropriated lands be-
longing to the general government open to
land ONCE report of 1893 IS 14s eS scr rne
Minnesota State Lands.
Under the various acts of Congress grant
is entitled to 9.6OO.11 acres, as follows:
Agricultural college lands -. i24,4SS.S %
internal Imp Improvement 500. ooo. 90
Public building lands ........o'S 'SsSI
Sait spring lands ............. 46.0S0. 90
Up to july 81. 1910 patents had abe BEEN IN
received from the general government for
the several classes of state lands, as follows:
School lands O6O, II
Agricultural college lands s4'4SS, %
s Vanai a Improvement land 1927
Public building lands .......... 6,Ss512
Sait spring lanuS 44,930. so
University lands ................ 91,6S2 90
S1S11O27 ~
This leaves balance of 1,41901575 acres
according to the record of the state, yet to
be approved and patented.
Approximately 100000 acres of school,
university, agricultural, college, internal i'm
provement swamp and salt spring lands
have been sold, and the proceeds invested
for the various educational and other perma-
nent trust funds. which July g. 1910, are
reported by the Auditor, as follows:
Permanent school fund sci 002 Ell At
Permanent university fund -. l. 44S 79S 81
Internal improvement land fund 2944597S7
Swamp land fund .............. 1 5S1 255 90
s27o77. 22s. Al
The Auditor, ex-officio state land com
missioner, reports on hand unsold in the nos
session OF the state and its institutions at
this time 2,4S6.405 acres, as follows:
university land ....... 22.17O.95
internal improvement land ...... 7,757.71
swamp ldnu j ,515, BOG IA
In addition to the above holdings. the
auditor estimates that there is still due from
the general government 100000 acres of
selected swamp and indemnity school lands
bringing the total Up to approximately g 900 :
600 acres the total public domain to be
administered in the interest of our public
schools and other state institutions as well
as the general public.
Aged Mail Clerk Dies.
Kingston, New York. = James S.
Dean, said to be the Oldest railway