The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1911-01-07

Departments Of WAterways.
~ 0ne fifteenth OF Minnesota's surface con
sists Of lakes ana streams Our water sres
approximates 10000 acres. 1t IL estimated
that the aggregate. power Of known avail,
able falls and rapids in Minnesota IL about
less than one-naif is now utilized for in
dustrial purposes. In other words, the avail.
able waterpower Of the state. e. At pr present
OF coal per annum. developed Into industrial
!, Besides the resources Of our water powers
there are the resources of our waterways
The Mississippi River as q water power De.
saiSpad minneapolis, Little Falls and other
way created st. Paul, ST. Cloud, Red Wing
Winona and score Of other river towns
state 10 Lake Superior The cheap and
easily available transportation facilities OF
she Great Lakes system are wholly rssponsi.
wealth and for the larger share Of our log.
ging. lumber. coal, wheat. flour and general
average rail- charge Of sIso per ton for
q haul OF one thousand miles, the Great
ases tom Of iron
back ton Of coal for 80 cents. This Is the
miracle Of transportation, which has been
development. It is our great transportation
asset. Lake Superior, that places Duluth
70 Tor an business PURPOSES as near as chicago age
hundred miles nearer the markets of the
Pacific and the great trade empire which
lies between Lake Superior and Puget
Closely associated with our waterways
problem Is that of drainage and reservoirs
The problems of waterpowers and water
ways and drainage are alike subject for
the hydraulic engineer. The waterway is
drainage bitches which reclaim millions of
acres of wet lands are the small veins and
eapi';aries which articulate with the main
is the great navigable waterway. The total
public bitches dug by the state and counties
length and have reclaimed about 5000 00e
acres at a cost of $10,000.000. The average
cost OF drainage per acre Is therefore about
~ whereas the average benefit Is from
SIS to $40 per acre.
1t goes without saying, that department
voted to the conservation and development of
our water resources will earn its cost many
Department of Agriculture and Immigration.
Minnesota possesses the greatest agricul-
turai resources of any state in the Union. and
centrally organized department Of agricul-
ture. OF her As, 900, 900 acres Of agricultural
cen sSced ged
proper methods of administration, from SO
to 100 per cent greater returns than are
AS showing what other states are doing
in this line. Missouri has one Of the best
charge of ten Officers ana specialists. This
department works in harmony with the agri-
cultural schools and colleges. the livestock
tion. swine growers and breeders, sheep
breeders, highway engineers. and home max
ment appears to be modelled somewhat after
that OF the general government. with secre-
tary Of agriculture, and such special bureaus.
science, agricultural chemistry, and special
lists in all the various branches of agricultural
ton Of that department in 1895 there had
been q steady decrease in the value of the
state farm production for over twenty years,
less than that Of 1870. The wonderful re-
suits Of this organization appeared immedi-
farm products of Pennsylvania showed =
gain in value over 1890 of 70 per cent.
:. Minnesota in 1903 turned out an agricultur-
al product estimated as worth over $427, 000,-
600. or about $215.00 per capita.
Minnesota is the first state in the Union
q. 700, 900 bushels; but the 1903 average rage Of
1873 bushels per acre, though above the
average for the country at large. is only half
or even that Of Minnesota in the earlier days.
The state has done much to encourage
make cooperative and effectiv tive I under a a
OF in the
the greatest agricultural colleges and farm
schools in the country, with three fairly
farmers institute or travelling lecture course.
The several state institutions, commissions,
departments and agricultural societies. each
in its own line. have performed a vast SER
vice in our educational and Industrial de-
yelopment; but the greatest efficiency, and
lack of cooperative organization.
That greater organization in agricultural
education and industry is absolutely essential.
is well known and generally admitted. An
appalling annual loss Of soil fertility from
1nscientific methods Of tillage has been
The late federal census returns show an actu-
al decrease in number of farms in several Of
zoo to 500 farms per county. AZ many AMY as
twenty-eight Minnesota counties, located
not only in the older southern districts. but in
the central and western sections Of the state,
show less population in 1910, than in 1900.
AS business investment, the census Of
sl,259, 510, 900, not including farm machinery,
livestock and products on hand, which would
our oo
stands in the relation Of direct proprietor
and manager. and has duties as such in the
roads and general agricultural management.
Not only in the interest of our educational
institutions, but also in justice to the strug-
public lands exempt from taxation, we can
not conscientiously neglect longer our plain
duty as chief land proprietor.
immigration.
1t is the function OF the department OF
Immigration to bring to our lanos the popu-
mas MADE record performing the Iunc-
ton. The S70,U00 expended by the coynmis-
SION during TOUR years IN advertising Mlnne-
sofa have proauced several hunureo thousand
inquiries from INTENDING settlers, Increased
the sales OF state, feueral anu private lanas,
brought investors ana tarm tenants, raised
farm values. increased business, and ma
terially alued state development. Inc sps-
ciaI Minnesota immigration car, recently
hauled through the states south of us by the
generous cooperation or one OF our railway
companies, and visited by twelve hundred
farmers oaily, is an example OF the enter
PRISE with which the state Is now being ad-
vertised.
In order to secure the best results, there
must be radical reorganization or our al
ministratiye methods, so that there wall %
enectIye cooperation between the immigra-
ton department., on the one hand, ana the
land. forestry, agricultural and other de-
partments on the other.
Department Oh Public Highways.
We have made a modest beginning in the
development Of O state highway system
ana are moving slowly IN the risnL direcIIon
S264, 900. or an average Of $50, 900 a year, has
been available as state aid and distributed
among the counties on the basis of S1.00 paid
Dy the state as against $500 by the county
themselves of this allotment and complied
with the regulations OF the State Highway
Commission. Under the u Of a mill tax,
which is available under the Constitutional
paying one-half the cost OF the state roaas
1t Is possible for this legislature, on the
present state valuation to provide the state
highway system with an annual appropria-
Minnesota in the rank Of the eight leading
states in good-roads legislation.
Doubtlessly there Will be laid before you
during this session bill for greatly i'm
One Of its purposes is to serve as an enabling
act to put into effect the new constitutional
amendment. Another provision will author
ize the county board of each county to APP
atnt hitild ar ~