The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1913-01-16

dlu PERMIT Aiiu W VIC MS "" n SnCSA,
ing officer is practice in direct vio-
lation of every approved business
principle and the fact that the state
has not suffered is greatly to the cred
it of our auditors. but absolutely no
defense OF system.
There can be no question as to the
necessity Of creating department OF
public domain TO control the state
lands, timber and minerals, as we'll as
waterways, water powers and drain
age.
1t is important that the handling OF
the state mineral property should be
conducted with the utmost care. Our
school funds will ultimately be en-
riched therefrom to the extent O,
more than one hundred million dol
lars.
Very few states possess greater wa
ter resources than Minnesota. Til
applies equally to water powers an
water transportation. If we wish tC
develop every section CT the state an
secure for every home. farm and in
u
formation as well as the cheape
light, heat and power, it is of Wit
importance that the state now cor
slider the regulation OF water right
and water powers and not delay az
ton until they have been acquired b
private. enterprise, so that vested
rights will deprive the state OF prop
err revenue and control.
While it is true that Minnesota
might be better served by separate
department for this purpose. all mat
tiers pertaining thereto can be prop
erly transacted in the department OF
public domain, and |, therefore, recon-.
mend the creation of one department
for all the purposes herein expressed.
believing that the most efficient ad.
best subseryed thereby
Department of Agriculture.
Minnesota is great agricultural
state aud all its prosperity is directly
or indirectly dependent upon agricul-
ture. No department can. therefore,
be Of greater importance to the peo-
pie OF the state than one which will
unite under proper head all. our agri-
cultural activities and in the best
possible way apply them to the i'm
provement of our farms. The duties
of this department should be admin
istratiye rather than educational and
should insure the practical applica-
ton of agricultural knowledge to
every acre of farm land in the state.
It's first great duty should be to en-
list our agricultural experts in the
making of complete soil survey of
the state. By means Of our expert
mental farms it has been completely
demonstrated that the soil of Mime.
sofa, properly treated, could be made
to yield from two to three times as
large returns as it is yielding today
but these results cannot be obtained
until the soil has been thoroughly
tested so as to determine what in
gradients are necessary to make it
more fertile.
In the organization of this depart
ment it would be we'll to pattern after
the department OF agriculture at
Washington or those OF several other
states which have operated such de-
partments during the past few years
with extraordinary success. In some
of these states, since the establish
ment of department of agriculture,
soil fertility and farm yields per acre
have been increased from rs to SO
per cent. Under it's Jurisdiction should
be included the administration of
many activities now performed by sep
arate state boards such as the agri-
cultural and horticultural societies,
the live stock sanitary. board and 9TH
er similar activities which have a d.
rect connection with the agricultural
development. Consequently, it should
also include the dairy branch of the
dairy and food department, while the
regulation of foods should be the
duty of the department of health.
Both departments should be placed
on a civil service basis.
Legislative Reapportionment. r
A just reapportionment of the ,legis-;
lative districts according to popula-
ton is enc of the most important du.
ties imposed upon this legislature,
Section 2. Article Nv. of the constitu.
ton states specifically that the rep
,resentation in both houses shall be
apportioned equally throughout the
different sections of the state, in pro-
portion to the population thereof.
At the last election on a referendum
vote the people decided not to change
the constitution with refer ence to leg
islatiye representation. The reappor-
tionment must. therefore, be made in
accordance with the provisions of the
present constitution and this legis.
lature should proceed without further
delay. A refusal to grant this relief
is not merely the Sinking of a great
responsibility, it is the most willful
neglect OF a plain duty imposed by the
constitution Of the state. The last
legislative apportionment was made in
1897, or sixteen years ago. Longer
delay is absolutely inexcusable.
For the third time 4 have urged
In my message to the legislature that
every section of the state be given a