Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1914-10-08
County.
A GREAT NATTER.

The permanent school fund Of the
state of Minnesota, including $11 ,O00,-
600 in land contracts, amounts to about
S33, 900 900 and il growing mt the rate
OF over million dollars year. The
present annual income available FOR
schools is in round numbers, vi 1920, 600.
1t il predicted that within fifty years
the permanent school fund will amount
to $500, 000, 900 Wisconsin's permanent
school fund on July I, 1914, was VI ,251-
611,30-From The Educational Bulletin
issued by State Superintendent Cary.
Says the Mineral Point Democrat:
1.-THE Democrat il right glad that Sen
ator Husting was able to write into the
democratic state platform an unequiv-
ocal endorsement Of the water power
law and the corrupt practices act
This endorsement in view Of conditions
for the past few years. really is one of
water power paralysis. From The
Madison Democrat.
The general government aimed to be
as generous with Wisconsin NJ with
Minnesota in giving to each state vast
tracts Of the public domain to be held
in trust for educational purposes. In
Wisconsin much of the school lands
were covered by most valuable forests
of white pine. And these forests were
given away to the lumber barons for a
mere pittance. This policy promoted
the development Of the lumber indus
try. There was no paralysis in lumber
ing. The best soft wood in the world
was leveled right and left by men who
demanded tariff taxes in the name of
protection to American labor. But this
policy left the schools bereft OF their
heritage, left them charge upon the
people of the state. This is one great
cause of high taxes now.
Fortunately, different policy was
followed in Minnesota. When geolo
gists found upon her school lands the
richest iron mines in the world by
strenuous efforts they and other far
seeing men induced the state to
withdraw these lands from market.
And mining royalties from these lands
now largely swell Mnnesota's great
fund for educational purposes.
Water power, which eau be htched
on to electric wires and transmitted
great distances, has become of great
value. Wisconsin has in water powers
the source of great wealth. The people
are just beginning to realize their
worth. The Husting law applies right
principles to their operation, regulation
and control. Even If il does Temporal
lily check their development by men
who want to continue to take them
over without money and without price
it is unfair to talk OF water power par
alysis.
The withdrawal by Minnesota of
mineral bearing lands from the market
retarded for u time their developments
but ultimately it worked great gain for
the state,
The present condition which con
fronts the people of Wisconsin in re-
gard to water powers is Of vast and far
reaching Importance. 1t is to be hoped
that they will not be turned aside from
the wise course which their lawmakers
have marked out for them, The stand
which they take at this time will have
great bearing upon the industries of
the state and upon public revenue and
taxes in years to come.
The question of water powers has a
direct bearing upon the gubernatorial
contest. Judge Karel accepts unquah
tiedly the Democratic platform includ
ing the excellent water power plank.
But the water power plank in the Re