Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1914-09-16

option and standing as local option
vote for it. Whether there
will be a change in the unit or a con-
tinuance of the present system will be
determined by the character of the
next legislature, and it will be in effect
decided as soon as the election returns
are known. No recommendation of a
governor will make man pledged to
support county option vote against it,
nor one pledged to oppose vote for it.
The voice Of the people is mightier
than the voice of a governor-whenI
they speak legislators must listen, and |
the Governor as we'll, and both bow to |
sovereign authority. In November, |
then, the electors themselves will d. |
rect the course to be taken, and that |
course should be followed by the mem
bers of the State legislature and by
the Chief Executive" This stand is
similar to that taken by Governor
johnson and Governor Eberhart and
both were endorsed by the voters of
the state.
Mr.. Hammond strongly urged reduc-
ton Of state taxes. declaring that
1.-THE legislative appropriations Of
1913 exceed those of 1911 in the
amount of $1,275,130.90, We must see
that the appropriations for 1915 be no
greater than they were in 1911" AS
a means towards securing this econ
omy, Mr.. Hammond approved the plan
of the efficiency and economy COM
mission for reorganization of state de.
partments, the budget system for
keeping expenditures within the
states income, and the merit system
Of appointing state employees.
The good road plank in Mr.. Ham
mond's letter was another important
matter brought up. Mr.. Hammond
says that every year ought to show
Substantial gain in mileage and mark.
ed betterment in the condition of our
highways. But he points out that in
1913 there was levied for road pur.
Iposes in this state $6,500,000, an in.
crease of 200 per cent in SLY years
ALREADY complaints are heard of the
immense amount of expenditure" he
said. "We do not want this discomfort
to ripep into antagonism to road build
ing Although the legislature of 1913
enacted a very comprehensive road
law, the next legislature will undoubt
eddy give the subject further consid
Grafton and seek to remove some OF
the causes of dissatisfaction with ex
listing road legislation"
The Democratic party in Minnesota
has long stood for the initiative and
referendum, and Mr.. Hammond is in
hearty accord with that sentiment
He expressed some disappointment al
the form of the initiative and refer
endum amendment to be submitted tc
the people this fall, on the ground that
it injects too much detail into the con
stitution. Mr.. Hammond also dis
cussed the primary election laws, urg
ing simplification of the present stat
ute and the extension of the non-parti
san plan to state officers.
| 80
The St. James Plaindealer, a paper
which did not support Mr.. Hammond
in his campaign for Congress, and
whose editor, Will Curtiss, is on the
Progressive state ticket, has this tt
say about Mr.. Hammond: "A gentle
man from St. Paul was here this week
:, looking for material for biograph
to- ~ RI
Mr.. Hammond is one OF those solid
substantial, unpretentious kind O.
men, who make no grandstand plays
and it would be difficult to work in all,
, famboyant, spectacular stuff into :
biographical sketch of him. He doe
his work in very efficient, quiet man
ner with no advertising. He is on
Of the very best men this state hal
ever had in Congress, but he has n:
publicity bureau as some Of our con
gressmen have had. If the people 0
this state elect him to the governor
ship he will go about the work Of tina
great Office in the same way. He will
r sit down at his desk and clean up al
S unfinished business. There will be n
3 slackness, and no tag ends. His mot
to when he was young schoo! teach
: er was What is worth doing at all i
J. worth doing WE'LL and he has lived VI
: to that motto all his life, as lawyer
. public official and private citizen. l
e he has hobby, it is conscientiousnes
l in his work."
The authorship contest in the Re
q publican party was ended last wee]
J. when Henry Rines conceded that J. A
10. Preus was the victor. The motion
e for dismissal puts the costs up to MI
t Rines, but there are number at tn
s capitol who figure that he will not pa
y the entire bill, but that compromis
l. was reached. All together, twent
;. counties were counted, in which az
8 proximately 1000 errors were disco1
}. cred. Errors were made both way:
n so that Rines made net gain of onl
s 300 votes. Mr.. Rines figured that
Y the whole state had been counted
5000 to 10000 errors would have beel
discovered, but at the same rate as il
4 the counties counted, his gain wOul
/ have been less than 600 votes. TIL
contest, however, served good pull
\ pose in that it called attention to tn
\ large number of errors that will nee
cessarily be made under the preser
complicated system. Mr.. Hammond
| is in favor of simplihcation of election
/ laws and if elected governor will wor]
/ with the legislature to secure lay