The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1914-05-23
is to approve and execute the law.

|
Tory OF the state during which so much
temperance and social welfare legisla
ZION was enacted and enforced. 1 wish
10 call your attention to the following
important laws enacted and enforced
during my administration:
l. Prohibiting the drinking of in
toxicating liquors on railway trains.
z. Preventing anyone from Undue
ing minors to enter saloons.
s. Authorizing the recovery of dam
ages for Injuries by intoxicated per
sons from those causing such intoxica
ton.
4. Extending local option to cities
OF the fourth class.
5. Regulating public dance halls
and prohibiting the sale of LIQUOR
therein
6. Prohibiting soliciting in dry ter
ritory.
Z. Providing severe penalties for
inducing young girls to enter houses
| of i'll fame.
8. Adoption of the Iowa abatement
law, the strongest law ever enacted
against the white slave traffic.
8. Establishing the separate indus
trial school for girls.
10. Establishing a state hospital
for the treatment of crippled and de-
| formed children of poor parents.
IL. Prescribing hours of labor and
meals for women and children in mer
camille and manufacturing plants.
IL. Controlling and providing fol-
dependent, neglected and delinquent
children.
13. Pensions for dependent moth
ers.
IA. Making desertion of wife and
family felony.
These and many other laws have
been enacted in the interest of social
welfare and uplift and all of them
have received my active support both
in enactment and enforcement.
| Civil Service.
! The highest and best test of an
executive officer is determined by the
| character Of his appointments. Nc
governor before me in the history Of
this state has had occasion to fill sc
many important Offices of trust and
responsibility. I cannot take time tc
enumerate very many, but it is impor
tant to determine the efficiency of an
administration from this standpoint
The appointments to the offices of at
| torney general, supreme and district
courts, board of regents and heads OF
the various departments are sufficient
for this purpose. Not even my bitter
est enemy has found any fault with
| them, and it has been the greatest
pleasure of my official life to receive
so many favorable Communications
The statement of President Vincent
| that there is not university in Ameri
ca which can boast of more efficient
| board of regents, is commentator
that l prize very highly.
strongly favor civil service, and
while only the dairy and food depart.
ment was under civil service regula.
lions when I became governor, there
are now several departments success,
fully operating under this rule. Ap
pointments and promotions should be
based on merit only, and I am willing
to submit my case to the people upon
the record made.
Regulation of Public Service Corpora.
tons.
That public service corporations
should be regulated so as to secure
reasonable rates and adequate service
for all is conceded. Nearly all the
states of the Union have adopted
regulation by the state instead of by
the local communities Senator LaF'ol
lette, Of Wisconsin, Justice Hughes, OF
New York, and President Wilson, of
New Jersey, succeeded while govern.
ors in securing for their respective
states such a law as am trying to Sc
| cure for Minnesota. If all these states
that have adopted state regulation
| were in error, and if Senator LaFol
lette, Justice Hughes and President
Wilson were the tools of public service
corporations in securing the enactment
| Of these laws for their respective
states, I am willing to concede thai
state regulation is wrong. With them
contend that state regulation is the
only kind of regulation which has been
found successful.
Municipal ownership is not incon
| slstent with state regulation, and
| will not approve any law which does
| not specifically authorize any munich
pality to purchase, own and operate
any public utility, and when so owned
and operated, the municipality should
| be given absolute control thereof, sub
hitting only to uniform system OF
reports and accounting to the state sc
that the real cost of the service may be
easily ascertained.
Protection of Labor.
The adequate protection of labor is
| one OF the important duties of the
state. Woman and child labor re
quires special attention and the latter
should be reduced to minimum. Nc
state can be truly prosperous unless
| those who work are not only protected
against the aggressive seekers oil
wealth, but also given a fair share oil
the returns. I take this occasion tt
acknowledge a most hearty co-opera
ton both from the leaders of labor
and capital in the enforcement of la
Dor laws, in the settling of disputes
| and in creating that friendly co-opera
ton between labor and capital which
is so essential to all true progress.
Prevention OF Crime and Disease.
The excellent management of all
charitable and penal institutions OF
this state is recognized everywhere
OF this we can very justly be proud