The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1917-01-05
HANDED HIS FORM 81
MESSAGE TO SOL :
Executive Has Suggested the
Creation of Public Domain
Commission
Takes Up Mediation in Labor
Disputes; Advocates Board
Consolidation
Referred Very FeeIingIy to His
Predecessor, Winfield Scott
Hammond
IAssociated Press Dispatch. 4

!.
st. Paul. Mimi. January 3-Jo-
seph A. A. Burnquist was inaugur-
ated governor of Minnesota for a
two-year elective term today, tax
ing the oath of office at noon in
the. presence of members of both
houses of the state legislature, meet
ing in joint session in the lower
chamber. -.
Creation of public domain COM
mission and reorganization of the
states public health service were
two of the important recommends
lions contained in the governors
inaugural address, delivered i'm
mediately after he had taken the
oath.
Possible improvements in the
present laws governing the market
ing of grain and application of
the law covering mediation in labor
disputes also were suggested by
Governor Burnquist, who closed
with a tribute to the late Governor
Winfield Scott Hammond, whom he
succeeded year ago upon the for
mer's death in the south.
Establishment of a public domain
commission was urged with a view
to conserving and considering the
utilization of Minnesota's 10000 600
acres of undeveloped land, it's iron
deposits. water power and water
transportation >.
The service necessary, Governor
Burnquist said, could not be OBJ
tanned save through the establish
ment of public domain department
along the lines suggested by the So.
called efficiency and economy COM
mission appointed under an act
passed by the 1915 legislature.
Governor fBurnquist pointed out
the necessity for more liberal ap-
preparations to carry out the topo-
graphical survey. of the state, ap-
proved by the 1909 Legislature, and
said "such a survey is necessary
because of our unsatisfactory drain
age situation" He referred to ap-
parent failure of many drainage en-
terprises, and said North and South
Dakota had instituted damage suits
against Minnesota, aggregating
$1,OOO,OO0y alleging damages to their
physical properties because of i'm
proper drainage within Minnesota,
near the boundaries affecting those
states.S
Soil Survey Necessary.
A soil survey of the state was
necessary, the. governor said, in or
IAx~ 4l-k L. I&4 e.
what crops Minnesota's soil can
best be used.
1--WE also need to know what
lands should be set aside for for
estry purposes under the constitu-
tional amendment adopted in 1914"
Governor Burnquist continued, CIT
ing the scarcity of paper and the
great demand for pulp wood. as IL
Illustrations of the unlimited posi-
bilities in connection with the for
estry activities # the state.
The establishment of public do
main commission would give the
state a department authorized to
do what ought to be done to con-
serve and develop the resources OF
the state, the governor said, con-
tinuing:
There should be consolidation
of as many boards which deal with
or public domain as the constitu-
ton will permit. with qualified di-
rector, with bureaus cooperating
with one another, and with official
devpting all of the time to the duties
involved and equipped with techni-.
cal and expert knowledge enabling
them to give to the state the service
which it is necessary for it to have
for the proper handling and devel-
opment of it's resources"
Eliminate Unnecessary Positions.
The governor said he was >"ab-
solutely in accord with any change
that will tend to eliminate unneces-
sary positions and needless boards
in the state government, and all his
appointments had been made with
the understanding that acceptance
of the position is subject to any
change that you as legislators, may
make. and some appointments have
been delayed in order that legisla-
ton might be facilitated and opposi-i
ton to change reduced to the min
imum'
"The development of the resources
of the state is important. but the
preservation Of the health of our
citizens is still more important"
the governor. said in launching into
discussion Of the states public
health service. While we appear
to be willing to eSpend millions to
take care of the mental and physi-
cal derelicts of the state, we spend
very little to help eliminate the