The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1917-01-20
Public Service Commission.

Public Service Commission.
A larger public service commission
with wider scope and greater power
should succeed the present Railroad
Commission. The volume of business
coming before this body is so great
that 1t Is very hard to meet existing
problems with the organization we
now have. The commission should be
increased to five men. 1t should have
supervision over all public service
business, including gas. electric and
power companies. Part of the prob
lens before 1t effect the public gen.
orally. but much Of its business af.
fects personal relations between the
public served and to corporations and
the latter should carry their share Of
this burden.
Public Highways.
The development of our public high
ways is proceeding rapidly and eff
GENTLY. II defects exist in the so
called Covert Act, passed by the last
Legislature, steps should be taken to
remedy 1t and make 1t Immediately eff.
fective. The large number of Pc
tltions fled under this act shows ,be
great demand for 1t. The upkeep of
our highways, especially those built
with state aid, is matter which does
not receive the consideration 1t de-
serves. 1t is waste of public moneys
to allow these valuable roads to wear
out so rapidly, in most instances be-
| fore they are paid for, and particular
ly when but small expense is needed
to maintain them. They must be kept
up and IL the local communities will
not give them the required care, the
state should be permitted to do so and
to charge the expense back to the
neglected districts up to the amount
of state aid received.
District Agricultural Schools.
Greater agricultural efficiency IL
necessary. We should, in fact, make
forty acres produce as much as eighty
does now. Our soil is a natural re.
source which should be conserved
like any ether asset. This can only
be accomplished by returning it to tho
elements of fertility to replace those
which are exhausted by our harvests.
The future ct this nation depends up
on its farmers. Europe long ago
learned the lesson that in the scien-
tific cultivation of her soil-in scienti
fic agricultural nstruction-rested her
future prosperity. The marvellous
ability of Germany to feed herself
during the past two years of terrible
war is the result of a half century OF
scientific agricultural education.
France, the great producer nation OF
the world, has thousands Of agricul-
tural schools. The establishment of
agricultural schools similar to our dis.
trict normal schools will do much
to build up our farming districts and
to help reduce the high cost OF liv.
ing in the manufacturing centers.
Special Messages.
have not made any suggestions as
to the various state departments and
will not until l have familiarized
myself with their needs. Later, mat
tiers pertaining to them will be pre-
scented to you from time to time by
special messages in an effort to mako
substantial progress towards lettering
the conditions of our commonwealth
In every way.
Our state Lands.
Every effort should be made to de-
velop our unsettled lands. 1t should
be made easy for farmers with small
capital to obtain and develop the un-
told agricultural wealth in our north
ern state lands. 4 series of trunk
line roads running through this region
connected with the highways in the
more settled parts should be con.
structed at once under state supervi-
sion and with state aid as an import
ant factor in accomplishing this much
decided development. n
state institutions.
Better coordination of our public
institutions will result in better man.
agement and greater economy. This
problem has received many endorse.
ments from able thinkers and Is
worthy of consideration. The accounts
of all institutions receiving public
moneys should be audited by the state
and reports of receipts and expendi-
lures kept on file the same as are
those of the state departments.
Absent Voters.
The absent voters act has givenl
three classes of our citizens the right
TO express their views on their gov
eminent when away from home at
election time, believe this right
should be extended to all voters legiti-
mately detained from their voting pre-
cincts.
Drainage Improvement.
The drainage Of swamp lands Is
very important to US. urge legisla-
ton similar to the Covert Act, by
which the district benefited can car
ry the burden of the Improvement for
number of years. paying the obliga-
ton serially.
educational Extension.
Every effort should he used to bring