Willmar tribune., 1919-01-15

anu renewing acQual0CanCeS.
In the League caucus preceding the
opening of the legislature, the farmer
representatives decided on L. l.. Stair
of Bottineau for speaker after a close
vote. Shortly thereafter the anti
farmer members offered to back
Stairs competitor, Walter J. Maddox,
for the Office in the hope of causing
some dissension in League ranks, but
the attempt was futile. At the open
ing session Maddox nominated Stair
as speaker and he was elected by
vote of II to 30, with several League
men absent. In the senate the anti
farmer forces did not put up a candi-
date.
Frazier's Message.
The message of the reelected farm
ex-governor, Lynn J. Frazier, to the
legislature was received with great
applause. The governor reminded the
legislators Of the unusual character
of the work before them, the great
struggle which the people of North
Dakota had made to put them there,
and his central theme was: "Let us
carry out our pledges to the people"
Governor Frazier said, in part:
"Members of the Senate and House of
Representatives:
1.-TWO years have passed since first
came before the legislative assembly
to offer few recOmm endatiOns as to
legislation deemed expedient. During
the fifteenth session some good laws
were enacted, but unfortunately there
was a controlling element of opposi-
ton in the senate which prevented the
enactment of the program and the
platform upon which the administra-
tion was elected. The majority of our
voters have again spoken in no uncer-
tain terms, and have honored those of
us, in whom they had confidence as
public servants, by reelection. |
want to take this opportunity to ex-
press my appreciation of the splendid
Endorsement given the state admins
tratiOn and, with your assistance and
cooperation, feel confident that we
| may accomplish much that will be of
real benefit to the state and it's peO-
pie.
State-Owned Enterprises.
I'm order that the program and
platform on which we were elected
may be carried out, recommend the
creation of an industrial commission
| which shall have power to establish
and operate any and all public utili
ties that the state may undertake.
Il recommend that under this COM
mission be established Terminal Ele.
vator and Flour Mill association,
which will include the buying, selling,
storing and manufacturing OF farm
products. Finances to be raised by
the sale of state bonds.
"COmpulsOry state hail insurance
has been approved and by all means
| should be put into operation at this
| time
Among the most important public
| needs in this state are cheap and
abundant light, heat and power. Ex-
perlments carried on by the School of
Mines have demonstrated great posi-
| bilities as to these matters through
| the development of our vast stores Of
| Ignite coal. l therefore recommend
that state owned and operated in.
| dustry in the production of Ignite
! coal, Ignite briquettes and the result
| ing by-prOducts be established and
| extend as rapidly as successful
| operation on small scale shall justify
| larger undertakings.
| "ln order to promote among our
young the habits of personal thrift and
saving; and in order to encourage farm
ownership in the country and home
ownership in towns, and especially and
above all other considerations, in Or
! der to put within the reach of return
| ing soldiers the best opportunities for
the employment of their labor in such
way that the largest possible num-
| ber of them may become the owners
| of their homes and farms, I recon
mend the establishment of a depart.
ment of public service modelled some
what after the well-known building
and loan association but with the
economies of large scale production in
building and of credits at cost placed
within the reach of all.
'Our soldiers and sailors have made
great sacrifices and are deserving of
some special recognition at your
! hands, and I urgently recommend that
| a fund be provided to give them real
assistance in the way of education or
to enable them to enter business, or
| to provide for themselves a home or
a farm.
State Bank Urged.
"In order to assist in financing pub.
lie utilities and in financing banks,
| corporations and associations and pro.
| viding for real estate loans for farm
| ers, I recommend the establishment
of state bank which will act in
similar capacity for our state as do
the Federal Reserve and Farm Land
banks for the district in which they
| are located.
"There is not a single measure in
our whole program which will ad-
versely affect any honest and legiti.
mate interest within this state. On
the contrary the adoption of this pro-
gram will make us Independent of the
Observation-Disclosures build up
home industries and develop and
widen domestic markets, promote set.
tlement, bring in more workingmen
and make it easier for our people to
own their homes-in short-to make
North Dakota a state where the pro-
ducer can retain. his just share of
what he produces.
''The whole tendency of the times is
toward greater cooperation and the
extension of democracy in industry,
and, in my estimation, this industrial
democracy is just as necessary as is
political democracy. North Dakota in
adopting these measures is blazing
the trail which many other states are
sure to follow. These measures not
only will promote general prosperity
but, will encourage education, remove
restraints of privilege and provide
more equal opportunity and give our
children and our children's children a
chance tobee better citizens and to be-
broader and happier men and women"