The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1919-01-10

proceedings. AS soon as the Legisla-
ture has acted upon the proposed
permanent establishment { certain re-
CURED departments and upon the sug-
gested enactment into law of certain
necessary orders and the Federal Of
ficers no longer require their services,
the members of the Commission desire
to be relieved of their duties.
GENERAL WORK.
AS the war work has been upper
most in the minds of the people and
public officials for the past two years
there has largely been a cessation in
state building, public improvements
and general state development. The
reports Of the different state depart
ments and commissions show to what
extent they have been able to be ac-
tive along other lines during the war
period
National Amendments.
There are certain legislative mat
ters to which / wish at this time to
call your special attention. The Ma
tional Congress has, since the last
session of our Legislature, passed a
Joint resolution referring to the states
the question of amending the Fed
eral Constitution so as to prohibit the
manufacture or sale of intoxicants in
the United States. / urge this Legisla-
ture to ratify this amendment by prop
er resolution at the earliest date pos
sible. l recommend the immediate
adoption of resolution memorialiZing
Congress to submit the Woman Suf-
rs"n Trpendment to the states, and its
ratification by the Legislature when SO
submitted.
Land Settlement Policy.
A communication from the Score
tary of the Interior. pertaining to land
settlement for soldiers, requests the
Governor to make recommendation
hat proposed bill, of which he sends
a copy, be passed by this Legislature.
1t is questionable as to whether the
State of Minnesota can, under .our
constitution, transact all of the bust
ness which would be required by the
passage Of such bill: 1t will, how
ever, be transmitted to the Legisla-
ture with the request that it be re-
ferred to the proper committees of the
House and Senate and with the hope
that amendments can be prepared in
such a way as to result in the desired
cooperation between the Federal and
State governments in this matter.
Agricultural Legislation.
All of our institutions should be
built up on a sound, economic basis.
With the same amount of ability, in
vestment and hard work, farming
should be made as profitable as, any
other business or occupation. The
farmers, in the same manner as bust
ness men and laboring men, have a
right to and should unite for the pur-
pose Of doing everything possible to
bring this about and to improve con-
ditions generally in connection with
their occupation. To obtain that to
which they are entitled, cooperation
on their part is necessary. Artificial
agencies which are not useful or eco
nomically advisable in the distribution
of farm products, unnecessary and
harmful speculation, unnatural price
control, unjustifiable profits and all
other practices which are claimed to
be injurious to the farmer should be
carefully Investigated and studied with
view to the elimination of those
found to be detrimental. All middle
men who perform a needed service
should receive fair profits, but mono
polistic control of the market so as to
result unfairly in<the lowest price to
the producer and the highest price to
the consumer should not be tolerated.
Cooperation of Farmers.
Laws should be enacted which will
enable farmers to cooperate In an eff
cient and just manner. Such co-opera-
ton should be based on a spirit of
Farm ownership is necessary to secure
the highest development Of our lands,
but land tenantry has been rapidly
increasing. Laws providing for the
establishment of land credit systems,
to enable tenants to buy lands and
make the necessary investments for
proper equipment, are extremely de-
sirable. Farmers should be encour-
aged in their right to form cooperative
enterprises for the purpose Of COM
peting with any institutions that are
detrimental to their interests. The
law, however, should provide greater
protection against attempts on the
part of others to organize farmers for
the purpose Of taking advantage OF
certain alleged situations for selfish or
fraudulent purposes.
Rural Schools.
More attention should be paid to
the rural schools of our state. Dis
tribution of state aid has been made
in such a manner that the farmer has
paid for this purpose more than his
proportionate share. Schools, espe-
cially in the poorer districts of our
commonwealth, should receive your
most earnest consideration. What is
necessary is a readjustment of the
state aid to our public schools, both
rural and city, in order that all Of
our children, in SO far as it is possible
to do so, shall be given by their state
equal opportunities in the obtaining
of educational advantages.
Sickness In Rural Districts.
The legislature should also devise
some plan for taking care of the rural
health situation, especially in certain
portions of this state, where there is a
lack Of medical aid. The same fight
against preventable diseases that is
made in cities should be made in the
rural districts. More health inspec-
tors should be provided for the
country, and in communities where
hospital facilities are needed they
ought to be provided by the state to
a greater extent than heretofore.
Isolated Communities.
If settlements are to be promoted
by the state, such settlements should
be made on a group basis, enabling a
larger number of people to be located
in the same community. If the state
government doesn't have sufficient
power now to deal effectively with it's
own lands in this manner, a constitu-
tional amendment should be submitted
so as to acquire that authority.
Inventory and Survey.