Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1921-01-13
GOVERNOR FRAZIER
DELIVERS MESSAGE
TO LEGISLATURE
Governors Message In Full

!
Members OF the Legislature:
During the past four years the
| Legislative assemblies OF North Da-
/ kota have enacted much progressive
| legislation. The wishes of the ma
jority Of the people as expressed by
their ballots have become laws. The
F.! constitution of the state has been
amended to provide fer d workable
initiative, referendum and recall
which makes our state government
; more dem ocratic by giving the voters
4 chance to more directly express
! themselves, and by making all pub
lie fficials more directly responsible
to the people. An Industrial program
has been put into operation and
| while there has naturally been OPP
position and criticism, nevertheless,
! a good showing has been made and
! there is no doubt but that the people
want to sec this program fully and
fairly tried out. 1t is their privi-
lege. They expect it and upon this
| there must be no compromise.
, There is but little new legislation
necessary at this time. Not laws,
| but cooperation and an earnest,
helpful endeavor OF all our people
| to test and try out that which we
; have, is what is needed. New legis-
lation will be required in the future
| to meet the changing conditions as
! they arise, but at the present time
we are less in need of new laws than
ever before. Poor crops and low
prices have materially reduced the
! purchasing power of a vast majority
b. have eur fs% sts their aniity e5Hity
to pay taxes. Under these extenuat-
! ing conditions it is our duty, as pub
lie officials, to economiZe and con-
serve. Needless legislation means
needless expense. The greatest SER
{; vice you can confer is by making es-
sential adjustments and speedily
providing for the necessary appro-
priations. and then adjourn.
You are members Of the legisla-
tive body and as such, it is your duty
| to lay aside personal interest and to
do what you believe is for the best
interests Of the whole state.
Economy:
1t was perfectly natural that dur
! ing the period of high prices and
high wages, people should get the
habit Of freely spending but now
that the readjustment is taking
place, a halt must be called and
economy must be practiced. Econ
orny is essential to progress and the
state should help by setting a prac-
tical example. We must always
bear in mind that the public has to
| foot the bills and that the taxes,
| in whatever form, fall on the peo-
! pie.
Health:
The health, as we'll as the
! finances, of our people must be con-
served, for upon it depends largely
our Ewelfare and happiness. Our
county school nurses are doing ex-
cellent work and should be encour-
aged. Physical training in some
form should be compulsory for every
pupil in our schools. Pure air is an
essential to health and a preventa-
tive CT disease. Proper ventilation
should be required by law in every
school, church and other places Of
public gatherings.
Education:
North Dakota has many excellent
high schools and consolidated
schools, yet our educational stand
ards are still in need Of improve
ment and especially in our rural
schools where there are altogether
too many poorly trained teachers.
This situation is unQuestiOnably due
to the prevalent low salaries and
should be regulated by law so that
ADEQUATE wages will be an induce
ment for better qualified teachers
There is an old saying that unless
the teacher amounts to something
the pupil will not amount to any
thing.
Soldiers Bonus:
The claims for soldiers bonuses
are being paid just as fast as the
; money is provided by the taxes for
that purpose but at the present rate
it is a slow process and l recommend
an increase Of the tax to one mill in
order to facilitate these payments.
State Coal Mine:
The law now provides that our
state institutions must use Ignite
coal for fuel There are approxi-
mately $4,000 tons of coal used per
annum by the state. l recommend
that provision be made for state
owned coal mine to furnish this sup
ply. as I am confident it would be
great saving and at present prices
would soon pay for itself.
Great Lakes St. Lawrence Tide wa
ter Association:
"A Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Tide
Water association has been organic
ed and as this project when carried
out will mean cheaper and shorter
market route for North Dakota,
respectfully request that you adopt
concurrent resolution, confirming
and approving the participation Of
our state in this ociation. ~. \. tts$s Il
Corporations 3 1.