The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-05-14

barge-tratsportation on the Missis-
sippi.
Highways. :
Minnesota's record in the building
of roads has been one OF achieves
ment. Seven thousand miles of trunk
highways are being improved and
maintained without creating any obli-
cations for posterity to discharge, and
without appropriating dollar from
funds provided by the general tax
payer. During the present year; 10
miles of road will be paved, and mas
much as there will be no outstand-
ing, Understanding obligations rep
resenting the cost of paving, the en-
tire saving in road maintenance re-
sulting from the paving will be avail
able for further improvements 1t is
source Of qualification that the adj
ministration of Minnesotas road fund
has at all times been above suspicion.
A great responsibility was placed in
the hands of one man, and that re-
sponsibility has not been misplaced.
The last Legislature passed law
IMPOSING tax on gasoline, pursuant
10 the constitutional amendment rati-
fed by the people at the last general
election. The Legislature at the
me session effected substantial
reduction in the tax on automobiles.
The gasoline tax, which is yielding
$4,543, 900 per year, is being collected
at an average cost of only S2S9.00 per
month.
Law Enforcement.
AS Governor, | have not hesitated
to use the power of the State to Sc
cure full and impartial enforcement
of law and the investigat Jon of crime.
BY executive order a commission was
created charged with the duty of
studying the problem of crime in Min
nesota and reporting its findings to
the Legislature with recommendations
of such legislation as may be neces-
sary and desirable to cope adequately
with the situation.
Conservation of Resources.
Through a consolidation of most
departments and boards which had
to do with the States natural re-
sources into Department of Conser-
walton, there has been erected a bet
ter co-ordipation of the Conservation
activities of the State.
The reforestation of denuded forest
areas is one of the greatest needs of
the people Of Minnesota | would not
minimize the Importance and value
of such measures as regulation OF
cutting, artificial planting and the
setting aside of wooded areas into
forest reserves; but | would partica-
larry emphasize the imperative neces-
sity of controlling forest fires and of
placing the taxation of cut-over lands
devoted in good faith to reforestation
on such basis as to compel the
owners of such lands to take effective
reforestation measures.
Closely related to the conservation
of forests is that of our game and
! fish resources. Minnesota counts the
tourist business as a great asset, but
| if tourists shall continue to come in
ever increasing numbers, we must
have something to offer them after
| they get here Replacement and pro-
lection of wild life are, therefore, very
| important.
Another conservation problem of
! our State concerns itself with wiser
| utilization of iron ore. Since 1884,
| when the first Minnesota ore left Two
| Harbors, We have furnished to the
! world more than 780,O00,000 tons. 1t
| is estimated that there remains in the
! State "a merchantable tonnage of l.
| 300,000,000 tons. 1t would thus appear
| that nearly forty per cent of Mime
sofas high grade ore is gone. The
| annual shipments during the past ten
| years have aggregated 100000 tons.
! These figures bring us to the unwel-
! come conclusion that unless addition
] al ore bodies are discovered or new
| methods for more profitable beneficial
| ton of low grade ores are devised,
the iron industry In Minnesota is due
| to be short-lived. 1t is indicated that
| there is no less than 100000 00, 600
| tons of low grade ore in the State.
| If this can all be beneficiated and
marketed, we have reason to believe
that our mining industry will continue
1 indefinitely, making this one of the
! richest if not the richest, of Ameri-
can commonwealth 1t is, therefore,
| imperative that the experiments that
| are being conducted be continued un-
| til the right method is found.
/ Minnesota is a State imperial in
domain, almost limitless in resources.
Her people number 100000; and
they are blend Of the best stocks
of the human family. To serve such
State as Governor is high honor.
I owe much to the electorate of this
Commonwealth for the opportunity of
great service they have given me.
| can partially discharge the obliga.
ton only by giving to my task the
best that is in me.
/ conceive of the State as one; no
north, no south; no city; no county;
its parts inseparable, its social groups
4 interdependent, the interests of it's
people mutual"