The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-02-01
Discussing the mining industry, Mr..

| Discussing the mining industry, MI.
vibert said that under the present
high tax situation ore values have been
reduced so that most leases on state
owned land are inactive, and no new
developments are being made.
Mr.. Duxbury discussed the prob
lens OF Lake of the Woods, Beltrami
and Koochiching counties, with their
burden of. delinquent drainage bonds.
These counties are sponsoring plan
for state wild game refuge, the state
to take up lands affected by the ditch
bond situation.
Unless the state comes to the rescue
of Beltrami and Lake of the Woods
counties, they will not be able to meet
ditch bonds due next June, Mr.. Dux-
bry said, and county governments will
have to cease functioning. He declar-
ed 3,400 farmers in the two counties
will have to 'go out of business" UNI
less some arrangement is made.
In the two counties there are 1907
miles Of drainage ditch laid, with 3d.
089, 600 in bonds outstanding. bitches
were authorized under court proceed
ings in most cases. The law giving
the power to courts was criminal"
Mr.. Duxbury sold.
In Beltrami county it would take
tax levy of 341 mills and in Lake of the
Woods county 1,O27 mills to meet the
bonds, he said.
From the dissecting room of the
state capitol the rumor Travelled that
Doctor Christianson is preparing to
ask the state legislature to oppoint an
investigating committee to thoroughly
inspect the state institutions under
the board of control, for the purpose
of determining whether conditions are
as lamentable as they have been de-
scribed to the senate finance commit
tee in the past week.
The governor is reported to be dis
satised with the reports Of oyercrowd-
ing in state institutions made by the
board of control to the senate finance
committee, particularly it is rumored,
in view of the fact that these reports
have agreed that the conditions have
been just as bad for the last two years
as they are now.
The governor is cognizant Of the
fact that budget recommendations he
vetoed two years ago are vital today,
and he has allowed the Big Three to
leave them in. But his close friends
have spread the report about the corri-
doris that the executive is becoming
alarmed at the elaborate proportions
the current conditions of overcrowding
have assumed and is preparing to
make personal investigation with a
handpicked committee to get at the
root of the reported evil.
On the other hand, it is related that
the governor does not believe that the
conditions are as serious as the board
of control members have admitted to
the senate finance committee, and he
hopes to prove his position when the
proposed Investigating committee re-
turns with its findings.
The only evidence upon which the
governor can base an investigation is
the board of control before the senate
finance committee that there are ap-
proximately 700 feeble-minded and
others who are unable to get the ben
eft of custodial care because there is
no room in the state institutions. It
is declared that he also intends to in
vestigate the statements of the board
members that children at Owatonna
have been forced to sleep two in small
bed, and that insane patients are Sleep
the asylums.
Whether the governor proposes to
enlarge the building program in the
state institutions to include more cot
tages, and thus take care Of the over.
flowing population, was not learned.
In some instances in the past two BIZ
enniums the governor refused to re-
commend more than one new cottage
when two were sought by superinten-
dents of some of the overcrowded in
situations. In other instances he cut
out altogether the appropriation for
cottages.
1t was vaguely limited that he might
be contemplating reconsideration Of
his apparent errors of the past two BIZ
enniums, and that he now proposes to
meet the adequate needs of the insti-
buttons. 1t is expected that the execu-
tive demand for the investigating COM
mittee will be forthcoming before the
end of the week.
The board Of control made a pro-
posal to the house Monday night that
$4,000 be appropriated to establish
plant at Saltwater for manufacturing
rope. The board estimated that $500
pounds of rope could be turned out
daily, and that the work could be done
at large profit. Authority to make
ply goods is also included in the sug-
gestion. c. ]. Swendsen, chairman of
the board, estimated that in Mime
sofa and neighboring states, as much
as 100000 pounds of rope and ply
goods could be sold annually
The house also received bill which
would exclude voters from declaring
their party affiliations at primary elec-
tons. Party tickets would be arrang-
ed in columns on one ballot "A bill
legaliizng Ramsey county's share of
the improvement program bond issue
authorized by voters last November
was recommended for passage in the
house committee on cities of the first
class.
Legislative Sidelights