The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-11-24
CAPITOL News
(By A. I. Harris.)

Governor Olsons Agricultural Credit
Advisory Council held its initial meeting
last week behind closed doors. News
paper men were barred from the session
which was conducted in strict secrecy.
However, amid the pail of mystery that
circled the committee chamber, word
trickled out that the Governor intends
to turn the heat on federal farm re-
financing organizations. Dame Rumor
has it that this is to be effected by the
organization of county committees; who
will demand, not legally but suggestive
ly, that the federal agencies and other
creditors will accept a scaling down Of
farm mortgages.
It is known that farm leaders are
becoming discouraged with the re-
financing program of the Federal Land
Bank and other federal agencies. They
claim that these agencies are re-
financing the "plums" only, and are
shooting off the distressed mortgagor
with low appraisals.
When the Federal government asked
the Minnesota Highway Department if
it would cooperate in an emergency
program to do approximately $500, 900
worth of day labor between now and
January l, N. W. Elsberg, Highway
Commissioner, sent Washington tele-
gram saying: will have men on the
job within 48 hours after we are given
authorization to go ahead" To back
up his promise, Commissioner Elsberg
had his district highway engineers
from all over the state in the central
Office within twelve hours, and they
worked day and night getting pro-
gram ready for the Federal authorities
to act upon.
More than 5000 drivers license ap-
plications were received by Minnesota
clerks of the District Court on the first
day after receiving the blanks. The
press and public of the state are CO.
operating splendidly towards making
the new law a success. Prompt appli-
cations are urged to prevent last
minute jam. 1t is hoped that Mime
sofa will be able to duplicate the ex-
perience of other states, which have
reduced auto accidents as much as
thirty per cent after licensing drivers
What might have been a serious
catastrophe was averted when the
Governor settled the packing strike at
Austin. The less thoughtful urged the
this regard, the Governor has gone on
record that martial law must not be
invoked until civil law has failed utter
ly. The governor asserted that strikers
have the constitutional right to use
the highways and to picket" But,
he adds, there must be no destruction
of property" Arbitration, when in the
proper hands, is the safest way of doing
justice to both sides of dispute.
In an effort to dispose of some of its
holdings, the Rural Credit Department,
under the management of Conservation
T. H. Arens, is going into the lake shore
business. Farms in the possession of
the department which have lake 'front.'
age are being segregated from the
general list.
Attorney General Harry H Peterson
has handed down 2,100 opinions since
the beginning of the present admins
ton.
The Industrial Commission has COM
pleted survey of employment con-
ditions in 26 of the principal industries
of the state, located in 19 cities and
towns, and involving 557 firms of en-
loyers and between 10000 and $4,000
employees. The figures obtained are
now being tabulated for study.