some years ago by the conservation commission under Governors Dix, Sulzer and Glynn. He advises that the State lease its water power to individuals or private companies. This opinion, he says, is based upon investigation made by the State engineer, the attorney general and superintendent of public works and the conservation commissioner. This committee, he said, while opposing the State's entering into the hydro-electric business, believes that the State should have the right to dispose of the latent power of impounded water.

The Governor says that there never has been so much need for electric power as at the present time and that this unusual demand will continue during the war. He advises, therefore, that the State be given the power by the legislature to lease the surplus waters of the

barge canal for power purposes.

Governor Whitman

also urges that the barge canal, to be completed its full length early next summer, be used to the limit of its capacity for trans

porting freight to relieve congestion on the railroads.

He says: "The State will have provided at

used for the purposes of commerce or national defense."

In addition to urging necessary legislation permitting women to register, he also asks that they be given an opportunity to enroll in political parties so that they may take part in the primaries next fall.

Governor Whitman calls attention to the fact that during 1917 sixty-five towns in the State voted no-license and that now over sixty-two per cent of the rural communities of the State forbid trafficking in liquor of any kind, the increase in dry towns since 1915 being greater than in the eighteen years previous that the Raines law has been in force.

The Governor urges the amendment of the township school law, declaring that it has failed to achieve the purposes intended. He says it was designed to promote the consolidation of weak and inefficient schools with the stronger and better equipped. The result, he declares, seems to be a large increase in taxes among the rural districts without a corresponding increase in equipment, in teaching, or in

an expense of one hundred and fifty million dollars a plant without equal in the country. It now offers it to the people toll free to be

The long

efficiency. distances from five to seven miles which pupils live away from the central school has made it difficult to convey them to and from their homes.

The Governor points out also that the town board of education

is given power to raise funds by taxation, thus depriving the people of the right to vote on the amount of money to be expended for school purposes within the school district.

The Governor recommends a careful study of the question of the shortage of farm labor. He views with alarm the decline of the live-stock industry in the State and says it is important that something be done to encourage and promote it.

Governor Whitman in his message tells what has been done by the new department of State police. He says that during the months of October and November 54,000 miles of highway were patrolled, 258 arrests made, with 207

convictions. "It is gratifying to note," says the Governor," that there has been no conflict with the local authorities and that

the troopers have not taken part in any industrial dispute."

Major Chandler who heads the State

two commissioned and
17 noncommissioned
officers is created, it
will be years before
the department need
again be increased, as
twenty-five posts can
be established which,
added to the ten sta-
tions already assigned,
will make thirty-five
stations, each with a
radius of approxi-
mately twenty miles.
Three men could then
be placed at each
station, one a motor-
cyclist, one on foot and
By
one mounted.
this method practic-
ally every citizen will
be within twenty miles
from a post and by the
use of the motorcycle
quick service could be
rendered.

Senator Elon R. Brown, leader of the majority in the senate, is very anxious for some legislation which will assist the farmers to obtain and hold adequate help on the farm during the year. Senator Brown is of the opinion that the scarcity of farm labor is one of the most serious problems to be met to make the United States efficient in waging war. ing war. There are those who believe that it may yet be necessary to conscript farm labor. Senator Brown is supported in this