St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-02-20

Scc1at1on on its interest in local affairs.
II local affairs were properly cared for,
ne SAID, state and national affairs
would take care of themselves. If the
people in the country looked after their
schools and roads and county matters,
they would find it very easy to secure
good state government. People on the
farm seemed to think there was antag-
onism between the rural districts and
the cities. This was a mistake; their
interests are Identical.
PRESIDENT Cooley, of the association
was called for, and said that the pro-
motion of good feeling between the
country and the city was Of the utmost
interest to the whole state. People
outside the Twin Cities had false
idea of the relations of ST. Paul and
Minneapolis. They were supposed to
be antagonistic, but this was not true.
1t was reported that Minneapolis want
such was not the case. 1t just wanted
to spur St Paul on a little.
secretary McGinniS said he thought
that county commissioners gave the
best service of any class of officials
in the country in proportion to the
compensation received. The limitation
by law of the number of days for
which they can draw compensation
was wrong
James Middleton said he was for five
years a member of the board of county
commissioners of Washington county,
and he was satisfied that it was Of
more Importance to the people to elect
good county commissioners than to
elect good men to the legislature. No
politics should enter into the selection
Of men for this position. The building
or roads should be done under the SUI
perylslon of the county commission
ers. 1t might seem hard on the farm
ers TO compel them to contribute cash
instead of labor toward the building
OF roads, but it was to their interest
to do so, as it would result in a great
deal better roads without the expendi-
ture of any more labor
A. M. Hanna, of Blue Earth county,
said roads educate people; make them
different individuals. A family living
on a good road well Travelled shows
better manners than those living in the
backWoods where they come in contact
only with those Immediately surround
ing them. It brings them out into So
ciety and enlightens them.
Robert Hughes, of the same county.
thought it was little use to discuss the
subject of road building under county
supervision until law to that effect
was secured
MI. Gossman, Of Polk county, said
that proper attention Is not given to
the selection of county commissioners
They are generally nominated at the
tail end of the ticket, and but little in
terest is taken in choosing them. The
place was given to some one who prob
ably knew nothing about the affairs
of the county at all.
Mr. Ling, of Mcleod, said that in his
county, where there is no stone, it is
hard to make a good road. The only
way 1t could be done was to grade the
road tWenty-four or twenty-six feet
wide and haul gravel onto it, He did
did not believe in giving the county
commissioners control of the money
for road making. The road supervis-
ors We're in a., better position to saw
where the money should be expended.
But the commissioners might exercise
general supervision. 1t should be
cooperation between the two.
Mr.. Forbes said road making was a
local matter, and each section should
look after It's own roads. The county
surveyor andgccounty commissioners
should cooperate in the building of
roads, the surveyor acting. asbengineer..
'One3 advantage Of the reorganization
would 9be to encourage the keeping of
better records by the county surveyors.
MI. johnson, of st. Paul, thought the
county commissioners of each county
should build the main thoroue1hfares
of the county, The trouble was that
people We're too much afraid Of spend
ing a few dollars on roads, whereas the
returns on every dollar would exceed
those on any other, expenditure that
could be made! He believed all money
TO be expended on roads should be un-
der the direct control of the county
commissioners He quoted statistics
to show the difference in cost to the
farmers between moving their produce
over poor and good roads
County Commissioner Nels J. Ness
also made a few remarks
1t will soon be out. What? The Gordon
Hiatt