St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-04-03
THE GOOD ROADS MOVEMENT.

We are glad to see the interest of
the people Of this state in the good
roads movement On the increase The
convention which was held in Mime
apolis resolved itself into a permanent
body to be known as the Good Roads
Association Of Minnesota. An execu-
tive committee consisting of one men,
Der from each congressional district,
together with another committee
named by the association, is to take
charge Of the future work, call other
meetings and promote the interest Of
the cause in every possible way. They
will find that public opinion is solidly
on their side, and the more that road
Improvement is agitated the greater
will be the enthusiasm behind it. The
convention outlined, in a general way,
a programme for securing good roads,
which is an excellent one barring some
Vagueness on the financial side. That
the present system Of road repairing
IS an utter abomination is known to us
all. Money spent under it is utterly
wasted. There can be no such thing
as really good road in Minnesota
until we have a scientific system of
construction under way. The old road
tax, and the practice of working it
out, must be abandoned, and the peo-
pie must understand that the building
Of good roads is question Of engineer
ing skill.
int
tribute the work between the state
and local organizations, and how to
obtain the funds for pushing it, are the
principal problems 1t is generally ad-
mitted that there are a few main high
ways which should properly be the
care OF the state. The number of these
should, however, be as small as posi-
BILE. The bulk of the work belongs
to the several counties, while
within their boundaries are purely To-
cal thoroughfares which the townships
should keep in order. It will be found
we imagine, in an attempt to carry the
work out practically, that it will de-
Volve principally upon county com
mlssioners They must engage the
engineers, make contracts and look
after the actual work, receiving from
the state an allotment from a state
fund to be provided, bearing a fixed
proportion to the amount Of money fur
nished by the county itself This is the
only way in which to avoid legislative
log-rolliRg, local favoritism and con-
tracts that have some jobbery under
meath them. The work undertaken by
the state alone should be limited close
ly. Better let the counties take care
OF the matter, and make the assistance
which they draw from the state de-
pend upon the money which they are
willing to spend.
AS the suggestions made in the re-
cent convention show, there is really
no difficulty in providing a fund that
will be adequate for road Improvement
for some time to come The n1atforn,
seems to contradict itself somewhat in
urging, at the same time, an increase
In the taxes on the gross earnings of
railroads, and the taxation Of railroad
lands The possibility of increased
revenue from this source is aft least O
doubtful one, While an attempt to real
lie 1t might cut US off from what now
furnishes large share of the treas
ury's receipts. We have resources nm
drawn upon in the shape Of taxes on in
heritances and requests, and taxation
On corporations other than railroads
operating within the limits of the state
By judicious exercise of the taxing
power, Minnesota can raise all +ba
money that need be spent on
road improvement, without adding nor
ceptibly to the burdens of the neonle
The subject is sure to come before the
next legislature, and that body ought
to put into effect comprehensive svs.
tenn for the creation and maintenance
of improved highways. The work pre-
paratory to this is being done by such
conventions as have already been held.
and interest should be kept UP and
stimulated by local associations and
assemblies in every county in the state.
Good roads will be worth more to the
farmers Of Minnesota than all the leg
islative remedies for ills that have been
offered or suggested to them in the last
twenty years.