The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-11-16
ELWELL FOR SPEAKER
NEW BRIGHTON MAN WOULD PRE-
SIDE OVER THE HOUSE
THIS WINTER
is A GOOD ROADS CANDIDATE

He Has Been Secretary of the Good
! Roads Association, and Is a Firm
Believer in the Douglas Consti-
| tutiOnaI Amendment Recently
Ratified by the People of the
| State.
A factor in the speakership contest
! at the coming session of the house of
! representatives is the good roads move
ment which is assuming new import
| ance since the enthusiastic ratification
| by the voters of the amendment known
as the goods roads amendment
! james T. Elwell, of New Brighton,
! secretary of the Minnesota Good Roads
! association, and one of the most active
/ good roads advocates in the state. is
| a candiCnte for speaker, and will prob
/ ably have a good support Although
not a member of the last legislature
| he has had some parliamentary expert
| ence.
| This amendment. which has been adopted,
| provides for state aid according to a plan
| years ago in New Jersey where it has
proven very satisfactory indeed. By this
amendment the legislature is authorized
/ TO establish state road and bridge fund
whose members must serve without COM
pensation, and which shall have general SUI
/ pervision of the expenditure of the state
| read and bridge fund. This amendment does
not contemplate that the state shall actually
construct any wagon roads, but that 1t shall
contribute not TO exceed one-third OF the
cost Of any road, the other tw0-thirds 10 be
paid by the locality where the road is built
The actual construction OF the road so built
! is TO be under the immediate supervision OF
the local authorities, the state commiss on
Z a
! the character OF the road shall be and re-
( curing, before the state pays any money fer
the improvement that the road shall be con-
structed according TO plans which il has sp-
proved.
HOW FUNDS ARE RAISED.
The state road and bridge fund authorized
/ by this amendment Is to consist OF the IN
come OF the present, internal improvement
fund. and a tax not exceeding one-twentieth
Of one mill upon all of the taxable property
Of the state. In order to understand this
/ reference to the Internal Improvement fund
Il must be known that, while the constitution
fOrbids the legislature from levying a tax
for building roads, it further provides that
If any one is good enough TO give the state
something for improvements. the legislature
may see that the gift is spent for the pur-
pose intended. Now, the United States did
give Minnesota 500 900 acres OF land for ,age
improvements. and the interest on the money
secured from the safe OF this land is called
an internal improvement land fund" This
fund has heretofore been expended for vart-
Gus purposes. and a part Of it every year
has been pareeled oat To- different parts OF
the state for bridges
THE METHOD OF DISTRIBUTION
is explained as follows in a pamphlet
issued on TIE subject:
The new manner Of distribution is briefly
this: Not 10 exceed 8 per cent nor less
than y OF l per cent Of the state road and
bridge fund expended in any one year
FHn h. sad Quasaf f7r1faw ha
pended in any one county Of the state.
Whenever the people OF any county desire a
portion Of this fund. they may secure not
to exceed per cent, by entering into an
agreement with the state authorities TO build
q road according TO certain general directions,
provided that the state shall not contribute
TO exceed one third OF the cost Of the road.
The poorest county IN the state can secure
It's share. and cannot be deprived OF its
share il Il shall comply with the provisions
for securing the appropriation.
This amendment Is not all that might be
wished. because many members of the
legislature did not understand the matter.
AS soon as the people OF this state learn
what coed thing state aid is
is. they Will want larger state tax levied
city wealth distributed for country road
building and they viii then require another
amendment TO the constitution, allowing
Then. again, the amendment provides that
the men who are to have charge OF the
expenditure Of this stste road money shall
commission IL needed to oversee the expendi-
ture OF this money. the members should not
be asked to work for nothing, and IL IL is not
needed it should not be appointed. I've state
pays its employees in other kinds OF work
and ought to do so in this work. If 1t Is
needed. Probably someone viii be found
who will be kind enough to work for nothing
until the members OF the Legislature learn
more about This subject and then they VIII
probably sumbit another amendment on Anal
point But il Is best 10 take what
get in the right direction. and walt for what
We ought to have, on the principle that "a
half a loaf Is better than no bread
The good roads movement viii have
many friends in the new administra-
ton and Legislature. Some Of them
are already on record as follows:
Hon. w. 3. Douglas. Moorhead,
Mimi. attorney genersI-elect:
The proposed plan for state aid is thought
70 be practical and a marked improvement
over the existing method OF using state aid
in highway improvements.
The use annually under the direction Of a
state highway commission OF permanent
road and bridge fund in every county in
the state which appropriates double amount
for the same purpose, will operate to COM
plete some articular road every year. and
in a few years the mrovcment should be
very noticeable throughout the state.
In The past state aid has been distributed
without any system and unfairly. while such
counties as have received Il frequently sub
divided the fund and Pareeied it out in
result thar its effect our highways has
not been felt
Hon s a. Stoekwell. member of
Legislature. Minneapolis. MINI:
gave nv most cordial support to the
good roads movement when in the iegis-
lature before. and / consider that one Of
the most important public needs at he pres
ent time IS good country roads.
Hon. r. J. Mcneil. member OF legis- /
lature Alexandria, Nina:
The constitutional amendment is a move
In the right direction and viii give better
roads at less expense.
Senator Joseph Underleak, OF Chat
field.
There has been much opposition Z, Great
ing q state fund for aiding In road building
On - theory that favored sections would
get the appropriations. leaving ether localI-
overcome 70 some extern by Mr.. Douglas
bill. under q M section can get any
great advantage over others. ] am In favor
OF legislation shat = III give US better roads
thus placing farming communities on 4
better fo5 Ing IN the rank o. progress and
advancement
Senator Fred B. Snyder. Of Mime
cpolis. says.
an firm believer in good roads. TIE
money spent in rheir Improvement more
than comes back to the farmer and to AL
WHO them in the saving and wear and
tear on horse flesh in the larger road load
which may be carried and in the Increase
81 farm values. Resides good roads bred I
coed spirits. and isRd an air of thrift and
prosperity 20 a coumarIty- The state should
aid in their oonstreption and maintenance. !
Albert y. Dare. Of Elk River, is quite |
a promising candidate fer the speaker /
ship OF the house. Heais promised the (
support of the Republican strength OF
Northern Minnesota pretty strongly /
Incidentally. this recalls The fact that /.
one OF the surprises OF the recent elec-
ton was the way in Wh.ch th= nosthern
part OF the state rallisd to tie support
80 H. = Hr.sa~s