The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-09-03

still solid ana time has not been able to
affect them.
so Japan road some years aso commenced the
IN this line In that country has been
wonderful. They have national, provin-
c e and district highways and they are
Iae -, cnleI means oftciyilizing the interior
issued decree directing ahs a Shade pt trees
planted along the roads. The last time
along the country roads 1 was aston
ished to find they We're cutting down the
trees and putting in others.
INQUIRY brought out the fact that they
were Pultlng IN fruit trees and the ex-
PLANTATION was that the trees would not
only. give shade, but the money from the
Irui It would To pay for the planting. Good
re e n nav zone 4e away with the isolation
try there Is need of good roads.
Bad Roads Misfortune.
Zone. Of the misfortunes Of Minnesota
is the isolation of the farmer. The farm
ers are the backbone of the state. From
the farmers we get that stream of high
the country great have made every
effort to send people to the farms and
keep them there. There is a tendency
II say to them: You are like the moth
and the flame, and the city will soon burn
you up II there were good roads the
farmers would be more contented: They
and their children could visit neighbors,
and the isolation which now drives them
to the cities would not be possible.
what we want now is good. roads,
autumn, over which the farmers can
travel, and the result will be that they
VIII stay IN the country: You will never
have good roads If you leave it to the
farmers and the poll tax plan. Tax the
county and the state for the roads. 1t is
saving to, the people, and besides it dou-
bles up the value of the land.
Says Fund Is Wasted.
Attorney General Douglas said 1t was
an opportune time to take up a system Of
perfect roadways. The present system OF
township and county roads should be
continued, but to this should be added
a system of state highways.
I'm 1898 the> constitutional amendment
providing for highway commission was
adopted by the people, and the state was
to levy tax OF one-twentieth OF a mill
for fund with which to construct high
ways. The amendment has never been
ring to parcel out from 5000 to $500 to
each county for road fund.
1.-THE constitutional amendment provid-
ed ed for ABOUT $50 600 each year to be spent
lature has not authorized the appoint
ment of the commission, although there
| are hundreds of patriotic men who would
accept the appointment without compen-
| sation.
mo good roads sqwere built from the
| 100000 divided by the last legislature. In
| stead, an amendment is; proposed for the
coming election which will reduce the
| amount of the levy under the 1898 amend
| ment, strike out the commission feature
and leave the amount tol be divided by the
| legislature
IF this amendment is adopted the fu-
| ture legislatures Will go along and give
| the amount to the counties whose mem
bers are the mostt convincing in argu-
| ments.
Says People SHOULD Protest. -
1.-THE people of the state should pro-
| test against the last amendment and the
work of perfecting a system of state
highways should be left in the hands of
a competent highway commission and
competent engineers"
Gov Van SAINT made a short address,
in which he pledged himself whether in
or out of Office, to do what he could for
the good roads movement. ,is
w. M. Hays, of the state experimental
! station, spoke briefly. on the subject of
methods in road construction. -