The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-02-19
NJ. D.'S and GOOD ROADS
Physicians Are Interested in C0nstruC-
tion Of Better Highways.
Favor the Passage of The RrtwaIow
Bill BY Congress.
Representative MccIeary Not Disposed
to Help in Matter.
Money Would Build But Half Mile
in Each County.

From Mondays Daily.
Good roads will once more be the
main topic considered by the Blue Earth
! County Medical society in the near flu
ture. The doctors, if anybody, want
good roads leading out into the country
| surrounding Mankato. The attitude of
the Mankato physicians on this subject is
we'll summed up in the following article
on "Good Roads and the Country Doc
tor" in The American Medicine: 'There
is now pending in congress a bill which
appropriates $24,000,000 as national aid
for the building of wagon roads. This
money is to be distributed according to
the population of each of the states,
except that the states having less than
, 100000 people are to receive minimum
amount of $25O,O0O Each state, coun-
ty or town receiving national aid must
add like amount. This bill will result
in the spending of $4s,OOO,OOO for the
building of wagon roads, and will build
from 100 to 500 miles of road in every
state in the union. Every physician of
the nation is directly interested in good
roads. The lives of country physicians
are made harder and shorter because of
the bad roads, which are everywhere the
rule Even the city consultant has oc
casionally to realize personally how
much they add to the wear and tear of
life. Four of our states New Jersey,
Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New
York; have appropriated over $l6,0O0,-
600 for 2,4lS miles of roads. The Unit
ed States government appropriated in
1893, $32,OO0,OOO for river and harbor
improvements, but nothing for good
roads for the farmer. France has 23,-
6O3 miles of good wagon roads, Italy
5000 miles, etc. Every consideration of
health, civilization and Justice demands
good country roads for the people. Hon.
Walter P. Brownlow, member of con-
gress, will upon application send pamph-
let's to any address in illustration of the
wisdom and benefit to be derived from
the passage of the proposed BILL The
members of our profession, both for pub
lie as we'll as for medical reasons,
should unite in helping to make it law.
We should write our representatives at
Washington, urging them to vote for
the measure"
Recent letters from Minnesota con-
gressmen, however, give little promise of
anything being accomplished in the way
of federal aid for good roads at the pres
emit session of congress. Congressman
McCleary in letter received from him
few days ago by Mankato friend
says with reference to the Brownlow
bill: "There is no question but that the
improvement of our highways is one OF
the greatest problems before this nation.
Under our system of government, 1T has
always been understood that the subject
like many others belongs to the states.
NY own first impression of the bill to
which you refer was that it might prove
useful and I am not sure yet that it
would not. But find upon making
little computation that while the S24,-
100000 appropriated in the three years
is a large sum of money, its result would
be at the end of three years, about half
mile of road per county, which with
the half mile required to be built by the j
state and local organizations, would |
give an entirety of one mile. While this !
might serve as an object lesson, it could /
scarcely be considered and accomplished
even in moderate degree the avowed
object of the bill. |
'The proposition of making good roads,
as have said, is one of the great prob
lens of this country. 1 shall be glad
to cooperate so far as l properly, can.
with yourself and other interested citi-
zens in devising plan under which these
roads may be made better"
Congressman A. j. Volstead of Granite !
Falls, a member of the house commit
tee on public lands, is still more decisive
in saying that congress cannot pass
any such law at the present session.
The Panama speculation, he says, pro-
poses an expenditure of $50,000,0O0 or
more, and congress wants to economic
as much as possible on other things.