The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-07-20
MONEY FOR GOOD ROADS.
State Highway Commission Will
Have Fund Next Year.

State Highway Commission Will
Have Fund Next Year.
European travellers who reach the out
lying districts of America marvel at the
unspeakable character of our country
roads, says The Minneapolis Journal.
The nations of the Old world. they say,
are too poor to afford snch bad roads
Only a country with the marvellous
wealth of America could afford to put up
with such highways. The waste of a
bad road is enormous, and it does not
fall altogether on the farmer, but on
the consumer as well. 1t has been fig
ured that ton of freight can be hauled
over well-made road at an average
cost of 10 cents a mile. The average
cost of such transportation over the
country roads of America is % cents
a mile. This additional cost is added
eventually to the price of the article
hauled For seven mile haul it comes
to more than dollar ton.
The state of Minnesota is just enter
ing on an era of progress in good road
building. The state highway commission
created by the last legislature has no
money to spend on roads this year, but
| is doing some effective missionary work
and arousing business men and farmers
| to action. Next year the commission
will have a fund with which to begin
work 1t will he work on small scale,
that is true, but it will be a starter.
The tax Of one twentieth of a mill, lev
led for the first time this year, will
bring in about $4,000 next year. To
this will be added $2s,OOO received as
interest on the internal improvement
land fund, making $4,000, of which ev-
cry cent may be spent on roads, as the
expenses of the commission are provid-
ed by direct appropriation. Wher-
ever this money is spent the locality
must supply two thirds, and the state
one-third, provided the roads OF bridges
are built to the approval of the state
engineer
| The sum available next year is less
than $1,000 to each county, and under
the law no county may receive more
than per cent of the fund, or $500.
| The first years work will be on small
scale, therefore, and will be more valu-
| able for its educational effect on local
| roadmakers, than for the actual amount
of road built. The legislature is now
| limited to twentieth of mill as
the tax, but an amendment to the con-
stitution has been submitted, raising the
possible levy to one-fourth of mill.
| At that ratio, on the present valuation,
about $4,000 would be raised each
year by direct taxation, which with the
other revenue would make a fund of
| $4,000, nearly $4,000 to each county
As the locality must spend 81 to the
states 81, there would be an average
| of $4,000 spent yearly in each county
on permanent bridges and scientific roads,
that will not require remaking every
| summer.
The amendment ought to be adopted.
| 1t has already reeeived the Endorsement
of the republican party in its platform
The only flaw in the amendment is that
1t leaves out mention of state high
way commission, but that is not ma
| terial. The original section was adopt
ed i'll 1898, authorizing highway COM
mission, and one was created for seven
years. The legislature could still abol-
ish it at any time, and the reference
made to the commission in the consti-
tuition is not mandatory. The omission
will do no harm, and the only effect
of the amendment will be to authorize
an increase of the levy to one fourth of
a mill. which would mean tax of 25
cents on each $1,000 of assessed yalu-
alton. The state can stand such tax
better than it can endure poor roads.