The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-04-05
THE HIGHWAY COMMISSION.

Ramsey county ought to prove goo,
business for every other county. VIVA
has proven good business for dozel
states ought to prove good business fo
Minnesota, says The st. Paul Pioneer
Press. In the eleven years prior to 100
Ramsey county spent $259,OO0 through
its road fund and had nothing to show
for it i'm the way of roads good in al
weathers and all seasons except little
over two miles of macadam. In 1901
Ramsey county introduced business
methods in the administration of its
road funds-the methods now urged by
the state highway commission--and
since that time it has appropriated
$4,000 and now has over twenty miles
of permanent road, besides having its
repair work done in way that means
permanent results, not to mention the
accumulation of equipment and appa-
ratus for road work, including twelve
ton steam roller. Leaving out of ac-
count tne DelleI cudIdctel VI oHC iSP'h
work. the more intelligent grading, the
better quality of the bridges, and meas
uring results only by the mileage of
permanent road built, it appears that
the twenty miles built since business
methods were introduced and the old,
loose system done away with cost an
average of $4,000 mile, while the two
miles built prior to 1904 cost an aver
age of Sl29 800 a mile.
There are not many counties that can
afford to spend what Ramsey spends
through the road and bridge fund each
wear, but there is none that cannot
profit by study of the reforms which
Ramsey introduced. There is not a
county that can afford to spend its
share of the $2,OOO,OOO that goes an
nually into road work in this state
under system that produces no per
manent results which cannot better
afford to spend twice that amount by
methods that will give permanent re-
suits Ramsey county is spending
$4,000 year for roads where it used
to spend $4,000. yet there is not a
voter in the county who protests; for
the simple reason that the county Is
getting dollars worth for every dol
lar spent, and, SO far as can be Judged,
getting three dollars worth of bene-
fit where it used to get less than one
dollars worth.
Among the prejudices entertained
against the highway commission is an
idea that the body is attempting to
compel the counties to build such roads
as it wants i'm such ways as it may
direct. 1t has no power of compulsion.
It's only power is that of persuatlon.
It's members will not lose anything if
anv or all the counties want to per-
sist i'm such costly and wasteful methods
as Hennepin and Ramsey pursued until
a few years ago. The methods the high
way commission is urging and the re-
forms it is advocating are those which
not only the experience of Ramsey but
of hundreds of counties in other states
shows will save the several counties of
Minnesota and their taxpayers literally
hundreds of thousands of dollars a year
for the simple reason that where they
nnfh for
the $2,OOO,00O spent annually Oh roads
in this state they would get for the
same expenditure in a single year many
hundred miles of permanent road. The
only purpose of the highway commits
sion is to help; to show by the demon
stration of actual experience that really
first-class road work pays; to show how
money can be saved and how such money
as is spent can be spent to do the most
good. 1t is not assuming high and
mighty attitude in this regard. 1t is
only undertaking to do what has been
done i'm dozen states.
Finally there is not member of the
commission that could not better afford
to be off the commission than on it. The
members receive no salary and it is
probable that Mr. Scholle is consider
ably out of pocket as the result of his
interest in good roads. The secretary
and engineer, Col. Cooley, is being paid
probably about a third of What he
could earn in private practice. The PEG
pie of the state ought, in view of the
uniform experience of other states, in
stead of looking with suspicion OH the
commission welcome its cooperation in
every way. 1t is absolutely powerless
to do harm. 1t is capable of doing
great good. 1t can interfere with ne
project that will stand the light of pub
lefty. 1t can, especially if it is upheld
do every county and town in the state
an incalculable amount of good just a;
the highway commissions of New Jersey
New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts
and several other states have done.
TRIBUTE TO MIR. JOHNSON