Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1909-07-03

Whether or not the supreme court knocks
out the "pork barrel' law, the question of the
use of state money for building roads, and the
work of the state highway commission is sure
to be prominent one in Minnesota politics
So many persons are uniformed and so many
others making careless statements that we
herewith give some facts which will contribute
to more intelligent discussion of the question
Section Is of Articles TX of the Constitution
as amended in 1906 provides as follows
t'For the purpose of lending aid in the con-
struCtion and improvement OF public highways
and bridges, there is hereby created a fund, to
be known as the estate road and bridge fund
said fund shall include all moneys accruing
from the income derived from investments in
the internal improvement land fund, or that
may hereafter accrue to said fund.- and shall al
so include all funds accruing to any state road
and bridge fund, however provided.
The Legislature is authorized to add to such
fund, for the purpose of costructing or improv-
ing roads and bridges in this state, by provid-
ing in it's discretion. for annual tax levy
upon the property of this state of not to exceed
in any one year ne-fourth of one mill on all
the taxable property within the state.
Provided, that no county shall receive in
any year more than three per cent or less than
one-half of one per cent of the total fund thus
provided and expended during such year; and
provided further, that in no case shall more
than one-third of the cost of constructing or
improving any road or bridge be paid by the
state from such fund.
Previous to and including the session of
1905, the Legislature biennially divided this
money among the various counties of the state
according to "pork barrel" methods, but in re-
spouse to an insistent public demand and in
compliance with the wishes of the people as
expressed in the 1898 amendment to the same
section the 1905 Legislature created state high
way commission, and turned the disposal of
this state road and bridge fund to them.
This fund is still being disbursed by the COM
mission. The commission comes in for lots of
criticism because it will pay only one-third of
the cost of the improvement, but this rule is
constitu tional.
Study of this constitutional provision will
also reveal many other facts. Thus levy of
one-fourth of mill is authorized, but the legis-
lature neglected to raise the state levy for the
commission to spend above one-twentieth of a
mill By spending 100000 itself, the legisla-
ture would escape the criticism of raising the
tax levy, and would gain recognition for valu-
able services to their home counties.
AS the state road and bridge fund had been
turned over to the commission, the Legislature
of 1907 found that it had "pork barrel" to
distribute. In order to get one two methods
were proposed, CD to abolish the commission,
and (2) to vote appropriations out of the state
revenue fund. The first method was regarded
as unavisable and the second method as illegal,
but nevertheless 100000 was finally voted.
The legality of this was not questioned last
wear but after the legislature this year voted
100000 from the general fund, and after the
governor had voted appropriation in which
he was interested, Senator Cooke brought the