Willmar tribune., 1909-07-14
DEFENDS THE
''PORK BARREL .
Representative johnson Expres,
SeS His Views Relative 10
the De1unct Measure.


Ses His Views Relative 10
the Defunct Measure.
Atwater. July 3, 1909.
Editor Willmar Tribune:
In the issue Of June 9TH st. Paul
Dispatch, we find an article copied
from the Luverne Herald, setting
forth the wrong and the viciousEess
of the road and bridge appropria-
tion made by the last Legislature,
or the co-called "Pork Barrell."
For many years, Mr.. Editor, there
has been consistent demand and
agitation through out the State for
better roads, and we believe such
demands have been just, and the
agitation has come from a source
on the one side where those inter-
ested have been prompted by an
honest desire to see conditions so
changed and bettered that not only
the travelling public would be bene-
fitted thereby, but the class of peo-
pie that are today and always have
been more in need of good roads
than any other class of people on
earth, namely the Farmer. This
great state is an agricultural state.
and its soil is the richest, and it's
climate is ideal for the production
Of all kinds of grain, hay, stock,
and various products, which is
shipped to all parts of the world.
Its railroad facilities and markets
are in close proximity to the pro-
ducer, and every year this vast
quantity of grain and other pro-
ducts must be moved from the farm
to the market. The moving of
these products demands good roads
and substantial bridges, and con-
tinuous outlay of moneys, time and
labor. Although we can boast of
our rich soil, unfortunately we can
not boast of an over supply Of road
material, for this deep black soil
everything the clay does not make
good roads. In fact, the highways
may be graded to perfection and
the low places drained to a drop,
yet when the rains descend and the
floods come this rich soil makes mud
and this mud hangs to wheels, and
carrying mud on the wheels dimin-
ishes the load on the wagon and de-
lays the marketing of the farmers
products, wear and tear on equip
ment, man and horse. And who can
reckon the cost in a decade, carried
on from year to year. If we had
the dry atmosphere of Arizona or
the sands of some of the western
deserts the agitation for good roads
would soon cease, and the so-called
Pork Barrel'' would never need be
packed, for there is no class of peo-
pie in this state that knows the
needs Of good roads and are more
willing to sacrifice time, labor and
money to obtain good roads than
the farmer. If the conditions were
as above stated, the farmer would
build his roads without demand
on the pork barrel or a plea to the
legislature for aid and would econ.
omize more stringently with funds,
build roads where most needed and
where funds would give better re.
suits than moneys expended by any
state highway commissioners that
have ever sat in luxuriously furn.
ished Office and drawn imaginary
lines over the state map, or pom.
dered over surveys and grades
prompted by the aristocrats of the
twin cities and the corporations
whom they seek to favor, ever
though they are supposed to be ex.
perts in the theory of road build
ing. In the reading of the Dis.
patch editorials and comments, We
have noticed the criticism made
against this appropriation; criti.
cised. we believe. because it was
not turned into a different channel,
for had this six hundred thousand
dollars been turned over to the state
highway commissioners for them tc
expend we do not believe whisper
would have been heard as to it's con.
stitutionality, either by Senator