The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-04-05
RELATION OF THE LEGISLATURE TO
RURAL DEVEL OPNENT is DISCUSSED !.
BY SENATOR HAYCRAFT, MADELLA

tOF an eACSSS over TIE former dppTO
. priation in the sum of 100000. An
! excess in the face of statute which
! makes it criminal to exceed an APP
preparation. On top of that this in
stitution asked for the coming
biennial period an appropriation OF
$5,500,000 or in round numbers Sc,
100000 for tho university of this
state, alone. What is $4,000, GOO?
$6,000,0 900 some one has figured ont
would build every city and town
in my senatorial district composed
of Martin and Watonwan counties
While we are justly subjected to
denunCiation, we ought to be credit
ed with having held the university
down to less than $2,000,000 and in
having on the other hand apprOpri-
ated more for the common schools
than ever was appropriated before
for these schools in the history OF
the state. | contend we were liber-
al enough to the university in voting
it nearly or quite $2,000,000 for the
| biennial period. am in no sense
opposed to the university. Nor do
criticise it, However, for one in
stitution to ask the state to apprO-
pirate for it over $5,000,O00 for two
year period in my judgment is more
than it ought to receive and is I'M
fair to other institutions in the state
which must have appropriations in
some amount.
Greatest and Best Fair.
minnesota has one of the great
est and best if not the greatest and
best state fair in the United States.
A fair of which we are all justly
proud, and for which we have the
deepest concern. Up to last year,
this fair had been so successful that
and | contend that the legislature
was not responsible for state fair
week in 1911, being d rainy and
disastrous week. This society, great
and laudable as it is, had become
| in agricultural matters much the
same as the university in education
al matters which | have just dis
cussed A sort of centralizer. An
institution, while wonderful in its
own proportions was more or less
detrimental to the smaller agricul-
! tural societies or fairs in the Varl-
Gus counties. The county fairs like
the common and graded schools, are
/ the fairs of the country masses and
| in the reach of all, while the state
| fair not withstanding its unparallel
attendances is the fair of the lew
and not in reach of the many. There
| is not the slightest reason why both
the county fairs and the state fair
cannot exist at once and both be
successful but | maintain that it Is
infinitely of more value to the state
and the rural districts to have
eighty-five we'll conducted prosper
Gus county fairs in eighty-five diff
ferent counties and in eighty-hVe dill
ferent towns than to have only one
large fair in one city alone.
State Aid for County Fair.
81 believe that state aid might bet
ter be accorded the county fair than
to the state fair. That in this man
ner the great mass OF the people
who compose the state, come more
directly in touch with the appro-
priations made. That the e1fects
and benefits flowing therefrOm will
thus be brought nearer home. I'M
bued with these thoughts, the last
session of the Legislature approprla-
ted more literally than ever before
for the county agricultural societies
of this state. We made standing
permanent appropriation of S75,0o9 a
wear for such societies and l point
! to it with pride today as one OF the
few good things done by the last
session. While not perhaps, direct
". attributable to the aid thus CIV
en- it is yet worthy OF note that the
county fairs in this section OF the
state in 1911 were universally the
best ever held. The fair OF THIS
county. at Garden City, was, | under
stand record breaker. Such was
true in my county at st. James
Window i'm Cottonwood county, al
most or quite doubled its attendance.
| While the Martin county fair at Falr-
mont was worth travelling miles TO
see. / expect much good to come
| of this aid and stimulus given the
county agricultural societies OF TINS
state I do not want to be listed as
unfavorable or opposed to our state
agricultural society for such is not
true. I want to be fair with 1t but
at the same time. | want to be tair
with the eighty-fve other small agri'
cultural societies in which | have
a deep interest.
Agitation For Good Roads.
The agitation for good roads Is
of course, always fitting on occa'
sions like this This agitation is
of such praiseworthy nature and
of such vast Importance it ought TO
be INDUCED in on almost all occa,
: sions. We have few antlquateo
notions about road building and the
expenditure of road money that must
be abandoned Some OF the men
now pretending to work the roaus
instead of being paid for it oughl
. TO be fined or sent to jail. Under
the law which forbids one obstruc
ting the public highway. But with