The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-10-18

and the selling price has gone up to
SIS to $25 an acre.
| What Autos Have Done.
AS is well known much of the ag.
| itation for good roads, now nation
wide, is the result of the labors of
Automobiles. There were 3,723 auto
mobiles in the United States the year
following the Spanish war, and in
1912 the number is officially estimat-
ed at 245,000 The automobile must
have good roads, and it Is the belief
of federal officials that if there is
to be any general system of high
way improvement the automobile
owners of the nation will be more
largely responsible for it than all
other causes combined.
SIN addition to the attractions of
the short tour and the country sum-
mer residence for American autonno-
bilists,' says Mr.. Sargent, "there
exists large number of more remote
attractions comparable to those of
Europe. Each year it is estimated
that no fewer than 100000 tourists
visit Switzerland, and a large num-
Der of these are Americans. Swift
erland gets considerable part of it's
revenue from the expenditure of
these tourists, and it has been found
profitable to build and maintain i'm
proved roadway, of the highest pos
sible type to hold that business in
Switzerland. gee.
There are in the United States, as
we all know, types of scenery and
points of interest which compare
fayorably with those of Europe, ana
of late years improved roads have
been constructed in the vicinity of
some of these places. 1t is probable
that during 1912 more than 500 au.o-
mobiles will have made a tour
across the continent from east and
west, distributing a million dollars
en- route Figures from the Denver
Chamber of Commerce show that
5000 Automobiles visited Colorado
in single year, and spent more than
100000 in the state.
Stimulate Interest.
Much has already been done by
automobile owners to stimulate in
terest in good roads They have
made addresses and distributed lit
erature in all parts of the country.
They have attended public gather
ings and have perfected organiza-
tons for calling people together to
discuss good roads questions. They
are today supporting number OF
ma gaines which are doing great
work in keeping alive the sentiment
for better roads. Perhaps, however,
the most beneficial of all the work
of the motorists has been the road
pioneering work which has been I'M
dertaken in long tours over this coun-
try and into Canada. In certain in
stances, as the direct result of these
tours, roads which were practically
impossible have been put into first
have not produced immediate results,
but invariably the way has been op-
ened for future Development
The constitution of the state of
Minnesota, provides that the legis-
lature may levy an annual tax upon
the property of this state not to ex-
coed one-quarter of a mill to be
used in the construction and i'm
provement of public highways (the
term highways" includes bridges.)
At the last regular session of the
Legislature an amendment was pro-
posed changing this section SO that
the legislature might provide for an
annual tax levy of one mill instead
of one-quarter of mill to be used
in the construction and improve
ments of public highways. The
change is simple one. 1t increases
the tax levy for the purpose men
toned only three-quarters of one,
mill. The present law provides for
a road tax of one quarter of
one mill and this produces a little
more than 100000 year.
Would Raise Million.
one mill levy would raise ap-
proximately one million, two hun
dred thousand dollars annually to be
expended by the state upon the high
ways and bridges, and in a manner
that would not be felt by any tax
payer. The pending amendment in
creasing the levy from one-quarter
of mill to one mill becomes vi
tally important for the reason that
the only manner in which aid may
be obtained from the state for the
construction of highways and bridges,
is through the state highway COM
mission. D .E- !
Manner of Adoption.
The rule governing the adoption
OF amendments to the constitution
of the state of Minnesota, makes it
necessary for the amendment to re-.
ceive a majority of all the votes
cast at the election at which the
amendment is submitted 1t is not
sufficient that more voters vote for
the amendment than vote against
it. To illustrate-suppose there are.
100000 votes cast at the general
election in November, 1912, and sup
pose that only 100000 vote upon a
given constitutional amendment,
100000 would be a majority of the
100000 voting upon the amendment,
but this would not adopt the amend.
ment. In fact, it would be lost.
All Should Vote.
For the amendment to carry and
be adopted, it would be necessary
that it receive affirmative votes
amounting to majority of 800 900
votes, the total number cast at the
election. For instance, $4,000. Many
persons not feeling that they under
stand the amendment fail to vote att
all upon it. Such failure to vote
at all counts as negative vote just
as effectively as if the voter had
voted no on the amendment. This