Morris tribune., 1913-04-18
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THE COUNTIES ON TRIAL

One of the hardest fought questions is connection with
is going spend the money Mr. Dunn's idea (Which he
is said have himself admitted weakness of the
bD was that certain per cent of the money should go
each county, which in the long that the
spending of the money in the hands of the county
missioners of the various counties.
The Minneapolis Journal has been insstent that
the state highway commission be given greater authority
in the spending of the money and has opposed the pok
barrel method because it would that large share
of the great fund is to be wasted.
Now the contest how the money should be spent
degenerated into quarrel between the city Legislators
against country legislators, city newspapers against
country and automobsts against farmers and
every is inclined take sides according to his
sympathies or interests
But we have yet failed to any debate to the
real question ISSUE and that whether this great road
fund to be spent for pleasure roads or business roads
The writer believes is for the greatest interest of
the people of the whole state that road be spent
give the best transportation facilities between each
market place and the farms surrounding it. Good wagon
roads from town should be secondary good roads
from the farm to Railroads exist for the transpor
of passengers and freight from another
and it is the height of folly to spend money wagon
paraleng it, while the road perpendicular to the
railroad and leading to the farms is filled with wet
places and has heavy grades which greatly reduce the size
of the load which the farmer can haul to town.
Now the reason the country is suspicious of yesting
great authority in the state highway commission in regard
the building of roads because they suspect that the
commission will tend too strongly towards building
runk and pleasure roads instead of simply build
ing up these country roads which the busi
ness of the state. Sound judgement will decree. OF
course that roads must be built for business first and
pleasure afterwards this principle does
appear be we'll settled people like to keep the control
of road money at home.
But county commissioners just liable to ir
this direction the highway commission and if
the commissioners expect retain control of this money
they must spend it wisely. If the commissioners are
going spend the money building pleasure roads from
town parts of great trunk road which runs
all the way the state, they will be depriVing their
own county of the benefit of money which might be spent
increasing the communication between the farms
and the market
And again. if the commissioners spend this roac
roads past farms owned by themselves. and building
bridges connect up adjacent farms owned by the
influential citizen then there is going to be demand
to the of road money away from the commits
sioners.
In short. the counties have the authority over
vast road fund. If they spend it wisely, they will
control IF the fund if they spend it unwsey
the control will be taken away from them
Honest men may sometimes differ as to just what i
" se but results will tell.