The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1913-04-17
Dunn Good Roads Bill Now a
Law Of the State.
LARGE sum FOR HIGHWAYS
Provides for Expenditure of Over
100000 Annually on Construc-
tion and Maintenance.
Especial Correspondence

Especial Correspondence
St. Paul, April 14.-The R. c. Dunn
good roads bill is now law and with
its advent passes into history the
hundred and one makeshifts that have
decorated the statute books for half
century. It is codification OF all
state laws covering the subject OF
good roads. So important is the bill
that provision will likely be made for
it's special distribution. Good roads
to the majority of people means a
level highway, free from ruts and III
the majority of cases fairly passable
and to them a law covering the sub
ject is no more than the average mass
of legal words framed by some expert
and interpreted by those entrusted
with law enforcement. Well, the
Dunn bill is more than that; it is per-
haps the most important act put on
the statute books in some years and
it carries a message of good things
for thousands throughout Minnesota.
It brings to the swamp locked farm
err markets only reached at the cost
of thousands of dollars and it provides
the man with a highway port of
entry he little expected. City and
country are cared for alike The bill
| is monster in size, being something
over fifty pages in length. Had the
present legislature done nothing else
beyond the passage of the Dunn roads
bill public opinion would have con-
doned other deficiencies. Both house
and senate is to be congratulated on
! it's passage.
X \ =
1t may not be generally known, but
! the Dunn road bill provides for an an
nual expenditure of nearly $1,400,00O
and this amount is to be devoted not
only to road construction but mainte-
nance. The money is raised by a one
mill tax, compared with one-fourth of
mill under the old law. and it's dis.
tribution is to be equitable. No coun.
| ty can obtain more than 3 per cent OF
| the amount or less than l per cent
| Designation and location of needed
roads is to be made by the county
board Of commissioners, with the
state highway commission acting in
an advisory capacity. It's duty is tt
supply experts, provide plans and
| specifications, see that there is prop
er expenditure Of the money and ar:
range for the needed maintenance OF
the roads constructed. The county
loses none of it's rights. For the prop
er maintenance of the roads district
inspectors are provided and they in a
measure are to be under the super
vision of the county board, with the
state commission as an overseeing
body.
The Dunn good roads bill did mo-
get by without opposition. The Twir
City press was against the measure
from the start and it was bitterl,
fought by the paving companies. tt
the three big cities the tax proposed
meant an expenditure of better thar
| 100000, with only partial return
proposed meant the opening of thou
sands of farms to their markets wa
overlooked. With the paving com
panies the adoption of the bill saw
the passing of that beautiful dream
a paved highway, miles in length ant
great for the automobile. They coul,
not see anything else.
:. = :.
The new roads law is not for a sys
tenn of highways for the purpose O
making the cities the hub of the uni
verse; It is for everybody and tn
one thing in it's favor is that ever,
section of the state is cared for. I
provides for highways, not beautiful
driveways. Thousands of acres q
land will be brought into commission
through it's enactment and farmer
will bless the memory of it's author.
i. X !:
Governor Eberhart is not in touc
with the house, as was evidenced las
week when that body ignored the go,
ernor's wishes and passed an efficienc
commission bill, with the speaker an
lieutenant governor as the appointin
! powers. His excellency was not give
any place in the selection of the com
, mission. The senate has to pass O.
+ the resolution and the rumor is tina
: it will refuse to concur It does no
, take kindly to the slight given hi
excellency.
!. \ +.
} Though passed by both houses owe
a week ago the nonpartisan primar
, bill is still long ways from being
=, law. A conference committee con
: posed of members of both houses ha
f it in charge, and between you and
3 dear reader: they are out to eithe
] kill it or make it so obnoxious thu
, neither house will adopt the change
3 proposed. The Objectionable featu1
is the nonpartisan idea as applied t
,, the election of members of the hous
and senate and which the house lea,
ers, after giving their sanction, wok
up to the fact, or rather they charge
it, that unfriendly interests had D,
Il