The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-01-08


derstand and be able to determine az
any time the true financial condition
of any office within u commons
wealth. l believe that we can save
the state many thousands of dollars
beyond the cost, provided such a vs.
tenn shall be inaugufated and put into
force and effect, and i shall be glad to
see such legislation enacted as VIII
warrant and empower the governor TO
employ some firm of accountants to i'm
augurate and put into force within the
state q uniform system OF accounts and
reports and M that viii meet Its
needs n conditions. h longer that
this is put off the harder tt will be,
and the sooner that 1T is done the bet
ter 1t will be for every one concerned.
Expeditions.
There will be held in 1915 the Pana-
ma-Paciic International exposition at
San Francisco, and at the same time an
upon somewhat different line at San
Diego, Cal. The opening OF the Fan-
anna canal win mean much to the ma
tion, and / believe will mean much to
the state. We have four transcontl-
mental railroads crossing North Da-
-kota. Thousands upon thousands OF
people will go through cur state on
their way to attend these expositions
or will cross our state upon their re-
turn from them. Both of these expo
sitions are to be held at the same time
the one at San Diego running from
Jan. !, 1915 to Dec. 81, 1915, and the
one at San Francisco from about Feb
ruary, 1915, to December, 1916. Many
who attend the one exposition will at
tend the other, as the railroads VIII un-
doubleday make a rate that Will take
in both expeditions. The people who
attend these expositions Will go
way out or upon their return at a time
of the year when North Dakota is at
her best, and / believe that a reason
able appropriation for an exhibit at
both places would he a wise thing for
the state to do, in that when the peo-
pie arrive at the expositions they may
see North Dakota represented with q
display of her products, and that hav-
ing either crossed Our state or being
about to cross IT. by our calling their
attention to what we San produce we
may add largely to the number Of peo-
Pile within our Borders. North Dakota
needs men and women, and we need
men and women who win live mere
permanently, and exhibiting at these
expeditions al help us to secure many
permanent residents, and a reasonable
appropriation should pc Q good invest
ment for us.
Good Roads.
The question OF good roads viii be.
one of the important problems for FOUR.
consideration this winter. What can
shall we dog 1t Is said that the ex-
pense Of hauling a hushel of wheat
for fifteen miles owe the average
country road in North Dakota costs
the farmer more than it does to pay.
wheat from his station 10 Minneapolis
or Duluth. This ought not to be.
We are putting q license tax upon
the autos Ct the state have been
this year amount to some $4,000 or.
100000. This money Isl appprttpTed
back to the counties, but when you
come to divide the money among titty
counties, 1t amounts to but little TO
n county. The amount Of auto
license funds should and PROBABLY will
increase within the next five years 50
that II will run up to $4,000 cr S10o.
might be used would be to amend the
constitution Of the state, authorizing
the state TO issue road bonds. IL that
were done, it would take about six
years before fl could become q law, BY
that time. the auto license should
amount to probably 100000 a year.
This would pay the interest ON $1,000
600 worth Of bonds at 4 per cent,
amounting to $A0,0 poo and would laava
about $4,000 to go into a sinking fund
to Tetire the bonds, and they could be
retired in about twelve TO fifteen years.
or, another suggestion would be that
instead OF dividing this auto license
money afnong the counties, that 1t be
used In a lump sum for the building as
far as 1t would so, each year for some
specific trunk line Of road. One
trouble here in North Dakota is the
Tack OF proper road material, but [ be-
iteye that the rai1roRd companies
would cooperate with us In giving d
low rate upon road building material
Into the state provided the money
raised for road building were to be
wisely expended.
Another suggestion would he That
the convIets at the penitenttArys or at
least a part 0f them, might be employ
ed during certain months or the year.
in the building OF roads. Eor Instance
the counties on districts Ia which tha
reads are III ha built should furnish
the tools tn be used Id foad building
end 10 pay In eaditiOu thereto the diex
fereEfce#tn the cost maintenance be-
kWeeR what II would cost ia maintain