Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1913-06-06
Many Localities Preparing to
Celebrate June II.
PRINCETON TO HAVE BIG TIME
Will Observe Holiday by Building Half
Mile of Road Within Confines
of Village.
Especial Correspondence


ing list of holidays, on which the peo-
pie are asked to lay aside business and
affairs of state and celebrate, has an
interesting addition this year in the
shape of a Good Roads day" June
II is the date set aside for its OBJ
servance and Governor Eberhart, in
accordance with law passed by the
last legislature giving the day legal
standing throughout the state, has is
sued a proclamation fixing the date
named for it's observance and asking
that all persons interested in good
roads enter into the spirit of the oc-
casion. Already letters telling OF
preparations for the purpose of max
ing the day a gala one have been re-
ceived from number of districts and
the new holiday looks as if it would
work out into something of more than
ordinary profit to the state as whole.
Representative Dunn, the author OF
the latest thing in good roads legisla-
ton. was the one who incorporated IN
the good roads act passed by the late
Regislature a provision creating
Good Roads day and his district is
preparing to observe it in manner
that will create general interest in
road construction and Improvement
work. On June II the village of
Princeton will honor the day by the
construction and improvement of half
q mile of road within it's confines and
has secured several cars of crushed
stone from st. Cloud for the occasion.
interested residents will furnish teams
and labor and with their wives and
families will make the day one long
to be remembered. The one time
husking bee or the house raising day
of old will not be in it in the way Of
fun and pleasure which this particu-
lar occasion will provide. Other dis
tricts throughout the state learning
of what Princeton is preparing to do
have in mind a similar observance of
the day.
i. X =
There is now on the statute books
two road acts of more than ordinary
length, the Dunn law, passed by the
last legislature, and the Elwell act, a
product Of the state lawmakers two
sessions back. Attending a meeting
of the highway commission the other
cay I could not but be impressed with
the fact that the oldest of these must
go soon or else the best of it's features
be incorporated with the Dunn law.
The two laws and the efforts of those
Interested in good highways to get
out of both the best for their particu-
lar project only tends to confusion.
Another thing that impressed was the
need of freedom on the part of the
highway commission from the exac-
tons made by county boards and town
councils in the location of proposed
roads and the demand by all as a rule
for the consideration of their scheme
of laterals and trunk lines instead OF
a comprehensive system of state high.
ways which the commission is direct
ing every effort to obtain. Centraliza.
ton of effort and authority is now the
order of the day. 1t has been extend.
ed to many lines of government and
effort and some day Minnesota will
have such Capitalization without local
interference in the matter Of it's high
ways.
When General James H. Baker died
at his home in Mankato last week
jo%0 -
whose life and political activities
while resident of the state, are OF
more than ordinary interest. A vet
eran of the Indian and Civil wars
General Baker was not content with
the honors that came with such {
service, but continued his activities
in a political way that easily made
him the first Republican in Minnesota
for number of years. Twice ht
served the state as it's secretary, fol
several years he was surveyor gen
eral and up to the time of the passing
Of the state convention he was promi
nently identified with every state Re
publican gathering held. At the ma
HonaI gatherings he was always
prominent figure. His last appearance
was at the convention which nomi
mated President Taft. When John Linz
ran for congress in the Second distric
General Baker was his Republican
opponent. Besides being identified
with the political life of Minnesot;
General Baker found time to write
number of books, his last being tn,
biographies of the governors of Min
nesota. He was the. founder of tn,
Mankato Free Press.
:. X :.
Hugh T. Halbert of st. Paul, promi
nent in the Roosevelt presidential
campaign of last fall, is positive tina
the accusation of drunkard, laid a
the door of the colonel by a Michigan
editor, now defendant in a $1,000
libel suit brought by the colonel,
not true. Mr. Halbert says it is tn
way he walks that makes many thin