The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-03-27

I land under the sun, NOuiu ieaii~S
now fast you could make these farms
grow into money. by building good
roads. how much, SeR would save in
operation OF these farms, and how
greatly living conditions in the
country would be improved, IL our
roads were all good, or even the
main sartortes only, were made
worthy OF the name of good roads.
I wish I could make you business
men realize that you are deeply con-
cernsd ~ in this matter; that good
country roads mean more business
TO yoh. more profits and better living
as well Our problem today lis TO
J make people realize these things, and
then we will have good roads. II
IL narrow man who cannot see how
deeply this matter of good roads
affects us all in one way or another,
and seeing IL, narrow and penurious
indeed must he be who Is not
willing to aid in this great enterprise.
/ pity the man. be he farmer, business
man, banker, professional man, or what
not, who is unwilling to do his part
in making good roads possible In
our county and we find some such men
in all kinds OF business, in city
and country. Too many have thought
that in giving something for good
reads, we were making a donation,
and that we would never get anyth-
ing back.
Mr.. Business Man, when have you
gone ont in your auto for a day of
recreation in the country. and you
found good roads, didn't you get
big pay. for the few extra dollars
you donated or invested. rather, in
good roads, and you Mr.. Man who
grudgingly gave a SIS bill or re-
fused 10 give at all, where you ought
to have given s25 or $50, when you
got out in a poor road and used
up $40 or $40 worth of tires where
your tire expense should not have
been 81, and came home tired and
sore at the bad roads, didn't you
get about what was coming to you,
and you Mr.. Farmer, who deny your
self and family the pleasure. profit
and convenience of good roads by
not doing what you can 10 build
them, aren't you getting yours also?
Our mission here today Is to so
plan and organize our work that
Blue Earth county shall soon have
good roads everywhere. It's up to
US. We can do Il: we know how
to build roads and we can pay for
them, and have them II we will.
Blue Earth county is rich and grow
ing richer very rapidly. Our assessed
valuation is over Is millions of
dollars; sixty million is nearer our
actual value. We win spend on
roads probably about 100000 this
year, including the amounts paid by
the townships We ought to spend
more every year, but our county
commissioners did not dare to GO
the limit on road tax for fear of the
man who kicks against taxes. The
only time. a man ought to kick on
taxes is when they are unfair or
he does not get value received for
his money. ! believe we are getting
value received many times over
where the money is wisely spent
IN building good, permanent roads.
Mankato business men, or at least
some of them believe so firmly in
good roads that they are not only
making coed roads in the city, but
they are anxious to reach out and
help in building them in the coun-
try. We want 10 cooperate with
you farmers in this work. We are
doing II under the law now. Man
kato pays 81 per cent OF the road
and bridge tax OF this county. We
| pay this year towards county roads
s10.63s. besides heavy taxes toward
maintaining our streets. Three or
four years ago, l paid 1892 for a
good street In front of my home. I
Will soon pay as mach more on the
side street. but it's a good invest
ment at that This matter OF tax in
city and country works out some
thing like this. I own one acre as
my home. pay s3sS tax yearly, A
farmer friend of mine. owning 229
acres Of the finest land IN the. world
pays slsS, yet his farm Is worth
much more than my home. or my
tax. s2s.51 goes toward building
country roads: OF this tax 1912 Is
spent on roads Good roads are
part OF this equipment for carrying
on his business. as his farm is 10
miles from town. Some city men
used to think II wasn't fair, but ii
is. Good roads help everyone, and /
am glad we have as heavy taxes
as we do for good. roads. Two cor.
porations in this city. Of which am
president. pay $500 year in taxes.
OF this amount s2es Is used in build.
Ing country roads. but we almost
double this by putting 5000 more in
good roads. as an Investment or do
nation. and would be willing to do
much more II others would DO the
same.
We are willing to go beyond our
taxes In order 10 get roads faster,
so we come to- you farmers and say.
II Won win put extra money or work
into building good roads, we will do