The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-01-21


farms into the towns. For over a
year l have advocated that the money
derived from the auto license tax
should be placed in a fund by itself
and not distributed back among the
counties and that the money should
be used something like this:
First, hat the auto license tax
should be increased from SO to IS.
The past year there were about $4,000
auto. licenses issued in North Dakota,
which at SIS each would bring in about
$40, 900 a year. Within the next two
or three years we will undoubtedly
have at least 10000 autos in North
! Dakota.
@"These autos at SIS per year would
bring into the state $4,000 per year.
1 would amend the constitution of our
state SO that it would provide for the
issuance of 100000 worth Of road
bonds and would provide that the
school funds Of h state could be in
vested in these bonds at 4 per cent
interest. O.
Then with this 100000 from the
auto license tax each year, we could
pay the interest on the bonds, which
err $50, 900 left each year would be ap-
piled to the retirement Of the prin-
cipal of the bonds.
eff a certain amount Of the bonds
were retired each year, so that the
amount Of interest would be reduced
each year., then in thirteen years the
bond issue could be entirely retired
and the principal and interest of the
road bonds would have been paid from
the auto license tax and the road
bonds would not ave cost the farmers
I rent nn1aSG 'fhaSS owned an aftfN
A million dollars spent economically
in North Dakota would do a wonder
full amount Of good for the roads and
II this money were divided up among
the various counties, it will give to
each county a sum sufficient to make
q splendid start in building roads.
1.-THE money might be distributed
pro rata according to the county's
valuation or upon some reasonable
basis and perhaps with the under
standing that the counties where this
money was to be expended should ap-
propriate a sum equal to the amount
furnished by the state-or some a
that would be right n fair.
"A movement of this kind would
give the good roads movement in
North Dakota a wonderful impetus.
I'VE cannot build roads without money
and as all of this money would be
SApeleueu Wltulu INC StdLe, IL "OuIu
all be earned by our OWL people! /
presented this matter to the legisla-
ture a year ago and it will be pre-
scented to the legislature which will
convene a year from now. This is a
conservation movement and one in
which we are interested.
1.-THE question of conserving the
public health is a most important one.
An earnest effort is being mad to
stamp out tuberculosis. Our people
need education upon the subject and
we need to conserve our health and
the health Of our people and we can
only do that by education and by
teaching our people how and what to
do in order to care for themselves.
1--WE nave in North Dakota today
many rural mail routes carrying mail
to the people on the farms. 1t is a
splendid thing and I hope to see the
system very materially enlarged and
many new routes put in. This is a
movement that helps to keep the peo-
Pic upon the farm and. it make life
just that much more worth the living
when the man on the farm receives
his mail as regularly as the man in
town. .....
THE extension of the telephone sys-
tenn is another blessing. We need the
rural telephone system all owe the
state and so that practically every
farmer shall have a telephone and
have communication direct from his
home to the home of his neighbor
and with the towns.
This helps also in life on the farm.
I believe the time is not far distant
when there will be power plants erect
ed at or near the coal fields in the
western part of North Dakota. In the
briquetting Of coal I am informed
that from every ton of coal briquet-
ted there are 10000 feet Of gas liber-
ated. This gas could be used as fuel
for the purpose Of generating electric
ity.
Then the electricity could be sent
in every direction over the wires for
a distance. of fifty miles and perhaps
even further. The time is not far
distant when we will carry electric
ity to be used for light, heat and power
to the small towns and to the farm
ers from these great central plants
and perhaps the same poles that car
ry the telephone wires can be made
use Of by some method t. carry the
light and power also. . :.
"Think what a blessing it would be
Upon the farms if the farm buildings
could be lighted by electricity; that
the washing machine, .churn, cream
separator, and other machinery might
all be run by electricity. This may
seem to be but a dream, but the
dream of yesterday becomes the real
ity Of today.
IF our farm buildings could be
lighted with electricity, the danger
from, fires would be very materially
reduced and in consequence the insur-
ance Upon the farm buildings would
be reduced. This is true conserva-
ton. True conservation lies in max
ing use of those things that we do not
make use of at the present time AND
which are being wasted. Here in
North Dakota we have passed by our
coal; we have passed by our clay; we
have burned and watsed u straw.
= I'VE are careIes and reckless with
our farm machinery. We have beer
extravagant In getting into debt. W.
have not been as careful as we should
be Of the public health. Now let us
turn over a new leaf and practice true
conservation all along the line.
IF we do this l feel sure there will
be no more prosperous people and
more contented people, or a more hap