Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1916-04-05
GIVES TIT FOR TAT
Minnesota Highway Homo Rule A..
ISOLATION Gives the Lie to State

Minnesota Highway Home Rule AZ.
ISOLATION Gives the Lie to State
Engineer Cooley.
Fosston, Minn., Mar. Is, 1916.
To the Editor of the Tribune:
In statement recently published
In various papers throughout the
State, Mr.. Geo. w. Cooley, State En-
gineer, is quoted as follows:
"On the eve of election we have
been informed that various townships
are being canvassed and the boards
asked to pass resolutions declaring
for the so-called Home Rule, and
against the Highway Commission.
This attack, Mr.. Cooley says, "is fos-
tered by bridge builders and mater
ia1 men,"
Acting for this Association and its
township Home Rule Clubs, repre-
senting over 100000 rural voters, we
denounce the statement of the engi-
neer for the Highway Commission as
malicious falsehood, deliberately Ut
tered to detract public attention from
the very just criticism directed
against himself and associates by iu-
dignant citizens Of every county IN
Minnesota.
This Association and its affiliated
Home Rule Clubs were not formed as
MIR. Cooley says upon the eve of an
election, but were organized at the
annual town meetings one year ago.
The expense of the Association is car
ed for by voluntary contributions of
$500 from each local club, and not by
any private interest.
At the recent town meetings the
voters were asked by this Association
to express their opinion upon these
two propositions, concerning which
legislative action is contemplated:
First, that the right to appoint engi-
neers to plan and superintend road
building for the various counties be
taken from the State Highway CON-
mission and given to boards of county
commissioners; second, that the DOW
er to purchase road and bridge build
ing material should remain where it
now is, with local boards elected by
the people and not be concentrated
with the State Highway Commission,
as proposed in the Warner bill intro
duced at the last session Of the legis-
lature.
We enclose a copy of our letter
mailed to each township. May we ask
if the appeal we have made to the
voters assembled in town meeting is
in any way irregular or subject to
suspicion? May we ask if consent for
such an appeal must first be obtained
from the High and Mighty One who
assumes to be guardian for all rural
Minnesota? May we ask this overly
suspicious person in whose interest
he is acting? May we ask for whose
benefit it is proposed to have the pur-
chase Of millions of dollars worth of
road and bridge building material con.
centrated under the control of com.
mission for which he is engineer?
We cannot see what difference it
will make to those Interested in the
sale Of bridge and bodybuilding ma
terials whether the plans for roadwork
are prepared by an engineer appoint.
ed by the county or made by an engi-
neer appointed by Mr.. Cooley. But
we can see where men interested in
the sale Of these materials might have
an interest in having their purchase
for the entire state concentrated un.
der the control of a single engineer
and we can also see where such q
condition. might result in the engi.
neer having an interest, not entirely
impersonal, not altogether altruistic.
Minnesota Highway Home Rule
Association.
BY E. G. Eklund, President