The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1919-01-29

plan follows closely to that of the
State of Illinois which was submitted
to the people of that state at the gen.
eral election in 1913 and which was
approved by majority of nearly 500
900. In Illinois, however, the plan
was submitted In the form of a sta
tute which was referred under the
initiative and referendum law of that
state In Minnesota it is necessary
to treat the proposition as a consti-
tutional amendment because of pro-
visions in the constitution of this state
which must be changed.
One of the most stricking features
of Mr.. Babcock's plan is that it es-
tablishes a definite system of roads,
serving all parts of the state, which
forestalls the possibility of the bond
issue becoming a pork barrel for fu-
ture distribution. 1t enables both
the legislature and the people to con-
slider the proposition in abstract form
and to provide the necessary constitu-
tional amendments and statutes which
will apply only to the Trunk High
way System and leave all tho safe
guards of the constitution relating to
other subjects intact.
Another feature of the plan is that
it does not disturb the state road and
bridge fund. created by Section 16 of
Articles TX of the constitution. This
is the fund which is known as the
Estate Aid Fund" and which is distri-
buted among the various counties on
a basis of one per cent minimum and
three per cent maximum to any
county. The County and Town road
funds are also left intact.
The purpose of leaving these undis-
turbed is to place the counties in po-
siiion to build the lateral and feeder
roads necessary to weage the Trunk
Highway System into comprehen-
sive and serviceable network of high
ways. The elimination of the 5000
miles comprising the Trunk Highway
System takes from The counties the
burden of their most costly roads so
that the funds which in the past have
been expended on these roads-and
which will have to be expended on
them in the future if the amendment
fails-will be availablo for the con-
struction and maintenance of the less
important highways.
Mr. Babcock estimates that apprO-
ximately 80 per cent of the money
which has been spent in the past few
years on the state roads has been spent
on the identical thoroughfares which
are in his proposed Trunk Highway
System. On this basis, there would
be available for the secondary road
system nearly $6,000,000 annually if
the amendment carries.
If the legislature submits the plan
as proposed and the people approve
it in 1920, Minnesota will soon be able
to boast of road system that will
excel that of any state in the Union.
There will be three classes of roads
with plenty of money for the con-
struction and maintenance of all The
highways in each of the classes.
First, there will be the Trunk High
way System of approximately 5000
miles which will be, for the most part
at least. hard surfaced and which will
carry the through traffic. Then there
will be the Secondary System, or the
remainder of state roads, which will
serve as the lateral or main feeder
roads. In this system are about u
900 miles of road. These roads will
be built and maintained jointly by the
county and state through combina-
ton of county ana state aid funds.
Then will come the third system of
county and township roads to be built
entirely at local expense. These roads
carry the ightest traffic and the cost
of maintenance is low. The total mile
age of this system is about $4,000
miles, making a total mileage IN the
three systems of approximately $4,000
miles.
While there is always wide diver
gence Of opinion on the ways and
means or financing any comprehend
sive road building plan, Mr.. Babcock
seems to have suggested the one upon
which Che greater number OF people
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