The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1920-01-09
URGED BABCOCK ROADS
HARD SURFACE HIGH
WAY is FAVORED
Senator, McGarry Addressed the
People On Amendment
Last Evening

ion expressed last evening at tn,
booster meeting for the coming cam.
paign to make certain the adoption o.
the constitutional amendment The
meeting was held at the council
chambers in the city hall and was
well attended. Senator p. II. McGar-
ry of Walker, Mimi, delivered tho
principal address CT the evening.
Bald this system of roads in Min
nesota and the state will develoI
rapidly" Senator McGarry declared
Your taxes will soon be carried BY
population two-thirds greater than
at present. Yeu can carry on bigger
ard better enterprises in Minnesota
1t win bring thousands here every
year. IL will moan . bigger and q
better state and benefit for every
resident CT the state"
Opening his remarks. the senator
said he believed Mankato had soma
of the most enthusiastic good road
boosters in the state and he felt
sure they would see that the amend
ment carried here. Briefly. then, hl
outlined the Babcock plan, which is
10 build hard surface roads through
cut Minnesota with money raised by
a tax on automobiles. Not cent for
the building OF the roads is to be
paid by anyone save car owners
increase in The Cars.
Senator McGarry pointed out the
rapid increase in the number of cars
owned in this state In 1907 there
were 1000 machines owned here and
in 1913 there were over 255,000 ma
chimes. This increase in the number
Of cars, he said, makes the hard sur
face roads a necessity. Reviewing
road legislation he pointed out that
the only way for this state TO raise
money, by tax on automobiles. is by
passing constitutional amendment.
The financial end OF the proposed
plan for building the hard surface
roads was explained b. the speaker,
as well as the proposed campaign to
carry it through to success. Passa EOS
or the bin were read to acquaint the
men present with the exact purpose
of The measure.
"Anothing hing said Senator Nc
Garry, unless you adopt this amend
ment there is no way for you to get
your federal aid Ii this amendment
is by any chance lost. you will have
lost nearly sI5,6Oe,a 900 OF federal
money AID It viii go to some other
state"
Automobiles in the state would be
taxed about SIS car, on an avera re.
to raise funds for the proposed high
way system The tax On each car
would be determined by the tonnage
and horsepower of the car. heavy
cars being obliged to pay more tksn
others.
This amendment will save you in
taxes during the year to come
stated the speaker. ut means that we
will never have 81 additional tax on
the shoulder of anyone. 1t seems al
most too good, as q matter OF fact.
There is no intelligent man in the
state of Minnesota who can tell re
one reason why this amendment
should not DE passed"
Maps Of Babcock System.
Senator McGlrry then displayed
maps OF the Babcock system which
are BEING put out TO aid the passage
Of the amendment He said he hoped
that every voter in the county would
receive one and that il was desired
to have a committee appointed to see
the maps were distributed and to plv
the funds for the campaign. E. f.
Soaring moved that the men present
so on record as faYoring the Babcock
amendment and nearly all present
stood. when d vote was called
john H. Holman, who introduced
Senator McGarry. closed with. an an
peal for all Blue Earth county boost
ers to get out and work for the pro-
posed amendment
1T will be a great step backwards
for Minnesota if the measure should
fail Mr.. Hohmann declared. lie
pointed out the great scenic beauties
of Minnesota the vast DEVELOPMENT
along this line in the state which had
never been used to advantage and
stated the bill meant much along
these lines as well as along lines OF
commercial and economic develop
ment
Considerable discussion over the
measure arose later in the evening.
Several men present, noticing tina.
ID. L. Williams. had not stood when
a vote for the amendment, was called
for, asked Mr. Williams to state thu
reasons for his opposition.
Thinks Il A Scheme.
This looks to me like a scheme OF
the rich to :hove the cost on the
poor Williams asserted. "The pocr
man is buying The cars now and II
ooks to ME like the cost will be
showed on him.
Mr.. Williams went on to state that
many Of the people who would pay
for the roads would never see them.
He expressed himself as opposed to
the whole proposed system Of taxa
ton.
Minneapolis. ST. Paul and Duluth
will pay for sixty per cent of this
and they won't get single foot of
the reads" shot back Senator Nc
Garry. Ninety per cent of these
roads are built in The country. ter,
per cent in The cities The farmer is
the man who is to receive the great
est benefit from the plan. IL the
road don't do directly past your door
it is a benefit nevertheless. If Won
mean what you say, as being for the
poor man and opposed to the rich
you'll switch over on this in hurry"
fcTntinued On Page Three.)