The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1920-10-28
AMENDMENT NO. l.,


tics have been quoted until the average
man is somewhat confused. Amend
ment No. 1 establishes in Minnesota
state trunk highway system Of ap-
proximately 1000 miles of main, or
arterial roads, which reaches into ev-
cry section of the state, the highways
to be 'located, constructed, recon
structed, improved and forever main
tanned as public highways by the state
of Minnesota"
We will attempt to state briefly ex-
actly what the adoption Of this amend
ment will mean to Mile Laos county.
The state will become entirely respon-
sible for the total maintenance and
construction of SO miles of highway in
this county In the SO miles is in
Guided that portion of the Scenic high
way lying within the boundaries of
Mile Laos county and short piece Of
the road connecting Milaca and Mora.
All the money which under the present
system is spent on this SO miles will
go to the other roads in the county,
the local roads. The highway COM
mission states that this year $4,000
was available for these local roads. IF
the amendment is adopted this sum
will be increased to $4,000, between
two and three times as much as we
have this year. This sum will be spent
on the crossroads and the roads tribu-
tary to the Scenic highway. The
enormous increase in the amount of
money to be spent on the roads in
Mile Laos county will not increase by
one dollar the taxes Of any individual
who does not own an automobile or
motor truck
The money for the trunk highway
system is to be obtained by levying a
tax on automobiles and trucks. It is
estimated the tax on Fords will be
about $40 or SIP and that on Packards
$40, making an average tax of about
S1s. If this tax is imposed the present
personal property tax on automobiles
and the license fee will be abolished,
which together amount on the average
car to 81, making an increase in the
tax Of medium priced car of Sill. The
owner of the car will save money by
paying this tax and having good roads
on which to drive.
The cities will pay considerably over
half the money to be used on this sys-
tenn. Less than 10 per cent of the
1000 miles of the trunk highway sys-
tenn is in city and village limits and
not one foot inside of St. Paul, Mime
apolis or Duluth. If there is one class
of people who should vote for this
amendment it is the people in the rural
districts and the farmers.
The St. Cloud Journal Press states:
sThe man who argues that Amend
ment No. will not help the farmers
is either fool or liar and perhaps
BOTH"
There is no joker in this plan. This
amendment does not authorize the is
sue of bonds. It merely grants to the
legislature the power to provide by
law bond issue if the people Of Min
nesota desire such an issue. The
whole matter of the bond issue will
rest entirely with the legislature ex-
cept that bonds cannot be issued to
exceed $1O,OOO,OOO in one year. Mr.
Babcock, state highway commissioner
has repeatedly stated that he does
not believe bonds will ever have to be
issued. The number of automobiles in
the state today exceeds the estimate
of the men who drafted the amend.
ment. This number will certainly in.
crease during the coming years; dur.
ing the last two years it has increased
at rate of over $4,000 per year
There are over 100000 automobiles il
Minnesota. An average tax of SIS
per acre would yield fund of S.,
100000. This sum plus the 2,S4O,OO(
federal aid we will receive next yea,
would give road fund Of $S,24OOOO
If bonds are issued they will be retired
and the interest paid on them by tn.
money derived from the tax on auto
mobiles and motor trucks.
In voting for Amendment No. 70,
are not voting for any certain kind o.
a road. Some. of the roads will un
doubtedly be paved, but there is no
one word in the amendment regarding
the material to be used in their con
struction.