The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1923-02-15
TIE MEN WHO PAY THE BILL

(The st. Cloud Daily Journal-Press)
AS a general proposition when ar
intelligent body Of men get together
and propose a plan for the general
good and are ready to back it up by
paying the complete expense, theil
offer would be accepted by the PEG.
pie who receive their full share of the
benefit, with thanks, at least.
Yesterday in Minneapolis the repre-.
sentatives of the various automobile
clubs in the state, after a discussion OF
the plan to have the state legislature
authorize bond issue of ten million
dollars in 1923 and an equal amount in
1924, to pave some of the most tray
.eled highways, it was approved by an
unanimous vote. The significant part
of this is that the men and women
who did this represent the automobile
owners of the state, and it is the own
ers of motor vehicles who will pay the
interest and the principal on the
bonds. Not cent will be raised by
taxes for these trunk highways.
There will be no increase in the Ii
cense fees for automobile. The Ii
cense for motor trucks and buses en-
ployed as common carriers, will be
raised as it should be and to which
the companies operating them agree
is only fair. This will be done regard
less of the bond issue.
The issuing of bonds will give paw
ing for the highways that should be
paved to stand up under the heavy
traffic and to stop the waste of mon-
ey now necessary to maintain them
The cost of maintaining some of these
roads runs as high as $1,000 a mile
each year which is about twice the
interest charge for pavement.
By issuing bonds, we get about all
the highways of permanent construc-
ton necessary on the funk line sys-
tenn for probably ten years. We get
these paved roads within two years
and we get them without an extra
cent of license fees, not a cent of
taxes, and cost of trying to keep dirt
roads in decent condition-an almos'
impossible tasks greater than
would be the interest on the bonds for
a good highway.
There are many miles of the trunk
highway system where crawling is
sufficient, where it will stand the linn
tied travel, and where it would be a
waste Of money to pave. No man in
the state understands this proposition
better than Commissioner Babcock,
and he is trying to give the people
good roads at the least expense, and
to stop the tremendous waste Of try
ing to maintain roads that cannot be
made good roads unless paved.
There seems to be considerable OBJ
lection to the issuing of these bonds
by members of the legislature from
the farming districts. They have lis
tened to the demand of holding down
expense, and reducing the tax rate,
which is certainly commendable. But
here is a proposition of giving the
people better service, at no increase
in cost but really at a saving, by
good business methods, and the men
who are demanding the bond issue
are the men who pay the bills. Why
should any member of the legislature
object to that?
The greatest need of the Minnesota
farmers is cheaper transportation for
their products. Their best market i
the home market. Good roads from
the farm to the market is highway
of prosperity. The owner of motor
vehicles of st. Paul, Minneapolis a
Duluth, cities that do not get penny