The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1928-04-06
Unfair Road Building


There is much dissatisfaction felt
at the action of the State Highway
Commission in ordering the building
of seven miles OF the proposed road
from Culbertson to Scobey at the SEQ
bey end of the line. Mr.. Wankel said
that Sheridan county is entitled to
seven miles of construction if this
highway is to be built in this kind of
piecemeal manner. Sheridan County
is paying as much as any other farm
ing county into the gasoline tax fund"
said Mr.. Wankel. "And if the roads
are to be built in patches" fashion
we are entitled to construction within
Sheridan County. The road south of
Reserve or the road between Plenty
wood and Archer could well get some
of this money. Building seven miles
from Culbertson and then building
seven miles this way is like playing
both ends against the middle. | do
not see by what reasoning the mem
bers of the Highway Commission can
call this kind of thing fair or justify
it on the ground Of good public poll
cy."
FavOrs Districting the State
'It seems to me-" continued Mr.
Wankel, "that the Highway Commits.
sion did not pay much attention tx
this part OF the state or were badl!
advised when they made their appro
priations up here. This business of ap
pointing members Of the Commissio
from the big towns may be alrigh
but | am in favor of having the stat
divided into districts ana having fiv
commissioners, one appointed fror
each district. The money in the high
way commission fund should be pro
rated amongst the districts. Other
wise we here in Eastern Montana VIII
have not the same representation il
Helena as counties such as Flathead
for instance, will continue to pay tn
bulk Of the taxes and get very littl
in return" Continuing Mr.. Wanke
said that representation should b
made to the highway commission i
favor of building seven miles of tn
state highway in Sheridan County thi
year.
State Bond Issue
Asked whether he favored a bond
issue to enable the commission ia
understake the construction of all
its program Immediately Mr.. Wan
kel said: "Yes. am in favor Oi
anything that will place the advant
ages of civilization within the reacI
of the people Of the present gen
Grafton. / used to be against al
these things but l am now in favOl
of better schools. better cOur
houses and social centers and fine
= highways and if these things hav
! to be got by bonding and passing
q the burden on to the next generation
n l am in favor of it. That is pro
gress and we all claim to be pro
3 gressives. If the next generation
Ie wants to repudiate the bonds tina
is their business. If we can max
the lot of the people now livin
here brighter and happier and W
can do it with Wall Street money
NJ well l am in favor of using tha
IN money even though it is tainted. w
are living under capitalist mOnOpC
Of ly and we should take advantage {
of all we can get under this system
nj improve our condition"
" Senator Schnitzler interviewed
W
SO Roosevelt County is now up in the
most of the time. But still he is
ct terested in better roads for northea
ok en Montana. On his return fir
,rs California he was interviewed by
ge representative of the Producers Ne
he "They have good roads everywh
les but in Eastern Montana now," S
de the famous Froid bonanza farmer z
NO banker. "They are building hundr
Ir. of miles of asphalt and concrete hi
of ways in southern California" cont
Did ued Senator Schnitzler. "And
Tvs state is reaping the advantage in
ere creased immigration of people fl
nts other states. They spend their mo-
lub in California because it has g
ust roads and climate. We are now
en- ing in an age when mankind
taken to wheels. The stone age
Of the bronze age are giving way to
on wheel and wing age. While there
-od I a craving for travel on wheels til
oor will be a demand for good roadb,
md We should meet this demand if we
ov- not to be left behind in the race
rne progress. Good roads is the answ
! a Should Have Continued Building fl
inn CulbertsOn
en- Senator Schnitzler was not plea
in at the action of the highway conn
and sion in dropping the construction
,ad, the Culbertson Scobey highway
G. starting to build at Scobey. "I
o. like burning the candle at both en-
fter said the Roosevelt Senator" and
the middle is pretty SOFT" he contir
with smile. "I am sure that pc
of Roosevelt, Daniels and Sheri
vim counties would feel much better
in they knew that the highway was
in ing built in continuous instead
s. piecemeal fashion. 1t would be be