The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1928-10-26
INDIANA BUILDS
FARMERS ROADS
Copyright, ". N. ~
Communicated


What kind of road system is most
desirable? One where there are sur
faced roads running to three-fourths
of the farms of the state? Or one
where only a third of the farms are
located on surfaced roads?
Members of the state committee
working for the passage of the gasoline
tax amendment raised the question
this week as they made final plans ror
getting out a big vote in the rural
districts for the amendment, which
would authorize the use of a third OF
the proceeds of the gasoline tax on the
secondary roads.
The question was prompted by a
comparison of the road systems OF
Minnesota and Indiana as disclosed by
the United States Census for Agricul-
ture. In Minnesota, where efforts of the
state have been conferred largely On
trunk highways, the census shows that
two-thirdS of the farms are located on
dirt roads, and the men who live on
them must battle with mud roads
every spring.
But Indiana has followed differ
ent policy. 1t gives third OF the
gasoline tax to the local units and
has stressed for some years the de-
yelopment of secondary roads along
with trunk highways. What is the
situation there? Three-fourths OF the
farms of Indiana, so the committee
discovered from the census, now are
located on surfaced roads, whereas in
Minnesota only third are so FORUM
ately located.
"There is the thing in a nutshell, y
said Senator L. P. Johnson OF Ivanhoe,
chairman of the gasoline tax amend
ment committee. 1--WE have been
stressing merely trunk highways. In
Indiana, secondary roads have been
developed along with trunk high ways.
"The fight over Amendment No. l
resolves itself down to this. Are we 60
ing to develop merely trunk highways,
or are we going to build trunk high
WAYS and at the Same time advance
our secondary roads and in so doing
adopt policy that serves the greater
numper?"
'cMr. Babcnck himself in Develop lg
the trunk highway syS.em followed
the very policy we now advocate. Not
having money enough to pave great
mileages, he underworld 10 get all the
trunk highways in as good shape as
possible through gravelling instead OF
using his money to pave relatively
! small mileages. In other words, ne
spread the benefits Of good roads as
rapidly as possible to the greater num-
| Der.
"Now, in urging this amendment, we
merely are following the same policy
| We might spend $20,O00,000 or even
$50, 100000 year on our trunk high
ways and pave every mile of them be.
/ fore we give one cent of aid from the
! gas tax to these men out on the side
roads, but we do not believe that is
lust. It would not be using our money
to serve the greatest number. With
| 80 per cent of our trunk highways sur
| faced, we believe that the benefits OF
good roads now should be extended
| gradually to that great majority who
must use the secondary roads.
| "Out on these secondary roads, there
| are thousands of farmers who have
| only roads of bottomless mud to trave
| on in the spring Do you know there
are 10000 farms in Minnesota still
located out on dirt roads? Is it equit-
| able and just to go on using all oul
money for trunk highways and leave
these men out in the mud?" e. F