The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1937-11-04


every increase in the tax levies was viewed
with alarm and a politician who voted for
new tax had considerable explaining to do,
but in spite of this protection approprla-
lions by the Minnesota legislature have in
creased until in 1887 they are between five
and six times what they were in 1907, &C
cording to the Minnesota Taxpayers associa-
ton.
Modern life is considerably more COM
pick than it was when the graveSt traffic
problem was the liability of the autoist
whose machine caused a team to runaway,
and we presume that few Minnesotans would
care to live in 1887 with what machinery of
government existed in 1907, much as they
would welcome return to tax assessments
of that day.
State boards and commissions in 1907,
or example, cost the taxpayers $934,O00.
This year the bill for these boards and COM
missions and the dozens which have been
added is just short of six millions. No won
der the political machines of our fathers
compare with the modern party organiza-
tions like the Wrights' airship would look
beside the China Clipper.
In 1907 the legislative session cost
$189,975 while this years historic meetings
cost $6S9,OOO State aid for schools has in
creased 900 per cent while state institutions
set the taxpayers back about three times as
hard this year as they did then.
One can't blame it all on the Farmer
laborites either, and be strictly honest. Gov
ernor Benson's parents hadn't purchased his
first long breeches when the state appropria-
tions began their altitude flight From less
than II million in 1907 they had climbed
past the 18 million mark in 1915 and by
1919, colossal 80 million wouldn't hold
them. What may have been attributed to
the war wasn't eliminated with the Armis-
tice for 1923 saw budget of better than
40 million. Budgets dropped off slightly
from 1927 to 1881 and even the depression
year of 1885 missed the A million mark,
including relief item of two million. This
year, (times being betterO relief was COM
promised after bitter fight for more, at
$11,774,0OO More than the entire 1907 bud
get) and the state budget will nick the tax
payers for a total of $58515,359.
We've made lot of progress in 80
years, but it has been expensive.
A PUBLICITY RELEASE" FROM
the Portland Cement association this week
points with pride to the twenty-ffth ami
versary of the laying of the first concrete
pavement in Minnesota.
Ordinarily thought of as something
quite new, it is interesting to know that
Wing was poured in 1912 and while methods
in that day were not as painstaking as today
in the matter of reinforcing, proper mix
and thickness of slab, the section is still
used
Since that time 5000 miles of high
ways, 600 miles of street and $50 miles of
alleys have been constructed of cement. Of
the earlier highways, few were built with
out proper engineering on corners, without
railroad underpasseS or OverpasSeS and in
some instances, too narrow for today's huge
trucks to meet with safety, but the slabs
themselves are in the vast majority of in
stances intact and giving good service.
Considering the probable life of mod
ern concrete road as at least rs years, (35
to SO years might be more accurately and
comparing the first cost and the upkeep with
the cost, upkeep and frequent replacement
expense of cheaper road surfacing in more
general use today one concludes that there
is no substitute for paving.
WHEN WE GET TO FEELING THAT
Redwood Falls is small world after all, we
just switch on the radio and listen to the
static kicked up by some tiny vacuum clean
er or sewing machine motor or an oil burner
somewhere in the neighborhood. It it's time
for favOrite program, usually the din will
equal that of busy New York or Chicago
downtown corner and one can imagine an
elevated roaring past and street cars grind
ing to a stop. It's the same here in the Of
flee and according to reports, no section of
town escapes entirely. KIND operators
work in such continual din they sometimes
threaten to join the Foreign Legion. Some
progress was made toward beating the static
pest a few years ago but he is back now and
working overtime Why not do something
about it?
THE M AND ST. L RAILROAD GER
tainly came in for more than its share OF
publicity last weekend. First it was an
nounced that the road would not be dismem-
bered as attempted several seasons back and
the subject of much litigation ever since
No sooner was that bit of good news herald
ed than wreck occurred at Gaylord and the
depot at North Redwood was the scene OF a
robbery. &
THE MODERN MOTORISTS, IT
seems, step on the gas and hurry past
truck-just so they can drive behind anotn-
or uck-Minneota Mascot.