Year: 1877

| swamp E<AB0 improvements


In his retiring message to the Legisla-


ture, Gov. Bagley says: "After an ex-


perience with the state road and ditch
system of four years, cannot refrain
| from expressing my conviction that it is


wasteful and extravagant expenditure
of our swamp lands, and that some better
plan should be devised TO take its place.


Having had occasion during the past two
years to be somewhat intimately cor
nected with this system. and thereby be-
ipg able to see It's workings. the writer
feels in duty bound to take issue with
with the Governor in his conclusions.


We admit that the history of the swamp
land improvements as conducted by the
state since the grant of swamp lands to
to the state by the general government,
has not been such as to awaken much
pride in the hearts of the citizens of the
state, but the improvements in the laws
in the last few years, have done away
with most of the Objectionable features


which had crept into its management,
and management of the same are near
what they should be for the best interests
Of the state. The law, as at present con-
stituted, is working we'll and accomplish
ing what its trainers designed, and the
results for which the lands were granted
the state. Where law is practical sue
cess, we do not believe that it is policy
to remodel it. We notice that Gov. Bag


ley has no plan to submit which he thinks
would be an improvement. therefore to
what conclusion can we arrive, but that
be considers lands expended in making
roads and bitches. and other improve
ments. are practically wasted. Here we
take issue with the Governor again. Let


us 90 back into the history of the state
road business and see. We admit that
under the old system that immense guam
titles of the lands were appropriated very
carelessly by the Legislature, and in
many cIses, practically, there was no val
ue ever received for them, but at the
same time, the roads and ditchcs which
have been made, have been al, element
in the settlement OF the newer portions
of the state, which has added years to its
development. Take the tier of counties,
two or three wide, stretching across the
state west from Saginaw and Bay counties
and the development of the country is ten
or fifteen years ahead Of what it would
have been had it not been for the country
being opened up for settlement by the
construction of these state roads. These
lands, which, but for the development of
the country, would have been conpara-
lively worthless. The lands paid ont for
these Improvements have gone upon the
tax rolls and lave thus become an as
sistance to .he state. which they would
not otherwise have been, and the increase
i'll value OF other lands in the vicinity of
these improvements have more than COM
pensated the state for the outlay. We
see this eXemplified in our own vicinity.
The state road between Cheboy.an and
PetOskey has been an element Tor the in-
provement of this county with which its
cost does not compare. The same is the
case with the inland navigation improve


ment. Although not completed yet: the
state has sold large quantities of land on
the strength of the development which
the completion will cause to the county.
Lands which until now possessed no
present and very little prospective value
are now sought after and purchased. The
growth and development and future pros


poets of the worthless part of the state
depend very largely upon the construc-
ton of state roads. If Governor Bagley
would take trip through the "north
woods away from the railroads, he
would see such evidences of the benefits
of the state road system, which would, we
think, make him change his opinion up
on the subject.