An 1898 constitutional amendment authorized the Legislature to provide the governor authority to appoint three members to a new State Highway Commission. This commission will supervise construction of state roads and bridges and manage the newly created state road and bridge fund.
The commission was to consider road building material and methods, disseminate information among those who will construct and maintain roads, distribute funds to counties for the purpose of roads and bridges, and report to the governor on the progress of these duties and funds.