The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-06-26


The Missouri Legislature has given
birth to a new road law during its late
session, and doubtless the legislatures Of
numerous other States have done as much.
The road question is one of chronic inter
est to legislators, and it is rather anoma-
lous for conventions or legislatures to get
through with a session of any length with
out considering all manner of resolutions
representing the ideas of ambitious repre-
sentativss, earnest in their endeavors to
meet the wants of their constituents.
The trouble with these new road laws
is, that like the roads themselves, we
wish we had kept the one only when we
have come to try the other. Our eXpe-
rience in road legislation cannot be said
to be very great, but what little we have,
assisted by that of others, leads US to be-
leive that the State NEEDLES a little too
much with the road matter and that the
counties should have the whole question
under their control. Why cannot the
county roads be managed by the same
system as is in vogue i'll Incorporated
towns? Why cannot the work upon them
be done by contract under the manage
ment of superintendent, and be paid for
by a general taxi Instead of calling
upon each resident along the line of road
to furnish so much help twice a year, to
put the roads in good repair, why should
not every tax payer in the county pay
his pro rata for keeping in good COndl-
ton the road over which he travels? 1t
is notorious fact that the value of lands,
and value of farm products is materially
deprecated or advanced by the good or
bad condition of county roads leading to
and from market In some portions OF
the country grain and others marketable
products are locked up within short dis
tances of the railroads, from November
TO May, simply because the roads are i'm.
passable for heavy loads. Spectators
move about from house to house, taking
advantage of the money droughts to pur-
chase at the lowest rates, and the farmer
loses a handsome percentage upon his la
bor in consequence of bad roads aud no
market. Is there no remedy for this
state of things? We are prone to believe
that there is, and that the remedy is with
in easy reach. We cannot buy the bau-
BILE and have the penny too-but every
citizen in the country should stand ready
to furnish his quota towards securing
first class roads
We have been told that IN portions. OF
Kentucky the public roads are particu-
larly well constructed, and they are sell
dom out of repair, and that the system
under which they are managed is APP
proved of by farmers and tax payers
generally. The county votes a certain
amount to build certain road, issues
bonds representing this amount, which
are sold, and the proceeds at once prop
erly applied. When the road is finished
it is put up at auction and sold to the
highest bidder, not unfrequently, we are
rold, selling for more than its actual
cost. The county then either takes up
its bonds or invests in new road as the
people may elect OF course the pur-
chasers give bond by which they are held
TO keep the roads in repair-and failing
to do so this bond is forfeited, and the
county cannot meet with loss In this
manner a number of roads are built and
sold upon one single issue of bonds, and
if the statements of our informants are
correct, the whole system works like a
charm.
The laws which regulated road repairs
are in many instances almost lmpractl-
cable. Farmers cannot furnish their pro
rata of labor for the reason that they
must neglect their crops if they do, and
the consequence is that the work is hur-
RED over IN shpshod manner, and the
first rain undoes the little that has
been done. All the people of a county
are undoubtedly interested in the condi-
ton of the county roads. 1t is true that
some have more interest than others, but
we cannot draw the lines sufficiently fine
to do strict justice to the few. Roads
should be kept in good repair by con-
tract, each contractor being required to
give bond sufficient to insure prompt and
good work. All expenses should be met
by road tax, levied with the general
tax, just as the school taxes are, in the
hands of competent and honest com
mittee, whose duty it should be to act as
and inspectors Of roads,
and disbursers of the road fund for all
legitimate purposes. Until this question
receives the attention which it deserves
we will pray in vain for decent thorough |
fares by which to get our produce to mar
let at all seasons Of the year.