The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1876-03-03

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own benefit This is the principle that
Mr.. b. (unconsciously hope is teach
ing.
As intiInated in a former article, there
is not a taxpayer in the county but has
some interest in every mile of good pub
lie roads within the county, whether he
ever travels them or not. We are a
community whose interests are INSOFAR
ably connected, and what contributes to
the well being and prosperity of my
neighbors, in some way, more or less,
benefits me-let it be ever so indirect,
whether / recognize the fact or not.
This, 1 think, cannot be controverted.
But taking Mr.. BIS standpoint, it might
with equal propriety be asked, what in
terest is it to one township or section
that its neighboring township has ali ex
istence at all?
But as to the cost of piking our roads
l think it is no exaggeration to say that,
if all main roads were made passable for
heavy teaming all seasons of the year, it
would add at least twenty (20) per cent.
to the present valuation of our county.
Now, laying all other considerations
aside, and looking at this business from
pecuniary standpoint, as purely mat
ter of gain or speculation, let us figure
a little. Take the present valuation
S12, 400, 900 nearly, and adding twenty
per cent, 81, ,4S0, 900, which gives us
valuation of S14, $50, 900. Now, sup
pose we deduct fifty per cent. of this
increase for the cost of building roads,
and we still have left 81, ,240, 900 as clear
gain on the investment. This is on the
supposition that all the money expend-
ed, be taken out of the county, instead
of being distributed back again, in
greater part, to those who paid it,
which is not an insignificant considera-
ton.
If the opponents of pixies can advance
a single good reason, aside from the
narrow one already advanced, why a
tax should not be levied for improving
our roads, then shall be willing to con-
cede that they are not entirely actuated
by short-sighted considerations. But SO
long as the miserable centso near-the-
eye that the-dollar- ar-beyond-can't-b be seen
policy, is their only reason for their
course, 1 can have no patience with
them. 1t is this policy that has kept
Hancock county, Findlay in particular,
twenty years behind the times, and has
crippled our interests Leyond recoy cry,
by driving away all great railroad en-
terprises and causing manufactures, and
private enterprise generally, to shun our
county and go to build up rural towns
and adjoining counties at our expense.
Now, our taxes are already high, and
and it would not be a good policy to in
crease them much, but there exists no
actual necessity for an increase. in order
to effect the desired object. l am in
favor of economizing as much as any of
the opponents of pixies dare be, but
when IL is reduced To parslInoDy, then 1t
ceases to be a virtue, and leads to COW
etousness, and not unfrequently ends in
real penury.
believe the county is pretty well sup
piled with good substantial bridges, SO
that quite saving can be had in that
direction, and at least one half the pres
ent amount spent (squandered would be
a better world on our roads, might be
applied to the piking of them, and with
a proper curtailment in other direc-
tions, with view to this object, the ne
cessity of an oppressive tax is visionary,
and is used for the purpose of stirring up
and to carry one section
against another, with sinister motive.
g. W. p.